female Northern Harrier, Circus Cyaneus

I glimpsed a couple of Savannah sparrows, though neither was singing.

Later in the afternoon, along a marshy stretch of the northernmost 5th Line, I heard much singing by frogs. A male kestrel was perched on a line. At the corner of the 5th Line and the Base Line, there were plenty of little ground birds amongst the stubble. Approximately 100 (at least) of these small birds were Lapland longspurs, male and female, in breeding plumage; so lovely. Most of the other small birds were horned larks.

Twice during the week, raucous voices made me look intently skyward at, in each case, a pair of birds flying over the village: ravens and Caspian terns. Another voice lower down also caught my attention - a male cowbird. Later I spotted the female.

The ferry moved back to the village dock on Saturday, 3 April, after the contest van finally sank into the lake beside the dock, on what was surely the last remaining bit of ice around the island, broken apart, no doubt, by the high winds that day, a wet and rather miserable day, followed by snow the next. On Monday, I noticed cormorants and a tern flying over the Marysville Bay.

Canvasback Duck

On the other hand, some northern birds are still here with us on the island. On Wed., 7 April, in the early afternoon, three roughlegged hawks, including one dark phase, were hunting near the junction of the Base Line and the 5th Line.

Has anyone seen a snowy owl during the past week?

Meadowlark

As I approached Gananoque around 9 am, by the way, six turkey vultures wheeled over the 401. They, like the Canada geese, seem to be in migration mode. Yesterday (Mon.) morning, as soon as it was vaguely light, flocks of these geese could be heard overhead in the village, voices no longer restless, but fully migratory.

In the afternoon (Tues.), back in Marysville, I heard the three-note piping of a Greater Yellowlegs.

Kestrel

A total of at least 13 rough-legged hawks, three redtailed hawks, and three harriers (including what appeared to be a pair) were sighted. Most were hunting. At least four of these birds, on the 4th Line, appeared to be the same two pairs (light-light and light-dark) that I'd seen there last week. Two of the redtails were also seen here, and most likely were also members of the pair observed here last week.

Killdeer

A shrike was spotted near the radio towers, but from too great a distance for further identification. Not far away, and also at quite a distance, four tree swallows danced swiftly past.

Later, I checked to determine whether any snowy owls were still appearing around the northern end of the 4th Line late in the afternoon. No luck outward bound, as far as the old sewage lagoon. But on my way back northwards, I spotted one high atop one of the trees to the west of the line. It then flew to a fencepost along the road. This bird appeared to be the one which I'd seen first a week ago, quite near Highway 96. It has a dirtyish look around its tailfeathers, and a very small amount of flecking toward the bottom of its wings; otherwise it is quite white. At my approach, it flew off to the southeast. I continued northwards without caution but nearly immediately spotted another snowy owl atop a tree beside the road and braked to a halt. This individual was an adult female I had not seen before, noticeably, but not heavily, flecked behind, quite white atop her head and shoulders. She did not budge, even when I drove beneath her & stopped only a bit beyond the tree for a really good look. Unfortunately, Murphy's Law was in force, and I did not have a camera with me. These two birds must have just arrived in the area, just after 5pm.

Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed a bird landing in the cattails. It was a split second before I realized I hadn't seen that particular sight since last fall - a gangly great blue heron disappearing into the marsh. Wanting to determine the general age of the bird, I approached on foot. I wasn't cautious enough, and the bird flushed, along with two other herons! The two individuals whose heads I saw well enough were adults.

A male downy was the lone taker at the suet feeders at the 8th Line and Highway 96. Plenty of male redwinged blackbirds added noise to the scene.

Horned Lark

I saw at least seven roughlegged hawks, ranging from dark phase through very light. Five of these birds were seen along the northern part of the 4th Line and were easily recognizable as individuals, seemingly grouped as two pairs and a dark singleton. Another dark-phase bird seemed a male, paired with a larger lighter bird, for whom it left prey on a fence post. He had been on the post, had flown to a nearby tree, was joined by the second bird, who then flew to the post and began tearing & chewing the prey.

I had noticed raptorial mating behaviour on Thursday (18 Mar.) as well, when a perched red-tailed hawk was mounted briefly by another immediately when the second flew to the roost tree. The two birds then sat on neighbouring branches and preened, particularly the female.

On Saturday, I saw a single red-tailed hawk near the radio towers on the 5th Line, and a brown harrier hunting further south along that line, near Reed's Bay Road.

