Out this afternoon between showers to look for the Mountain Bluebird reported on Kerry Rd, south of Bentpath, near Shetland CA. Normally would try in the morning, and not try in such weather but we had a visitor from England and it was her last day here so we gave it a try.
We were there for about 45 minutes and didn't see it. The area still looks good, plenty of berries on the evergreens, and wild grapes on a grape vine. As mentioned there is a brushy hedgerow running along Kerry near Bilton Line especially, which is where these evergreens and vines are found. I was talking to people who saw it yesterday, at the site, and they said it would fly off from time to time in different directions for "fifteen" minutes or so and come back. But it was not windy from the southwest and way above 0 in temperature, neither was it raining. As we drove the area, we found that there was good food available nearby as well. So I would suggest that it might come back more regularly when it gets cold again. While in the area, we saw a snowy owl on a telephone post to the west along Bentpath, after going over the river at Shetland CA, and through the woods, and near the curve at Forest Rd, thanks to the others at the bluebird spot who mentioned it. There was an all black and I mean the tail too, Roughlegged Hawk along Bentpath on the way to the owl. We also saw a Northern Shrike on Bentpath just west of the intersection with Kerry and a pair of bald eagles east of Kerry along Bentpath, but they flew north towards the river. And unfortunately a sharp-shinned hawk hunting along the hedgerow. Though as I mentioned the bluebirds were not there at the time. I hope others who might have been there in the morning will post if they saw the Mountain Bluebird. Pete Read _______________________________________________ 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/
