Mon. March 29 2010 From: Peter Wukasch Today at 4:30 pm I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a Ruffed Grouse as it sped onto the road and stopped midway across. It tempted me to wonder, Why did the grouse cross the road? Perhaps to prove their former nickname, "fool hen" (more often used for the Spruce Grouse I believe). This was on Bathurst Street just before Hochreiter Rd. by the cedar swamp. Also, the Bald Eagles are again setting up residence in the heron colony north of Ravenshoe Rd. although the nest is most easily seen from the east end of the 13th Line of Bradford-West Gwillimbury by looking in a southeasterly direction across the mouth of the Holland River. My friend, Dan Antonio's son has photos of a pair of eagles at the nest site atop one of the trees amongst the tamaracks with a heron nest below it. I guess the herons have hired bodyguards!! He also spotted a flock of 10 Tundra Swans in the same general area. The small population of Sandhill Cranes should also be in the same vicinity soon. Hopefully we'll actually locate the nest(s) this year. Peter Wukasch Follow Hwy. 400 n to Bradford exit. Head east towards Hwy. 11 (4 corners in Bradford). Turn left up Hwy. 11 to the 13th Line and turn left, proceeding to the end of the road. _______________________________________________ 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/
