I've had recent questions asking, "When are the redpolls coming to southern Ontario?" In the Winter Finch Forecast posted on 23 September 2010, I reported that this would be an irruption winter for redpolls. See link below.
At noon today there were three Common Redpolls calling in the trees above Jean Iron's feeders at 9 Lichen Place in Toronto. They eventually joined the goldfinches at the nyger feeders. Redpolls haven't come south for several winters so they have a learning curve about using feeders. Some older birds remember feeders. Redpolls are arriving later this winter compared to the previous irruption in 2007-8 when they arrived in numbers in October and November, feeding first in weedy fields because there was no birch seed. This winter the birch seed crop is better than in 2007-8 but it's not great, so redpolls have been slower in moving south as seed supplies diminish in the north. Gert Trudel of Gowganda said she had their first Common Redpoll at their feeders on 27 November and had seen a few on the roads before that, but within the next 10 days flocks increased around Gowganda. On the 15 December on their way home from Sudbury, they saw hundreds on the road after a big storm. Redpolls are increasing in southern Ontario as shown by recent Christmas Bird Counts. More are coming. Watch for "Greater" Common Redpolls (larger darker subspecies rostrata) and Hoary Redpolls. Evening Grosbeaks are moving south in larger numbers than I expected this winter. Because of their scarcity in the last 2-3 decades, I know a top young birder who has never seen one. This is the winter. Evening Grosbeaks are eye popping birds. Winter Finch Forecast 2010-2011 http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/winterfinches.php Ron Pittaway Minden, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
