A trip out to the flycatcher site by myself, Tom Crooks and Wolfgang Luft was successful this morning and extremely lucky. When we first arrived on site, there were a small flock of about 6 Eastern Bluebirds at the extreme east end of the pond, coming down to rest on the ice. Amongst them were a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Flicker and a Northern Mockingbird. Wolfgang Luft caught sight of a small bird there which had an eyering at the time but it could not be refound. We searched down the creek bed looking for open water. Wolfgang headed back around the other side of the pond since he had a wet foot and found the bird down where the bluebirds were perched out in the open. As he was trying to get our attention, the bird must have flown down the creek bed and out of the corner of my eye I saw a small bird fly up and underneath the edge of the mud bank along the creek. The bird then came out and perched next to the creek bed as myself and Tom Crooks were standing there. Couldn't even focus the bins on it at such close range. The bird then flew a bit further down the creek and underneath some large logs and dead tree trunks which were next to the creek directly behind the old rusty pump found about midway along the fence down the field. Perhaps it was finding food there so we left it alone as it will probably have a difficult time surviving these cold temperatures.
The flycatcher was seen at approximately 9:30 a.m.. We then continued on to Smithville where all three lagoons were frozen. A flock of approx 45 Canada Geese flew up from along the creek bed but no White-fronted Geese with them. Perhaps they have moved on. DIRECTIONS to Gray Flycatcher Follow highway 3 west of Cayuga crossing the Grand River. Turn north (right) on River Road. Follow a few kilometers to Indiana Road W. Turn left (west, the only choice) onto Indiana Road W. Drive 1.8 km and pull off on the north side of the road and walk north across the field to the tree line. The bird was almost directly across the field from where you would park your automobile. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe "Cheryl Edgecombe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
