Kit McCann and I just headed out to Staples and Comber in search of blackbird flocks at some grain storage areas - in hope of finding a flock to search through for Yellow-headed Blackbird - and we were not disappointed!! We found a massive flock of 5000-10000 blackbirds, nearly all Brown-headed Cowbirds, and after a bit of searching, Kit spotted a first-winter male Yellow-headed Blackbird in flight! Eventually we found and photographed it on the ground too.
This massive flock of blackbirds can be found feeding from a massive rotting (and terribly stinky) pile of corn in the front parking lot of the Agris site just 5km north of Comber in Essex County. This yard is about 100m north of Lakeshore 303 Rd, on Comber Sideroad (also labelled as Rd 35, a continuation of Hwy 77). Great spotting Kit!! You've made so much progress in your first year of birding. Keep it up! This is a nice addition to the early days of my provincial big year, as it means that I do not need to spend most of a day going out to Lake St Clair during spring migration to see one on their breeding grounds. Good birding! Jere and Kit Jeremy Bensette - Leamington, ON I'm doing an Ontario Big Year in 2017! Follow along at Jeremybirder.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
