We had a few flocks of Common Redpolls (not sure of total numbers, but they are coming) in Elmvale, ON during the Wye Marsh CBC on Saturday, Dec. 18. There was also a report of Evening Grosbeaks frequenting the feeders at Wildfire Outdoor Ed Centre just NW of Tiny Marsh over the last couple weeks. I have also had several Pine Siskins at my feeders in Wasaga Beach over the last week.
Scott A. Martin Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting 705-429-4936 www.wildcanada.ca > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:29:49 -0500 > Subject: [Ontbirds] Redpolls Are Coming > > 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/ > _______________________________________________ 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/
