-----Original Message----- From: John Yerger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 9:14 PM To: Bob and Mary Hartley Subject: Re: Ontario birds
Hi Bob (and/or Mary)! I emailed you last month about your Boreal Owl, which had by then disappeared. I'm wondering if you would mind doing me a favor? I was hoping to post our trip report, but I'm not subscribed to ONTBIRDS. Would you be able to forward this info to the listserv? It's a little late, but I think some might still find it useful. (If it doesn't copy and paste properly, I'll resend it.) Thanks so much! John Yerger President, Penn State Student Bird Club [EMAIL PROTECTED] 814-235-0743 ------------------------------------------ The Penn State Student Bird Club had the good fortune to take a weekend trip to Ontario to catch the winter owl invasion - with wonderful success! I'll try to report only that which has not been repeated in other posts these past two weeks: Sat, Feb 12th: Spruce Bog Boardwalk in Algonquin Prov. Park: a wonderful male SPRUCE GROUSE perched in a spruce/fir before the trail first exits into the open part of the bog. It sat there in plain view for about two hours. We found the vicinity where it was feeding by looking for fresh grouse tracks. Also seen at the opposite edge of the clearing was a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER. Plenty of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS overhead. GRAY JAYS in the parking lot. Arowhon Road, Algonquin Prov. Park: an afternoon here produced both male and female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, PINE GROSBEAKS, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS. NOTE: It did not seem that the feeders at Algonquin were being well-maintained, as the only birds we saw there were some Gray Jays brought out by some sunflower seed we brought ourselves. Deuane Hoffman, who was there last weekend as well, reported the pine marten still coming to the feeders however. Sunday, Feb 13th: Bracebridge: NORTHERN HAWK-OWL at Robert Dollar Dr. (Take exit 182 from Hwy 11, follow the road west then north to Robert Dollar). Orillia, Muley Point Road: 5-6 GREAT GRAY OWLS in 20 minutes. Also a NORTHERN SHRIKE was perched at the top of a tree north of the road that is west of where Muley Point Rd comes to a T at its southern end. (Take 12 east from Hwy 11 through Atherly and Uptergrove, then turn right onto Muley Point Rd. Take this to a T-intersection and turn right for some Great Gray Owls and the Northern Shrike.) North of Orillia, Bass Lake Rd: GREAT GRAY OWL - previously unreported? - near the intersection of Bass Lake Rd. and Old Scotia Pl. (Take 12 west from Hwy 11, turn left onto Harvie Settlement Rd, then right onto Bass Lake Rd. Look for the bird anywhere along this road, mostly in the woods on your left or perched on the houses near Bass Lake Rd. and Old Scotia Pl.) North of Barrie: 3 SNOWY OWLS - at least one female and one pure white male - in the fields near Concession 7 and Strongville Rd. Also one light-morph Rough-legged Hawk, 2 fly-by swans. They looked big with long necks and all black bills; what are the odds these were TRUMPETERS? (Take Hwy 400 to exit 117, go west until you come to a T-intersection that is Route 26. Turn right on this - still heading west - and watch for Strongville Rd on your left). Many, many thanks to all who posted to ONTBIRDS so that our group could enjoy these birds - which we did respectfully and ethically, I should add. If anyone has an answer to the Trumpeter Swan question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you Ontario! John Yerger President, Penn State Student Bird Club State College, Pennsylvania jzy101 [at] psu.edu
