3pm - 13.03.13 - my conservative estimate of a few minutes ago is that a flock of between 300/400 Bohemian Waxwings are feeding on small apples with which many of the trees that grow within this complex are loaded - under my nose at my front door they are feeding on juniper berries - they replace a large flock of American Robins seen this morning. This is a roaming flock and it should be noted that this area of Markham bordered by Hwy 407 to the south, Markham Road to the West, Ninth Line to the east and Sixteenth Avenue to the north contains a multitude of residential streets heavily planted with the variety of apple trees that grow very small fruit. As winter progresses this fruit shrinks to a size that can be swallowed whole by some bird species, the fruit as it matures also be- coming more nutritious with a buildup of vitamins - there is one Japanese species that owing to this increase in vitamin content is poisonous to children - though this species was banned as a street planting 20/30 or so years ago in Toronto. Stan Long