sky@oracle.osm.utoronto.ca
..... By the way, if you're interested in local spottings, my wife, Jerri, and I live on campus, one block south of Bloor and half a block east of Spadina. Being essentially lazy, we confine our spring migration bird watching to whatever shows up in the backyard. As of today, our list this year comprises 50 non-wintering-over species, including 17 warblers, all 5 thrushes, 7 flycatchers, 7 sparrows and a pair of locally nesting kestrels. Not bad for downtown Toronto, eh?
Schuy Jones
sky@oracle.osm.utoronto.ca
There is a male Hooded Merganser that seems to like the corner of the marina at Coronation Park. (This is the park by the Princes Gate to the CNE, at the East end of Ontario Place by the Lancaster bomber and Tank on Lakeshore Blvd.) It was there last night and I have seen it on two other occasions within the last 10 days. It is within 40 feet or so of the shore so you get a good view with the naked eye and an excellent view if you bring binoculars.
Last night there was also a Black-crowned Night Heron at the same place (not to mention a dozen or so flying by overhead).
Chris Clark
cclark@djttd.com
Things have slowed down considerably in the Quinte area since the peak of the spring migration arrived just a week or so ago. A few latecomers appeared such as BLACKPOLL WARBLERS and a record number of BRANT - over 2,000 seen by Marc Johnson at Prince Edward Point on Thursday. Among the other birds passing through in large numbers were BLUE JAYS with an estimated 700 at the Point on Monday. A latest ever for Prince Edward County RED-NECKED GREBE was seen by Marc Johnson at Prince Edward Point on Thursday. Other birds such as BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA, BAY-BREASTED, REDSTART, YELLOW, and YELLOWTHROAT WERE STILL IN GOOD NUMBERS AT THE Point on the 23rd, with 1 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and several BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS adding a little spice to the checklists. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen by Yvette Bree at Sandbanks Provincial Park, in the same seemingly insignificant shrub where at least two other rarities were recorded both this spring and last year. Definitely a good shrub!
And speaking of latecomers, what gives with the GREAT GRAY OWLS in Prince Edward County? One was seen by Yvette Bree at Sandbanks Provincial Park on the 17th, with another being sighted on the 22nd, near the village of Milford. It has been determined that two separate individuals were involved in these two appearances.
Reports from Eric Machell who has been banding birds at Prince Edward Point this spring indicate a good passage of ORCHARD ORIOLES in both mature and immature plumages. A first year male was also seen by Terry Sprague and Karen Hartley near the Belleville Marsh on Thursday.
The best has been left until last. A male BLUE GROSBEAK turned up for one day only at a feeder with INDIGO BUNTINGS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES about 12 km east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. Ironically, it was at this location where a SAY'S PHOEBE turned up in November of 1995 and again early this spring.
This report will be updated June 2nd. Your reports are welcome and
encouraged. Please e-mail
tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Education and Special Events Coordinator
Quinte Conservation Services Alliance
(Moira River, Napanee and Prince Edward Region Conservation Authorities)
Terry Sprague
tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
On Thursday morning, March 22nd, volunteer birdwatcher Bill Stone observed a scizzor-tailed flycatcher in Presqu'ile Provincial Park. He observed this extremely rare bird - native to south-east Colorado and South Nebraska to New Mexico - for five minutes. Bill summoned members of the local birdwatching community, but they were unable to relocate the bird. This pale pearly-gray bird has an extremely long scizzor-like tail, usually folded.
A week before, another rare flycatcher from the west - an ash-throated flycatcher - was found at Long Point.
At Presqu'ile, red knot, whimbrel, and brant have been migrating though the park.
The last of the spring bird watching hikes will be held this weekend, May 25th and 26th, at Presqu'ile Provincial Park, starting at 10:00 am from the Beach #4 parking lot. The hike will be conducted by park naturalist Steve Laforest. Dress warmly as the temperatures are considerably cooler at the lake front. Bring your binoculars.
