Birders from Ohio and New York visiting Orillia today were able to observe large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings. At one location three flocks contained more than 600 birds. The fruit on the crabapple tree on my front lawn had a hard day today with Pine Grosbeaks, Bohemian Waxwings, and American Robins. At one time during the day the tree was filled with over 200 waxwings, about 50 Pine Grosbeaks and 12 American Robins. A Sharp-shinned Hawk swooped in and knocked one of the robins to the ground on the street but a passing car scared off the predator without the prey. The robin was able to hop to safety under a nearby parked car to escape. We also found a Northern Shrike in the city watching the flocks at the feeders which are mainly covered by redpolls. There is only about two more days of fruit supply on this tree on my lawn after today but it has provided wonderful photo opportunities. The waxwings which have been feeding on Glossy Buckthorns, Common Buckthorns and Crabapples have eaten most of the food supply from the trees and shrubs within the city so it should be interesting to see what they do next week. I have received a report of a Red-bellied Woodpecker visiting a feeder in Coldwater but the feeder can not be seen from the road. A check of the Orillia landfill this morning produced no Glaucous, Iceland or Thayer's gulls this morning. These species usually arrive at the landfill around the second week of December so it is still early.
Bob Bowles _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