Back on the northern part of the 4th Line, I watched an adult snowy owl, with fine flecking, land on a post not far from the Highway in the mid-afternoon. It remained there at least until dark. By about 4:30 pm, it had been joined by the pure white male who has frequented this area at the same time daily for about the past week. He flew off eastwards to a post by the radio towers, then to the golf course in between, then back to his radio-tower post. Further south along the 4th Line, another adult snowy owl with fine flecking flew in during mid-afternoon as well and perched nearly one field west of the road.

Buteo hawks seemed everywhere, hunting in the mid afternoon (about 2:30-3:30 pm). Although our route was abbreviated, owing to other commitments, we still counted at least 18 roughlegged hawks and 7 redtailed hawks. Five brown harriers quartered over various fields.

Numerous horned larks were sighted, but no snow buntings. The caucophony of singing redwings was heard whenever suitable habitat was in the vicinity. Plenty of grackles, and some robins were also in evidence.

Later, during a magnificent and vivid sunset on the 4th Line near the Front Road, an alert snowy owl moved from 8th green of the golf course to a fence post, to the top of a tall tree, where it was dive-bombed in the fading light by a short-eared owl. The latter then circled the tree, calling.*

Jim Goodfellow reports that he & Connie have been seeing a great blue heron between Wolfe and Simcoe since about the first of the month. Who else has sighted this species?

*The following day (Sunday), both the snowy owl and I returned to this location in late afternoon. The owl's plumage was pure white, so it could very well be the same individual sited further south on the 5th Line and east toward Highway 95 during the past couple of weeks.

Three each of red-tailed hawks and roughlegged hawks were sighted, as was a male kestrel. A couple of brown harriers were hunting together. A couple of snowy owls were perched atop trees about half a mile apart near the junction of the 5th Line and Base Line, the one on the latter was heavily flecked, the one on the former was absolutely pure white. During the preceding week, I'd had two reports of this adult male snowy in that area.

Along the roadside were plenty of horned larks, but no snow buntings. And redwings were singing and present everywhere!

On the island, at the 4th Line and the Front Road, a grackle and a redwing blackbird were having a singing contest. A pair of robins sat listening high atop another maple.

And a strange bird indeed was spotted on the verandah of the Wolfe Island branch of the public library just after dark - an Indian Fantail pigeon! This variety is one bred by pigeon fanciers, and is slightly larger than the ordinary rock dove (pigeon).

Kate saw virtually no birds but redwings, now singing, in her running circuit of the Highway 95, Base Line, 5th Line, and Higway 96. So, we checked a broader circuit by car, and enountered not much more!

The number of red-tailed hawks was the greatest all winter, with four together in one location, two in another, and a couple of singletons. No roughlegs. One of the two Base-Line immature snowy owls was sheltering from the brisk wind amongst some well-aged stumps and limbs near the 4th Line and Base Line.

Numerous crows were apparent, and plenty of ring-billed gulls over the now snowless fields. A few horned larks were spotted. Redwings were noticeably present, still in sizeable flocks.

A male hairy woodpecker was visiting the feeder at the highway and 8th Line. Nearby, a grackle flew to join some redwings, but nearly immediately flew off to the trees across the road.

One of the immature snowy owls was spotted near where it was at the same time of day a week ago - about a field west of the 5th Line, north of the Base Line. Its body feathers around its right flank or wing appeared palely discoloured, it preened this wing several times, and the bird was alert. Unfortunately, distance precluded a clearer view. The second immature snowy was seen high atop a tree near the Base Line just west of the 3rd Line.

Further south along the 5th Line, nearly at Reed's Bay Road, a short-eared owl was hunting in the long afternoon sun, wheeling and flapping with its peculiar, syncopated wingbeats, and frightened up a flock of some three dozen snow buntings. Nearby, a flock of about a dozen horned larks was gleaning seeds from roadside grass, completely bare of snow. Numerous horned larks were sighted today, most in ones or twos.

A solitary red-tail, with an apparently injured, or a least tender, left talon, flew between perches on either side of the highway near Reed's Bay Road. A pair of red-tailed hawks was perched atop a tree west of the 4th Line between Reed's Bay Road and the Base Line. While observing these hawks, I twice heard a great horned owl, but could not spot it. Later, south of the Front Road between the 3rd and 4th Lines, I had a good few of another individual great horned owl perched on a deciduous tree. Perhaps it has a nest in the coniferous grove north of the road.