I am still interested in your first sightings of migrating monarch butterflies. I need the date, name of observer, place, and any other pertinent details, such as condition of the butterfly and activity of the butterfly.
Don Davis
by129@freenet.toronto.on.ca
Large numbers of spring migrants continued to pour into Prince Edward County this past week, although some days were pitifully slow, while others were like a birder's Heaven. One such day was last Sunday at West Point, an often overlooked point of land within Sandbanks Provincial Park. At 7:45 a.m., this tiny wooded point was seething with warblers, with an estimated 250 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS predominating the scene. I stood amidst what appeared to be fully a dozen NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES as they all bellowed out their loud song. Less than 15 feet away, an OVENBIRD sang with another answering in the distance. Also present on this memorable morning were CAPE MAY, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, YELLOW-RUMPED, YELLOW, and NASHVILLE WARBLERS, all in good numbers.
Heavy, cold rain the previous night was presumed responsible for over 40 CHIMNEY SWIFTS taking refuge in a chimney just down the road from West Point, where the owner of the house was greeted in the basement by several swifts that had worked their way through the damper, and an additional 33 which he released. Close to a dozen had succumbed to the smoke however, when the furnace cut in during the night.
Sandbanks Provincial Park came up with some other interesting sightings this past week. The GREAT GREY OWL was seen again at the park on May 10th. The park has also produced this past week a GLAUCOUS GULL, WORM-EATING WARBLER, CERULEAN WARBLER, GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, and a HOODED WARBLER. The latter species has also been seen on several occasions at Prince Edward Point where some of the more notable sightings this past week have included PEREGRINE FALCON, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, SHORT-EARED OWL, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, and an immature BALD EAGLE.
Yesterday (18th) an ICELAND GULL was seen by Eric Michelle at Prince Edward point. The woods here were filled yesterday with SCARLET TANAGERS, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, and BALTIMORE ORIOLES. Among the 25 species of warblers tallied up yesterday were MAGNOLIA, BLUE-WINGED ( as well as a LAWRENCE'S), ORANGE-CROWNED, NORTHERN PARULA, CANADA, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE WARBLERS were so numerous birders weren't even looking at them anymore! A WORM-EATING WARBLER was found by Terry Sprague in the Point Traverse woods.
Teen-age birders Marc Johnson and Carl Rotchfels hiked 25 km yesterday from Point Petre to Prince Edward point and despite a heavy thunderstorm, managed to check off 6 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS, 6 UPLAND SANDPIPERS, CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, 6 NORTHERN PARULA WARBLERS, 1 ORCHARD ORIOLE and GREAT HORNED OWL .
And EASTERN BLUEBIRDS are nesting in several locations within the Quinte area. I do believe spring is here at last!
This report will be updated May 26th , and every Sunday thereafter.
Your reports are welcome and encouraged. Please e-mail
tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Education and Special Events Coordinator
Quinte Conservation Services Alliance
(Moira River, Napanee and Prince Edward Region Conservation Authorities)
Terry Sprague
tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Park naturalist Steve Laforest reports that the bird migration at Presqu'ile Provincial Park is really heating up!
Over the past couple of days, additional bird sightings include up to 3 red-bellied woodpeckers, 3 red knot, a willet, 3 brant, 3 short-billed dowitcher, orchard oriole, clay-colored sparrow, and 2 cerulean warblers.
Steve also informs me that the bird banding demonstration will take place as scheduled on Sunday, May 19th.
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is located about 150 km east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, directly opposite Rochester , New York. It is a pensinsula that juts out into Lake Ontario, and is the first spit of land migrating birds see when crossing Lake Ontario. To date, over 314 species of birds have been identified in the park. High Bluff and Gull Islands are one of the largest colonial waterbird nesting sites on the Great Lakes. Noted for its biodiversity, Presqu'ile is a proposed Ramsar Site.
