The Red Crossbill was the only remaining species unlocated in the past 3 years from my “kid’s list” with a 35 year hiatus from more intense Ontario birding. I set off in predicted light showers and increasing warm air late this a.m. The heavy drizzle did not let up in my drive, and I arrived to the constant splattering of drops in the evergreen canopy at Ganaraska. Despite this I was sure I could hear the throaty chirps of the Crossbills in the noisy backdrop. Trudging through the year’s first lightning and roaring thunder up the icy trails produced no better than the elusive, but disappearing chirpy sounds and twittering, plus a pair of grouse. After a cold and soaking hour, more dressed for the promised spring, I left in frustration cussing at the heavens for such luck to follow up the cold and windy outing Friday chasing the rear of a Western Grebe flushed with a raft of Red Necked Grebes by an early, zealous boater at Sam Smith Park – along with the non-show of the mythical Eared Grebe amongst beautiful Horned Grebes of surprisingly varied plumages and some nice pics. But as I was leaving the Forest, skies suddenly started to lift, and I drove up the nearby Soper Road to have an odd LBJ cross my bow. Co-operatively it landed close by to show a very early Vesper Sparrow. And then I turned back on Soper once more for Ganaraska Forest and saw the large platform on the west side of Soper in the large Hydro Pylon Tower held an early, nesting Osprey (returning from Argentina via Cuba?). Things were looking up as the birds also were coming out of the rain to do their important spring courting songs. Although the sounds were clearer now, I could no better than hear the Crossbills somewhat distantly in the canopy amidst widespread, caroling Robins etc. My deficiency in binaural hearing does not help.
I spoke to a chatty employee who says the Crossbills have reliably foraged the Norway Spruces each morn at the Pay Kiosk entrance ($6 self serve permit) of the newly created Forest Centre that is an overnight Outdoors Centre to some 80 young aspiring naturalists. As a hunter and waterfowl observer, he directed me to Courtice Road at Lake Ontario where he states he saw 2 female plus a drake Common Eider last Tuesday - when I expressed some incredulity, he mentioned a Common Eider bagged at Presquille by a hunter last fall. Many ducks in the chop along with White winged Scoters but not a wisp of an Eider there – although surprisingly Tree Swallows were foraging on a brisk, wavy and cold Lake Ontario that is taking so long to warm into spring. Second Marsh held a surprising variety of newly arrived residents (Bonaparte’s,Caspians, Flickers etc) and varied waterfowl migrants. At Whitby there was precious little in the Harbour apart from a fleeing Scaup and a returning Common Loon. Still, a nice day out with various Sparrows, Meadow and Horned Larks singing along with so many returning birds eager to set up their new real estate in northern climes. Robin Lawson, Newmarket Directions – I found it easiest to enter via Ganaraska Road going east from Kirby at Hwy 35 past Kendal to Cold Springs Camp Road and follow the signs N to the Forest Centre. Soper Road was less than a km west of the Cold Springs Camp and the Vesper + Osprey a few hundred m N and on the West side. Courtice Road is the 401 turnoff to Darlington Provincial Park, one turnoff west of Second Marsh’s at Bloor/Harmony in Oshawa. _______________________________________________ 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/
