[Ontbirds]Birds flooding the Thornbury/Collingwood area

[Sarah Richer]

As a shoutout to any/all birders in the area who haven't had a chance to explore;
On three recent drives along Hwy 26 and various sideroads over the past three days, birds observed included:

A PINE GROSBEAK, female, alone in an apple orchard kiddy-corner to Blue Mountain Collision Service, just south of Thornbury along Grey County Road 13;
A MERLIN west of Collingwood, perched on a fencepost;
Several KESTRELS perched on telephone wires throughout the backroads;
Two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS (100% positive on the ID, not Western) perched in trees on Grey County Road 13 just north of Kimberley, my first for the season for this area;;
A late(?) flock of approx. 50 SNOW BUNTINGS along County Road 19 heading west out of Ravenna;
A GREAT BLUE HERON flying low over the water along the beach just east of Craigleith Provincial Park, my first for the season for this area;
Loads of AMERICAN ROBINS, GRACKLES and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS are now everywhere I look.  
An EASTERN SCREECH OWL flying across County Road 2, approx. 5 min south of Feversham.

Please feel free to share any other new obs or sightings for this area with me.

PS. Could someone please share with me why the Ottawa area seems to get so many cool bird sightings throughout the year? Is there something geographically unusual about the area?

Cheers,
Sarah Richer


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