Visit The Friends of Presqu'ile Nature Shop, now located in the park store. Copies of the 435 page book, "THE BIRDS OF PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK" are still available for sale.
For further information, please call Don Tyerman at (613) 475-4324.
Donald Davis
Donald_Davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
Conditions: Delayed Spring, leading edge of warm s.w. front. T=15deg C, light winds, overcast.
In 50 yrs of birding, I personally have not had a similar day in this type of habitat. My list was 28, including the Saw-Whet Owl, which I found for some of the other birders (close to 50 in number).
The complete list identified in the 4 hour period (0800-1200):
Rarities: Saw_Whet Owl
Whipoorwhill - these confirmed by several observers.
Warblers (22 species):
Bl.Thr.Blue Cape May
N.Parula Redstart
Magnolia Chestnut-sided
Black & White Yellow-rumped
Nashville Wilson's
Yellow Blackburnian
Bl.Thr.Green Ovenbird
Palm Bay-breasted
Tennessee Mourning
Golden-Winged Common Yellow-thrt
Canada Blue-Winged
Vireos (4 species)
Solitary Philadelphia
Warbling Yellow-throated
Others (26 species):
Bl.Gr.Gnatcatcher Ruby Cr.Kinglet
Lincoln's Sparrow Wh.Crowned Sparrow
House Finch Goldfinch
Winter Wren Ruby-thr Hummingbird
Gr.Cr.Flycatcher Kingbird
Empidonax sp (prob Least) Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher Veery
Hermit Thrush Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush Scarlet Tanager
Rose-br.Grosbeak Gr.winged Teal (on the pond)
N.Harrier Red-br. Nuthatch
Red-Bellied Woodpkr Blue Jay
Mourning Dove Cardinal
George Cantlie
geocant@io.org
This past week, over 132 species were seen in the park. Highlights included peregrine falcon, Carolina wren, blue-winged warblers, 20 rusty blackbirds, red bellied woodpecker, northern parula, yellow-throated vireo, willet, 27 dunlin, olive-sided flycatcher, hooded warbler, water pipit, 4 vireo species, great egret.
At the feeder located at the park office, a red-headed woodpecker fed opposite a downy woodpecker, as white-crowned sparrows fed on the ground. On another occasion, a cardinal, evening grosbeak, and rose-breasted grosbeak shared the platform.
Park birders were unavailable for comment this morning as they were off chasing a newly-located King Rail!
Although some rain is predicted for the weekend, inclement weather can bring exciting birdwatching. Foggy weather at the Calf Pasture a week or so ago brought spectacular warbler watching. Last year, prior to a storm, 10,000 migrating shorebirds landed on the park's western beaches. Among the many species identified by Doug McRae were three purple sandpipers. A second large flock numbering over 6000 birds landed a few days later.
The Friends of Presqu'ile are opening a new Nature Shop outlet in the park store, located just south the Beach #4 entrance. They will be carrying a number of new book titles and an entire new line of garments bearing the park name and Friends logo.
Being unable to contact park staff, I am unable to confirm if the bird banding demonstration will be taking place. However, inclement weather tends to improve this event as the birds tend to fly lower and are more easily captured.
For further information, contact Don Tyerman at (613) 475-4324.
Monarch butterfly observers are also interested in the northward migration of the monarch butterfly. One was seen May 14th at Point Pelee National Park. Please send copies of sighting, including date, time, location, weather conditions, and any pertinent observations, along with the name of the observers to:
donald_davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca,internet
jn-report@learner.org
Don Davis
donald_davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
ANNUAL WARBLERS AND WIMBRELS WEEKEND AT PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK
The peak weekend of the year for bird migration at Presqu'ile is May 18-19/96. This is also the weekend for a full schedule of events at the park. From the Saturday morning bird hike to the Sunday evening migration slide presentation, there will be non-stop activities for visitors.
