As with many parts of Ontario, York region benefited from balmy temps and southerly winds that ushered in a good variety of spring migrants this week. Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbirds, Cm. Grackles, Robins, Cowbirds, Horned Larks, and Song Sparrows moved in en masse over the past several days. Last Sunday Bruce Brydon had the first TUNDRA SWANS of the season for this area (three of them along Hochreiter Road near Holland Landing) but they went unobserved again until today when Gord Cameron and I observed three (same birds?) at that location. Between the vernal ponds along Hochreiter Road and the fully thawed West Holland River, 13 duck species have been observed since Tuesday: NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED & CM. MERGANSER, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, CM. GOLDENEYE, BLACK DUCK, and, of course, MALLARD. Despite the good variety, waterfowl numbers have been lower than previous years (at least so far). Returning birds of prey have also moved in. The local population of Red-tailed Hawks appears to have doubled over the past week while the one or two NORTHERN HARRIERS reported sporadically through the winter months have been joined by several others in the Holland Marsh area (i.e. Bradford, Holland Landing, and Keswick) this week. The first TURKEY VULTURES of the season were observed by both Bruce Brydon and Kevin Shackleton in the Newmarket/Holland Landing area Thursday. On the same day Craig Corcoran reported the first RED-SHOULDERED HAWK of the year (for York Region) a few kms south of the Happy Valley forest NW of Nobleton. On both Monday and Wednesday an adult male SNOWY OWL was present in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford but I have not been able to rediscover him since. There have been no reports of Snowies along Bathurst St. N. or Ravenshoe Rd. this week. On Monday a BALD EAGLE flew over Silver Lakes Golf Course in north Holland Landing. The first EASTERN BLUEBIRDS of the year showed up at Craig Corcoran's rural property near Nobleton on Thursday while perhaps the last SNOW BUNTINGS of the season (a flock of 40+) were observed at the north end of Bathurst St. by Gord Cameron and I today. As reported by Chip Weseloh, GREAT BLUE HERONS are already back on territory in Richmond Hill; Bruce Brydon had the first one in the Holland Landing area Friday. Three WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS that wintered along Devald Rd. in the Holland Marsh were observed again today by Gord Cameron. Meadowlarks, Snipe, Woodcock, and Pied-billed Grebe - among others - should show up any day now...! Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
