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Birth Announcement LANG, Dave, Kate and Rebecca, of Orano, are praud ta announce the birth of Emily Caroline weighing 8 ibs., 4 azs., born April 18, 1997. Great-granddaugher ta Darothy Reid and the late Les Reid, of Orona. Granddaughter ta John andi Mary Harrison, and Rager and Christine Lang. Special thanks t0 Dr. Hendersan and the staff ai the Ajax-Pickering Haýspitai. Last week we stepped up our tempo of birding along the lakefrant and as a resuit rani Out of timre ta write about it. There has becen a lot af interest in the water wi th the migration through this area by the three .species of Grebes, - Red-Necked, Horned and PMedl Bill. The Red Necked and the Hlorned Grebe are off ta the north-west for- their nesting season while the Pied-Billed could well be spending the suimmer in shallow fresh water ponds in this area as well as other sectars ta the West. The Pied-Bill is na mare than nine inches in length but stocky in buihd. One pair was noted in flight and you can be assured they did hook small and with considerable speed as they travelled but a Couple of feet abave the water. The Grebes are an interesting water-fowl species, diving and in pursuit of smail aquatic animais. A considerable numnber of Horned Grebes were sighited at the lakefront at Newcastle and near the miothi of the Wilmot CÇreek. 1 hadi but one sightîng of a Red-I¶ecked at Newcastle but they are supposedly being counted in the hundreds off-shore at Oshawa. In the duck world the Common Mergansers, Comm-on Goldeneyes, and most of the Buffleheads have moved f'rom the lakefront being replaced by the mast colourful Red- Necked Merganser. A party of four Red- neckes, three miaies and one fem-ale, put -on quiet a displa y for Bunting and i ofi the Oshiawa shore. 0f course it is the rnating season and this quartette were mnaking thie most of it. It wvas difficult to miake out the aggressors, the miaies or the femiale. They parlaying around in a tigft formation in the water. Up go their long necks with their bills pointing skyward. There was no fear on the part of the female who would madly swim into the centre of the graup. Bill and 1 became 'birdwatchers' which is termed 'a study of birds'. At ieast we spent twenty minutes and stilI the winner wasn't determined. h suppose it would have been the survival of the fittest. It was an interesting show. Talklng of birdwatching the same happened on Sunday last with five large gulls flying just overhead of a raft of Doubhe-Crested Cormorants in a Prince Edward County bay. The Cormorants were continuiously diving for fish briniging them ta thc surface where the gulîs awaited an opporunity ta cash-mn on somne smrall fish tidbits. 1 passed the site twice withini an hour and a haîf and the samne antics were con tinuing. Two other bird- watchers verified what was going on. Apparently it is an on-going thing. Tripped irto the mouth of the Wilmnot Creek for twenty mninutes and left withi twenty-one sightings. The big features were a Pied-Billed Grebe, a pair .of Mute Swans, pair of Durham'f Region launches pre-authorized payment plan The Regional Muinicipality of Durhanii Finance Department, Utility Finan)ce Division recently announced the successful launch of its Pre-Authorized Payment plan for ail our water and sewer custamers. The Pre-Authorized pay- ment plan is an economlical. convenient, and secure method of paying your water and sewer bill. Not anly will you save mioney on postage, but you will ensure that youir Water and sewer buis will be paid on tirne whether you are away on vacation or business. The Region is pleased to offer this service to aur custamers at no additional cost. Approximately 10,000 eus-. tomers have already taken advantage of this canvenient paymient option. It is stili not too late ta apply. If you have not already enrolled in the pre-authorized payment plan, an application form is attached to the return enve- lape lncluded wlth your next water and sewer bill. Slmply return the application with a void cheque. For further information on this plan, contact the Custamer Services section of the Utility Finance Division at 571-6611 or 686-6611 in the Toronto area. B5owmanvileloastmasters -At the April 22, 1997 meet- ing Bowmianville ft oastm7fasters hosted tlhe Eastern Division Governor Taastmnaster JoyceHi. Toastmaster Hillimade th-e- offici[ai presentation of the Eastern Diviîsion trophy for betinterrational Speech to Toaýstmiast'er Denise Marek. Oni behaif of Bowmianiville T'oastmaasters, Toastmaster CarolI Wonnacot presented Toastmiaster Marek with con- gratulatory iflowers for her outstanding performtance at District 60 Conference in Richrnond H-il,1 on Saturday, April 19, 19977. For the Clubs support of new mnembers Bowmanville Toastmasters received a men- toring award from District 60, For only pennies a day membership in Toastmasters earns îts memnbers amplifled dividends in confidence and leadershiùp skills. Corne and build your con- fidence with a no obligation visitïto10 Bawmanviiie Toastmasters. We meet every Tuesday evening 7:30 - 9:30 Canadas and a pair of Blue- Winged Teal. The mast rewarding was a Black-Crawned Night Heron flying up the creek valley. Generally these birds are at rest during the day.. It wilI be interesting to see whe-ither the Night Heron remain in the marsh area. It wauld be a suitable environment for the bird. The First Warbler Bill and I on vîsiting Thickson Woods, Whitby, sigh fted aur first Warbier, a Myrtle. At the same timre a Brown Creeper and bath the Goldlen'Crowned and Ruby Crownied Kinglets. The Warbiers are the next wave of birds tao returu and that flight will be in full flighit within days. It is a good reason ta spend more time in the woods and flight-paths of these small land and bush birds. p.m. at "The Darlingtani Hydro Information Centre", For mare informationlplease phonie Irene Konzelmnannl 983-94123. Clarington Fire Dept. The Clarington Fire Department was extremely busy between April 21 and April 27 with many fire relat- ed cails. The emergency response summary is as fol- lows: 3 structure fires with one resulting in $75,000 dam- age and another at $3,500; 6 vehicle fires;, 13 grass fires; 10 fires other than above; 4 motar vehicle accidents; 1 rescue cali; 17 medical assis- tance cails; 5 alarm activa- tions; and 8 check-out calis. 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