SHORT-EARED OWLS still on Posson Road in Shelby - an estimated 9 owls on March 24, and another 2 SHORT-EARED OWLS on Chaddock Road in the Town of Bethany. March 25, a FOX SPARROW in Bethany. Other passerines - COMMON RAVEN at Mid-River Marina in Tonawanda. Increasing TREE SWALLOWS in the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area.

At Princess Point in Hamilton an estimate of approximately 20 Yellow Warblers were seen as well as a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a significant early record for this species. A Great Egret was seen off the point in the Dundas Marsh. In the odds and sods this week, Green-winged Teal and Redhead were seen at Tollgate Ponds.

Also at Mer Bleue, large flocks of RUSTY BLACKBIRD (numbers estimated at 1100 - 2000) were observed coming in to roost along the boardwalk on the evenings of the 6th and 7th. Thank you to everyone who contributed bird sightings.

An estimated 2000 PURPLE MARTINS were seen at a roost in Bayfield Bay (no public access) on 18th. Prince Edward Point Banding season has begun and whilst things are perhaps still a little slow at the moment, the 7 BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHERS already banded this season surpass previous records.

Two RED-THROATED LOONS off Chatterson Point (the newly corrected name for the erstwhile Chatterton Point) were among an estimated 225 COMMON LOONS off the south shore of the peninsula on a perfectly calm lake on Tuesday. Also there were about 260 HORNED GREBES and seven RED-NECKED GREBES.

Pine Siskin: Up to 100 were estimated at the Visitor Centre this week. The "green morph" bird first spotted there on March 6th was still present on the 15th. Evening Grosbeak: About 40 to 50 were at the Visitor Centre feeders. A few continued to be seen at Spruce Bog Boardwalk and near the locked gate on the Opeongo Road as well.

In a similar case on March 26, a few observers were at the lighthouse when two flocks of SNOW GEESE totalling an estimated 200 birds flew past heading east into a strong headwind. That total is an order of magnitude greater than any previous sighting of that species at Presqu'ile, which is further west than their usual flight line.

Exact numbers are impossible to tally since so many observers were watching them, but the total must certainly greatly exceed the estimated 100 that passed over on November 13, 2012, which was the previous high number in 8 to 11 flocks, far fewer than those seen on Tuesday alone (perhaps 20? flocks).

None-the-less, it is very likely that I would drag it anyway after I got the estimate on the crane. In many cases, it would be cheaper to repair the abrasion damage to the hull than to pay for the crane.

We have had repeated estimates of $5,000.00 to replace both of our gasoline engines with rebuilt long blocks, including all the labor to remove and replace... that's for both. In a diesel replacement there is far more to the whole thing than just the diesels of course. New transmissions, shafts, couplings, bearings, props. Complete new fuel system.