Tricolored Heron at Spring Lake in Southwest Oxford
Thursday, May 8
The breeding plumaged Tricolored Heron was already fishing along the
shoreline of Spring Lake when I arrive at 7:45 a.m. today. I watched it
until 8:20 a.m. at which time if flew off to the east but I didn't see
where it landed. I took off to drive around some back roads. When I drove
by at 9:00 a.m. it had not reappeared.
Once again, the bird was fishing along the south shoreline of the lake at
the east end. When it does so, you can park on the shoulder and study
every feather if you wish. If any appearance pattern is being established,
it is that the bird fishes at Spring Lake for up to 3 hours at a time and
then flies off to rest and digest.
There are also three densely vegetated ponds on the south side of Prouse
Lake, all of which can be thoroughly scanned from the shoulder of Prouse
Road. On Tuesday, 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
sometimes 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 (north) and the three
ponds are on the left (south) side. Spring Lake is about 15 minutes south
of Ingersoll and 10 minutes northwest of Tilsonburg in Oxford County.
Dave Martin & Linda Wladarski
Harrietsville, ON
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dave Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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