Yesterday, by the way, I witnessed part of a mini-drama at the suet station at the corner of the highway and the 8th Line. It was midday, and all was quite empty and still. I thought I glimpsed a grey squirrel on a sturdy branch, but put my binoculars to it, since it seemed large and not quite right. A Cooper's hawk! Now wonder the little birds were keeping low profiles! The hawk flew towards the house, right past the suet, and hid itself in the foundation cedars. A quick look back at the suet discovered a male downy absolutely flattened horizontally against the horizontal branch from which suet was hung. The little bird did not seem particularly interested in the suet! A few chickadees gave warning calls, and I'm reasonably sure a flicker called in the distance, but I could not spot it. I have since learned that a flicker was seen this week on Amherst Island.

Today, the little birds - downies, tree swallows, and house sparrows - were very active at the corner of the 8th Line and the highway. No sign of the hawk.

There, numerous house finches were noisy in the general vicinity of a feeder. Again, I thought I heard a flicker, but couldn't see it. A kestrel swooped past to check me out. A male cardinal perched alertly on a tall spruce. Chickadee singing was heard. Starlings were gurgling & cackling away. Many, but not all, of these had yellow bills, as did some yesterday. And, finally, amidst some starlings, at least five male red-winged blackbirds were spotted. None were singing. Some were not far from the feeder, others were atop a tall deciduous tree at the end of the 8th Line (where they had not been moments before).

Keep alert for other spring birds - two bluebirds and a yellow-rumped warbler have already (last week) been sighted at Prince Edward Point. Great blue herons are sure to appear any day now.

One of the immature snowy owls was spotted near where it was at the same time of day a week ago - about a field west of the 5th Line, north of the Base Line. Its body feathers around its right flank or wing appeared palely discoloured, it preened this wing several times, and the bird was alert. Unfortunately, distance precluded a clearer view. The second immature snowy was seen high atop a tree near the Base Line just west of the 3rd Line.

Further south along the 5th Line, nearly at Reed's Bay Road, a short-eared owl was hunting in the long afternoon sun, wheeling and flapping with its peculiar, syncopated wingbeats, and frightened up a flock of some three dozen snow buntings. Nearby, a flock of about a dozen horned larks was gleaning seeds from roadside grass, completely bare of snow. Numerous horned larks were sighted today, most in ones or twos.

A solitary red-tail, with an apparently injured, or a least tender, left talon, flew between perches on either side of the highway near Reed's Bay Road. A pair of red-tailed hawks was perched atop a tree west of the 4th Line between Reed's Bay Road and the Base Line. While observing these hawks, I twice heard a great horned owl, but could not spot it. Later, south of the Front Road between the 3rd and 4th Lines, I had a good few of another individual great horned owl perched on a deciduous tree. Perhaps it has a nest in the coniferous grove north of the road.

Yesterday, by the way, I witnessed part of a mini-drama at the suet station at the corner of the highway and the 8th Line. It was midday, and all was quite empty and still. I thought I glimpsed a grey squirrel on a sturdy branch, but put my binoculars to it, since it seemed large and not quite right. A Cooper's hawk! Now wonder the little birds were keeping low profiles! The hawk flew towards the house, right past the suet, and hid itself in the foundation cedars. A quick look back at the suet discovered a male downy absolutely flattened horizontally against the horizontal branch from which suet was hung. The little bird did not seem particularly interested in the suet! A few chickadees gave warning calls, and I'm reasonably sure a flicker called in the distance, but I could not spot it. I have since learned that a flicker was seen this week on Amherst Island.

Today, the little birds - downies, tree swallows, and house sparrows - were very active at the corner of the 8th Line and the highway. No sign of the hawk.

The red-tailed hawks with territories in the vicinity of the TV tower and of the radio towers were spotted, though not at their usual posts on guy-lines. The view of the radio-tower bird was magnificent, as it floated on the updraft along the cliff edge north of the 5th Line. Along the 5th Line, a rough-legged hawk swooped low to check us out. Two other roughlegs, including a melanistic form, had been spotted earlier.

Numerous monospecific flocks of snow buntings and of horned larks flew up from the roadsides. Numerous crows were seen, mostly in chases. Crows had been conspicuous during the week, too.

In the late afternoon, I skied near the 4th Line from the Front Road south past the jog in the line to the west, in order to check out that area. Although David had seen a male harrier in this area, near the Front Road, earlier in the week, no raptors made their appearance during my ski. However, I did glimpse a snowy owl atop a tree in the distance, toward the 5th Line/Base Line intersection. No doubt it was one of the two immature owls regularly seen in that vicinity.

The lilting trill of Lapland longspur could be heard, though I didn't see the birds.