Prior to the arrival of this recent "winter wallop", the first days of April provided local birders with some good weather and good birds. On April 1st Craig Corcoran observed an early OSPREY along Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick. What is likely the same bird was reported on subsequent days by Steve Walsh and Keith Dunn in that area. Keith photographed the bird atop an annually-used nest on Bruce Street (just north of Ravenshoe) last Friday. Also seen at a possible nesting site in the Keswick area was the pair of BALD EAGLES first reported by Peter Wukash at Cook's Bay in Keswick on March 21st. On April 2nd Keith Dunn had good scope views of the eagles from Young's Harbour Park, which is on the east side of Cook's Bay in Keswick where Lake Drive S. meets Walter Ave. The distance between scoper and scopees makes for a respectful distance that should keep these birds from being harassed if they do, indeed, nest here. Young's Harbour Park has also been a good vantage point for observing waterfowl over the past few weeks; Keith added the first PIED-BILLED GREBE of the spring that same day. The first reports of TREE SWALLOWS in York region were made on April 4th when Al Johnston had four flying over his pond on Bethesda Rd. east of Aurora and Craig Corcoran had two at his rural property along the 7th Concession of King Township near 15th Sdrd. Just north of this latter location (near the NE corner of 7th Con. and 16th Sdrd.), David Love had a WILSON'S SNIPE on Saturday. A walk through Cold Creek east of Bolton on Monday yielded RUFFED GROUSE, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, and two RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS for Craig Corcoran. He added the first two VESPER'S SPARROWS of the spring while driving south of Pottageville Rd. on the 8th Concession of King Township on Tuesday. Hopefully the Easter weekend will bring more pleasant weather conditions so that these early arrivals - especially the insectivores - can have a better time of it. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Barrie. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
