Kelso Conservation area makes up for it small size in great scenery
and even better sparrow habitat. On the "Farmer Peters Field" trail, I
found about 150 sparrows and 150 more yellow-rumped warblers feeding in
two adjacent weedy fields and nearby trees. White-Crowned and Song
dominated, with respectable numbers of White-throated, and about 15
Field sparrows. There also were about 10 chipping sparrows, a few Fox
sparrows, and Juncos, one Swamp sparrow and Savannah sparrow each, and a
possible Lincoln's sparrow. (saw it only briefly and did not get a
second look). Despite frantic looking, I probably missed quite a few of
the hordes of sparrows in this field.
There were also swarms of yellow-rumped warblers. Although I saw two
orange-crowned warblers last week, there were no other warbler species
today except the yellow-rumped. Despite many Lincoln's sparrows last
week in nearby areas, they disappeared this week.
I recommend any birder interested in sparrows to check this area out
this weekend, as I think the birds will stay here another day.
Date of sighting: Saturday October 18 in afternoon
Location "Farmer Peters Trail" in the Kelso Conservation area. Enter
this park from the Steeles
Road entrance which is about 1/2 mile east of the Appleby Line (Halton
Region). Park Map does not show the trail, but it runs off the Old Farm
Lane trail, or the Rough Trade bike trail. . The sparrows were mainly
in the larger field on the enscarpment (?) side of the trail, although a
quite a few were in the line of trees on the other side of the trail,
and the adjoining field. Both fields have a lot of bare ground, with
plenty of thistle, foxtail (Setaria, sp.), Panicum, sp. and other weedy
annual grasses; all which sparrows love.
Weather: light intermittent rain in conjunction with a fast approaching
cold front. .
Temp in mid 40's F.
Lewis Crowell
East Aurora, NY
.
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