Local birding report

Connections between the boreal forests in Canada and the movements of wandering winter finches in fall and winter have been closely studied since 2012. According to Tyler Hoar, chief forecaster for the highly anticipated winter finch forecast, this year’s ‘flight’ is not expected to be an irruption year however there should be some southward movement varying by species and location. Unfortunately, Pine Grosbeaks will largely stay close to home as excellent crops of Mountain ash berries are being reported from Lake Superior eastward. A solid spruce and hemlock crop throughout central Ontario to the southern Maritimes (Nova Scotia) will also keep Red Crossbills, Common and Hoary Redpolls, along with Pine Siskins largely within their northerly haunts this season. A significant eastward movement of White-winged Crossbills into the robust spruce crop of Maine’s northern woods this past summer leaves open the possibility that these birds may continue wandering south in small flocks.

The silver lining in the finch forecast is that we may see Evening Grosbeaks trickle into our neck of the woods. After the general irruption of Evening Grosbeaks southwards in 2020, forecasts are calling for a possible “echo flight” this year with a “belt of food” between the four large Spruce Budworm outbreaks and where they irrupted too last year. The serendipitous arrival of these erratic northern nomads to my platform feeder for all of thirty seconds late last fall was an event that I will never forget. Having a platform/ tray feeder (versus tube, hopper, or house feeders) and black oil sunflower seeds maximizes the chances of attracting Evening Grosbeaks to your backyard. These massive-billed beauties are also attracted to Maple and Ash trees still holding seeds.

Other noteworthy observations for the last couple weeks of October include, on the 16th three adult Bald Eagles and one Red-tailed Hawk put on a show high above Pond Cove. Their high-pitched squeaky cackles and squeals could be heard throughout the forest below. On this same outing I came across two Palm Warblers in a White Pine along the edge of the pond. Interestingly the vast majority of Palm Warblers migrate only as far as Florida. On the following day, October 17, in a Amelanchier Service Berry shrub in my yard I counted six Blackpoll Warblers, and later in the afternoon a Blackburnian Warbler dropped down from the upper canopy to dine upon the berries produced by this ‘Autumn Brilliance’ bush.

On October 23 a Hermit Thrush was spotted in this same shrub and later that morning my first of the season Golden Crowned Kinglet was spotted in a dead crab apple tree on our property. That afternoon within the Libby River Farm Preserve in Scarborough I came across five Red-winged Blackbirds. On the 24th, three Northern Flickers were spotted along Shore Road and on this same day the first of the season Dark-eyed Junco appeared below our feeders. By this time last year, we had lots of Juncos in our yard. Additionally, American Robins have been very visible and, on the move, as they begin to flock together to explore new territories during the daylight hours. Lastly, two American Oystercatchers were reported on Long Island in Casco Bay.