The slow (and sometimes painful) transition from winter to spring creates an interesting overlap of arrivals and departures. My backyard feeders have hosted an interesting mix of winter visitors and local residents this week: COMMON REDPOLLS (4-5), Dark-eyed Juncos, a Saturday cameo by 4 PINE SISKINS, and several neighbourhood Goldfinches and House Finches.
On the weekend of March 20 two NORTHERN SHRIKES were still hanging around locally. One was at the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing on Saturday, the other was in King City (western part of the Seneca College campus) Sunday. Both birds were making a variety of vocalizations, rehearsing for the territorial proclamations they'll soon be making many miles north or here in the Hudson Bay lowlands. Returning birds included a pair of WOOD DUCKS at the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket on March 21 and two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS displaying on opposite sides of Bathurst Street north of the Queensville Sdrd. that evening. (At least two more Woodcocks are doing their twilight shows at the entrance to Silver Lakes golf course in Holland Landing on a fairly reqular basis now.) Yesterday morning I flushed a WILSON'S SNIPE while hiking a section of the Oak Ridges trail at Mary Lake in King City. Although the vernal ponds on Bathurst Street west of Holland Landing have reverted to sheets to sheets of ice in most cases, there was still enough open water to keep some waterfowl present. I counted 55 TUNDRA SWANS there yesterday afternoon. In NE Richmond Hill, Glenn Steplock counted 34 GREAT BLUE HERONS hunkered down in a field the same afternoon - a chilly assemblage to be sure. Year-round residents at the nearby Cawthra Mulock reserve Sunday included a calling PILEATED WOODPECKER and a GREAT HORNED OWL being mobbed by crows. There were also 2 BROWN CREEPERS and a small flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (7-8). West of King City Craig Corcoran had a mixed flock of BOHEMIAN and CEDAR WAXWINGS (30:20) on Friday. TURKEY VULTURES have been showing up here and there over the past two weeks, blown sideways by north winds in most cases. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. _______________________________________________ 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/
