I got up early this chilly March morn to join Kevin Shackleton and Keith Dunn to check if any of the tundra swans reported in southwestern Ontario earlier this month might have made their way up to York Region yet. Low temperatures and a surprisingly bitter wind made us doubtful, but as male red-winged blackbirds shivered in their epaulets beside us, we did in fact find 14 tundra swans in the company of about 100 Canada geese in the mainly frozen fields at the north end of Bathurst Avenue. We also had excellent looks at a mink that was following the frozen ditch along the line of the dike there.
In an equally barren landscape just southwest of Keswick, we once again scoped frozen fields in a stiff wind along Ravenshoe Road, this time in hopes of finding the snowy owls that have wintered at this location once again. With stinging ears and watering eyes we were rewarded for our efforts, finding two female/juvenile types. One was visible from Ravenshoe Road itself, sitting on a raised line of dirt less than a km from the road on the south side, not far from the northern extension of Yonge Street. The other bird was almost at the southern end of this desolate little stretch of Yonge, on the east side of the road. At both locations we observed and heard numerous horned larks. After Kevin dropped me off at home around 9:00 a.m., I went looking for northern goshawk in the forests east of Newmarket in an effort to locate one for Dave Mudd. This was my third attempt in as many days and I once again came up empty, but I did observe a large accipiter crossing Warden Avenue from east to west less than a km north of the Aurora Road. It may have been a male gos, but then again it could have been a large female Cooper's; I couldn't be sure as it was already halfway across the road before I noticed it. I will be searching the area again, as well as following up on some stick nests that I saw while hiking. The northern part of Bathurst described above is accessible by taking Yonge Street north from Newmarket, then turning right just south of Bradford at the lights. Bathurst immediately jogs west, then north again. If you follow it all the way up, you will reach a point where the trees end at a wide open area. By looking west, preferably with a scope, you should see ducks and geese in the distance (although they do move around!). As the snow and ice in the fields starts melting with the spring thaw, more and more migrating waterfowl will drop down to feed and rest here over the next several weeks. Ravenshoe Road runs east-west in the southern end of Keswick. The area described above is most readily accessed by driving north on Hwy. 404 to its terminus, then switching to Leslie Street and following it up to Ravenshoe Road, where there is a stop light and a gas station. By turning west you will descend a hill and soon enter the open agricultural fields that lead to the Holland River and the northern fragment of Yonge Street referred to above. Once you're out in the flats it comes down to a Scope-and-Hope strategy. 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.
