Hi, again,
By late afternoon the winds had dropped, but so had bird song. The one
consistent singer was a single male Pine Warbler easily visible as it fed in
the upper branches of deciduous trees toward the north/centre part of the
woods. Several Yellow-rumps were singing snatches of song as were the few
Ruby-crowned Kinglets mixed in with the many Golden-crowns. This morning I
heard the faster bubblier song of a Purple Finch, easily distinguished from the
more subdued songs of resident House Finches.
Leaves on the shrub understory of choke cherry in the woods are already
opening, which doesn't bode well for warbler viewing a month from now. The
good news is that early springs produce more warbler rarities in Thickson's
Woods, as species breeding primarily further south tend to overshoot more
frequently in late April than later in May. Notable in this regard are Hooded
Warblers.
For those who have been inquiring about the resident Great Horned Owls,
they are heard most often from high in the large pines in the south central
part of the woods. However, they usually remain very well hidden and are
difficult to spot. They tend to call in the evening, so may be easier to locate
then.
The Carolina Wren that I heard singing in the woods a week ago, has not
been found since.
Dennis
Thickson's Woods Nature Reserve is at the foot of Thickson Road at Lake
Ontario. Exit #401 in Whitby and go south to the Waterfront Trail. Park on
Thickson Road and walk east along the Waterfront Trail. The path into the
woods is on the right. Birds will be concentrated on whatever side of the
woods is sheltered from the wind whenever you visit, or where the morning suns
warms the trees early on cool mornings. The row of spruces that Margaret and I
planted more than twenty years ago along the norh side of the Waterfront Trail,
now provide a windbreak that creates a microclimate conducive to good bug and
bird activity along this section of the Trail. Please be aware that Trail
users have the right-of-way and avoid blocking bicycle and pedestrian traffic
by birding from the centre of the roadway.
_______________________________________________
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/