Saturday's itinerary kicks off with a bird hike, meeting at the Beach #4 parking lot at 10:00 am. Some highlights present along the lake shore at this season include whimbrels, brant and all three species of scoters. Whimbrels are large, impressive shorebirds en route from the Gulf Coast to Hudson Bay. Brant are geese that resemble small Canada geese with a black breast, and scoters are large black ducks with distincitive head patterns. Whimbrels and brant are both seen in southern Ontario primarily in late May. Threre is only a brief opportunity to view them each year. A willet was found in the park on Saturday, March 11th.
Warblers are arguably the most beautiful of our songbirds. With up to 35 species of these lively little sprites flitting about the treetops, birders may feel the need for a quick refresher on field marks and songs. To help out, the park will hold a "Warbler Watching" program at the lighthouse. Visitors are invited to drop in any time from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm Saturday to check out what's around. On Friday, March 10th, a male hooded warbler and blue-winged warbler were spotted on Paxton Drive north of the lighthouse.
An event that runs throughout the weekend is the annual Warblers and Whimbrels Birdathon. Unlike other "birdathons", this is not a fund-raising project, but strictly for fun. The goal is to see as many species of birds as possible at Presqu'ile during the weekend. Prizes will be awarded in various categories. Pariticipants can pick up tally forms when they arrive at the park. Last year's winner identified over 140 species during the weekend.
Bird banding is the most popular activity of the weekend. From delicate little kinglets weighing in at 1/5 of an ounce to robust thrashers at almost 3 ounces, it is always a special treat to see songbirds in the hand. A program is tentatively arranged at the lighthouse from 8:30 am to 11:30 am Sunday. Please read the final event listings at the park to check whether this activity was confirmed.
Programs on Sunday will also include a bird hike and the Warbler Watch. The hike will be held at 10:00 am, meeting at the Beach #4 parking lot. Warbler watching will run from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the lighthouse.
To wrap up the weekend, a slide presentation illustrating spring migration will be held Sunday evening. The program will run at 9:15 pm at the amphitheatre. Results of the Warblers and Whimbrels Birdathon will be announced, and prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Note that it is usually cooler near the Lake Ontario shoreline than inland, so please dress for the conditions of the day. All events will be held rain or shine. The leader of each outing will have a spotting scope for pointing out birds, but bring along binoculars too, if they are available.
Note that birding hikes will also be held Saturday, May 25th and Sunday, May 26th, meeting at the Beach #4 parking lot at 10:00 am. For additional information, contact Don Tyerman at (613) 475-4324, or e-mail (incoming mail only) at: parkpr@epo.gov.on.ca.
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is Ontario's fourth oldest and fourth most heavily used provincial park. To date, over 314 species of birds have been identified in the park, and the Presqu'ile area contains the third highest total of nesting species in the Province of Ontario. High Bluff and Gull Islands represent on of the largest colonial waterbird nesting sites on the Great Lakes. As a peninsula tretching southward into Lake Ontario, it is the first piece of land spotted by migrating birds and insects. The tremendous variety of habitats results in high degree of biodiversity. Already designated as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest and as a Class 1 wetland, Presqu'ile is also a proposed Ramsar Site, a proposed Regional Site for the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, and a proposed Reserve in the International Network of Monarch Butterfly Reserves.
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is located about 150 km east of Toronto, on the north shore of Lake Ontario - and directly opposite Rochester, New York. Take Hwy. 401 to the Brighton Exit (exit #509). Take Hwy. #30 southbound into the Town of Brighton, and follow the park signs to the park gates.
On a good spring day, one can find as many species as one would find at Point Pelee National Park - and without the crowds!
Donald Davis
Donald_Davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
April was a cold, damp month in Ontario. Only now are we beginning to experience warmer weather. Birdwatching at Presqu'ile Provincial Park has been slow. Highlights over the past few days include:
Apr. 30 - little gull
May 1 - red-bellied woodpecker, 4 blue-gray gnatcatchers
May 2 - 2 flocks of 50 dunlin, 100 ruddy turnstones, goshawk, 1 pair northern
shovellers, solitary sandpiper, 2 surf scoters
May 3 - gray-cheeked thrush
May 4 - red-bellied woodpecker, winter wren, various warbler species,
yellow-bellied sapsucker
May 5 - sandhill crane (flyng over), 30 white-winged scoters, 380 lesser scaup
In the Toronto area, a worm-eating warbler remains in High Park.
