My bird bash this month as done at home and near home on Saturday (I checked the feeders and went for a short walk to the bike path). On Sunday I went up north to Sand Dam Road. I parked in the large open space at the start of the road. Then I got onto a snowmobile trail and turned right after a short distance. This led to a trail I have now explored. Previously, I stopped at a puddle less than a hundred meters in. I found a way around the puddle by carefully walking across a downed tree. The trail I found was a potentially good find. It has a lot of Jack Pine tree and spruce trees. It also includes a treed bog surrounding the puddle previously mentioned and a second treed bog just outside the trail. Might be a potentially spot for finding Spruce Grouse, assuming they were not previously hunted. I did see some used shells so Spruce Grouse may not be present despite the fact it is suitable habitat. The presence of a sizeable amount of Jack Pine is good because Jack Pine is considered an indicator species. Many uncommon plants grow in association with Jack Pine among other things. Lastly along this trail is a beaver meadow. Last thing of note -- this seems to be the week when sparrow diversity reaches its peak. The American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos have not left yet but White-crowns and Chipping Sparrows are arriving. Cheers, Brent
Mallard Ruffed Grouse Ring-billed Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Eastern Phoebe Blue-Headed Vireo American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin European Starling American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Purple Finch American Goldfinch _______________________________________________ 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
