[Ontbirds]update on Keswick Snowy's

[Gene Denzel]

Following up on Ron Fleming's post this am, we trekked up to  
Ravenshoe Rd this afternoon. Having seen a dozen or so red-tailed  
hawks while driving up 404, we arrived at Ravenshoe and, while  
cruising in, met another birding couple who were leaving and who had  
seen one of the owls, near the white trailer referred to in Ron's  
post, near the bottom of this piece of Yonge St. Buoyed by this, we  
cruised on in, seeing nothing along Ravenshoe  (except a Coyote  
trotting across the fields to the S, who may have caused some of the  
owls to move) or on the upper stretch of Yonge. As we got closer to  
the white trailer, we spotted an owl flying across the fields to the  
West, who lit on a pole almost over at the river. As we cruised down  
to the trailer, the owl left the pole and went to the piece of farm  
equipment which our contacts had mentioned as we drove in. We chanced  
the side 'road' to get closer (only to be done with AWD and when the  
ground is frozen!!). We hiked closer to the owl, and got good views  
before he was flushed, perhaps by the packs of snowmobiles roaring up  
the river. This one was only lightly marked, more with brownish  
blotches on the wings than the black striping on females/young. Going  
back up Yonge, we saw a large flock (70+) of birds wheeling in the  
distance, which as we got closer were clearly NOT Snow Buntings.  
Although they did not sit still for long at any one place, it became  
clear that this was a flock of Redpolls!
Backing up down the frozen road (there are only a few spots to safely  
turn around), we finally got close enough to the flock for a few  
moments to see that at least one was a Hoary Redpoll, before they  
flew off to the South.
As we got back onto Ravenshoe, we noted that the TV antenna noted by  
previous visitors to the area was now occupied by a second Snowy Owl  
(this one much more heavily marked).  We managed to get recognizable  
photos (which can be accessed through the Richmond Hill Naturalists  
website, which will link into flickr).
On the way back South we tried for the Oak Ridges Bohemian Waxwings  
and Shrike posted by Theresa, but had no luck.

Gene and Charlene Denzel
9 Idleswift Drive
Thornhill, ON L4J 1K8
905-889-7888