Donald Davis
Donald_Davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
Cold morning, with a strong NW wind. The warblers are best spotted in or around evergreen trees, which seem to afford protection from the wind and cold.
On the ground: Wood Thrush
Ovenbird
White throated sparrows (tossing and rooting under the
leaves - why?)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow Warbler
Cape May Warbler (many)
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (many)
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler (many)
George Cantlie
Great birding in the Quinte area this past week, especially if you were at Prince Edward Point. After a wet and cold early May, Friday saw massive numbers of migrants arrive at the point, and they all apparently arrived overnight as only a pitiful 16 birds were banded in six hours the day before. One party from Kingston recorded 122 species that day, and that was with it being too foggy to see any waterfowl out on the lake! Highlights were 23 species of warblers including all the regular early to mid-spring species with CERULEAN, ORANGE-CROWNED, BLUE-WINGED, GOLDEN-WINGED and a BREWSTER'S hybrid being the most notable. The only vireo missing, says Ken Edwards of the Kingston Field Naturalists was WHITE-EYED and the only thrush not seen was GREY-CHEEKED. Not a bad day which also included a first year male ORCHARD ORIOLE (one also seen at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area, south if Picton), and a BREWER'S BLACKBIRD with a large flock of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW AND LINCOLN'S SPARROW were also checked off. Bird banders encountered a flock of 50 EVENING GROSBEAKS, the majority of which they banded before the flock moved on the next day. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen on May 7th at the Point. David Bree found a HOODED WARBLER at Sandbanks Provincial Park on May 3rd, and a SEDGE WREN was seen there by Terry Sprague on May 9th.
Prince Edward County's second ever BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE turned up at Prince Edward Point on Monday. The last time this species was seen in the area was in 1982.
Over 5,000 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were also at the Point on Monday, but the large numbers of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS have decreased considerably from last week's high count. Yesterday, 70 PURPLE FINCHES were banded.
The unseasonably cool weather earlier this month must have confused at least two GREAT GREY OWLS as two were seen this past week - one on May 2nd at Big Island, just north of Demorestville, and the second individual at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Monday. The pair of OSPREYS can still be seen on their nest at Beaver Meadow, south of Picton, and another pair is nesting atop a hydro pole, just south of Belleville, along with a another pair on a nesting platform in Frankford.
This report will be updated May 19th , and every Sunday thereafter.
Your reports are welcome and encouraged. Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Terry Sprague
tsprague@connect.reach.net
I went out to Cranberry Marsh for the first time on Sunday. Quite a nice spot. There was a CANADA GOOSE near the viewing platform furthest from the lake that appeared to be sitting on a nest about 15 feet from the platform. Also saw a WHITE CROWNED SPARROW, COWBIRDS and CHICKADEES on the way to the platform. Out on the open water I could make out BUFFLEHEADS, GOLDENEYE (couldn't tell which type) and MERGANSERS (Common, possibly some Red-breasted as well).
Driving back up Hall's Road we saw a HOUSE FINCH and a COMMON FLICKER (Yellow variety).
Over at Lynde Shores we saw some MUTE SWANS by the parking lot. At the viewing platform at the end of the road we saw an AMERICAN COOT, a pair of MALLARDS and RUDDY DUCKS associating with the other divers. The highlight (for me, anyway!) was sighting an OSPREY circling overhead on the way back.
P.S. For people who also like small, furry creatures, there were several CHIPMUNKS running around at Lynde Shores. :)
J. Chris Clark
cclark@djttd.com
Can add a new one to the Tommy Thomspon sightings. Saw a Hooded Warbler today, near the gate. Lovely bird, and fortunately for us, didn't move around too much either!
