Tricolored Heron present at Spring Lake in Southwest Oxford on Wednesday,
May 7, 2003 at 3:30 p.m.
For the third day, a Tricolored Heron has been seen fishing along the open
shoreline of Spring Lake at Spring Lake RV campground, about 10 minutes
south of Ingersoll and 10 minutes northwest of Tilsonburg. Based on its
sporadic appearances and long absences, there appears to be no set time so
far to its presence and bouts of fishing. When it is fishing anywhere along
the shoreline of Spring Lake it is easy to see and if it is on the south
shoreline of the lake one can get crippling looks at this bird from the
comfort of your car.
Here is a chronology of its appearances and absences so far as I know,
based on my own visits and what I've heard from others. Other birders may
have been there at other times. The bird was discovered at 10:30 a.m. on
Monday, May 6. It was not seen that evening despite the presence of birders
from about 6:00 p.m. to dark. On Tuesday, it was seen from about 10:30 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m.; first fishing along the shoreline of Spring Lake from about
10:15 to at least 11:45 a.m. and then, from about 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the
middle pond of the three ponds on the south side of the road. It was not
seen by any of many visitors for the rest of Tuesday. Today it was not
present from 10 to 12 a.m. nor at 3:00 p.m. when I arrived. However, just
as I was leaving the site at 3:30 p.m. it flew in [from whereabouts
unknown] and began fishing on the south shore of Spring Lake about 30
metres from the road.
There are three densely vegetated ponds on the south side of Prouse Lake
all of which can be thoroughly scanned from the shoulder of Prouse
Road. Yesterday, the bird was standing at the west end of the middle of
the three ponds in a patch of emergent, green grass from at least 2:00 to
2:30 p.m. suggesting that when it has finished fishing at Spring Lake it
flies over to the wet woods or one of the ponds on the south side of Prouse
Road. NOTE that Spring Lake and the ponds on the south side of the road
are all clearly marked with new NO TRESPASSING signs. You can scan the
entire shoreline of Spring Lake and most of the three ponds from the
shoulder of Prouse Road. Be careful, though, as this paved road is very
busy. There is a wide shoulder for safe parking.
Directions from Hwy 401 at Ingersoll:
From Exit 216 on the 401 at Ingersoll go south 7 concessions on Culloden
Line through the village of Verschoyle until you reach Prouse Road. Turn
right and Spring Lake is immediately on your right and the three ponds are
on the south side.
Dave Martin & Linda Wladarski
Harrietsville, ON
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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