Birders,
The return of cold, winter-like weather, snow, ice-pellets and
freezing rain has produced some interesting bird behaviour, gathering some
lingering winter birds back in to the feeding areas and adding another rarity
to the yard list.
A single, male Boat-tailed Grackel was observed feeding early
this morning with eight common (bronze) grackels under one of the feeders. It's
impressively greater size, larger bill and more rounded head were immediately
apparent. It had a yellow eye. The birds fed for 20 to 30 minutes before
dispersing, and I haven't seen it again.
The male spotted- towhee showed up again down the road after having
not been seen in four days. There are still four eastern Towhees around but it
takes some hunting.
To the north across the road from the Towhees, there is a
corn-field, vernal pond, sheltered by trees to the north. There were about 150
ducks of six species here including 36 wood ducks, as well as seven killdeer.
A very few redpolls and two pairs of siskins linger at the feeders
but almost all of the very numerous winter tree sparrows have headed north
while the Juncos are still plentiful . A single female purple finch, a few
Rusty blackbirds, cedar waxwings, a single fox sparrow, and two field sparrows
also added to the mix of abundant robins and redwings.
Good birding. Aa(Ron) Allensen
Monarch Landing, 55751 Lakeshore
Line, R. 2.,
Port Burwell
Port Burwell is at the southern terminus of hiway 19(Vienna Road). Take the
Ingersol-Tillsonburg exit at 401, south.
Monarch Landing is one mile east of town along the old lake road,(#142).
Wellington Road east out of Port Burwell.
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