Kathy and Jamie McLachlan
jamie@enterprise.ca
And the spring migration continues in the Quinte area. This past week saw good numbers of spring migrants arrive, the majority of which were recorded at Prince Edward Point, at the extreme south-eastern tip of Prince Edward County.
The Point still harbours large numbers of scoters comprising a high of 1,000 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 16 SURF SCOTERS and 1 BLACK SCOTER yesterday. Amongst them were 300 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, down a bit from April 28th's estimated 1,100.
Raptors seen this past week at the Point included a PEREGRINE FALCON on April 28th, MERLIN on Wednesday, and a COOPER'S HAWK and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, both on Friday. Elsewhere, the pair of OSPREYS at Beaver Meadow Conservation Area, near East Lake, appear to settling in to their nest in the middle of a small GREAT BLUE HERON colony. An immature BALD EAGLE was spotted by Garnet Northey along Gilead Road near Bloomfield.
The first BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHERS (3) of the season showed up at Prince Edward Point on April 28th, along with the season's first GREEN-BACKED HERON. Shorebirds are also turning up with a GREATER YELLOWLEGS seen on May 3rd and plenty of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. The first SPOTTED SANDPIPER of the year was recorded by the writer at Frankford, north of Trenton on Wednesday. But the most impressive sight at Frankford was an estimated 4,500 - 5,000 TREE SWALLOWS swooping for insects over the village. Two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were found along Middle Road, west of Prince Edward Point by Bill Aitken and Myrna Wood on Wednesday.
Warblers are beginning to trickle in to the Quinte area. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS and one NASHVILLE WARBLER were checked off Thursday, along with 1 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and 3 BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS. Yesterday, 2 NORTHERN PARULA WARBLERS, 1 OVENBIRD and several YELLOW WARBLERS were found. YELLOW WARBLERS were also found yesterday at Sandbanks Provincial Park. Best find at Sandbanks, however, was a HOODED WARBLER, seen by David Bree in the Richardson's Campground, in the West Lake Sector of the park, on Friday.
BOBOLINKS showed up almost overnight everywhere in Prince Edward County on Friday as did EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and on Saturday one CHIMNEY SWIFT and two BALTIMORE ORIOLES were added to the list of migrants in the Quinte area.
At Sandbanks Provincial Park on Wednesday, a FIELD SPARROW was happily delivering his plaintive phrases during the ceremonial opening of the new park entrance. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have been here in large numbers and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS have also put in an appearance.
This report will be updated May 12th , and every Sunday thereafter.
Your reports are welcome and encouraged. Please e-mail tsprague@limestone.kosone.com
Terry Sprague
tsprague@connect.reach.net
Four of us from Seneca College had a great day yesterday; we were lucky enough to to spend the only sunny day this week in the Whitby area. I took three keen beginners out as a personal development outing. I would recommend that everyone find out how to organize such "working days".
We saw 41 species. Some really super moments, especially the 25 or more black crowned night herons perched on shrubs next to Cranberry Marsh. We had red-breasted mergansers, ruddy ducks, shovelers, lots of buffle heads and ring necked ducks and of course swans, mallards and Canadas in the water. Also great blue herons, kingfishers, and coots.
The warblers are just starting to arrive. We saw yellow rumps in every tree and one black and white warbler. We had ruby crowned kinglets but no golden crowns. The swallows are gorgeous right now too. Tree swallows were perched in pairs everywhere. Chickadees, jays, robins, winter wrens, brown thrashers, juncos, and flickers. No woodpeckers yesterday.
One really neat moment happened when a white-crowned sparrow and a white throated sat together on a clear pathway so we could look at them very carefully and really learn a lesson. They are both so beautiful in their spring finery and the white crown is my favourite sparrow.
Ann Rostrup
rostrup@mars.senecac.on.ca