Red-winged blackbirds, common grackles and American robins have been showing up in ever-increasing numbers throughout York region since mid-week. The Mackenzie Marsh on St. John's Sideroad in northeast Aurora now has several male redwings proclaiming territory and several pairs of Canada geese sitting on nesting mounds in the heart of the still frozen pond.
The Eldred King forest tract at St. John's Sideroad and McCowan was one of many forested areas alive with bird activity this week; a very vocal pileated woodpecker and several calling brown creepers were particularly nice to hear at this location. In the Oak Ridges area along Bathurst Avenue today I observed a lone trumpeter swan in a flooded field on the west side of Bathurst and, while walking my dog with my youngest son, a ruffed grouse flushed from the conifers along the main trail south of Humberland Drive (just east of Bathurst). Oak Ridges is the northernmost section of Richmond Hill, basically merging with Aurora at Bloomington Road. Ron Fleming, Newmarket "Ronald J. Fleming" <[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.
