Of possible interest to birders in York Region: Aurora's Mckenzie Marsh has reached its most productive time for birding as families of various species are dispersing from their nesting areas and preparing for their journeys southward. Early this morning there were 7 Black-crowned Night-herons (both juvenile and adult), 4 Green Herons, 15 Great Blue Herons, 6 Belted Kingfishers, 3 Common Moorhens, one Pied-billed Grebe, 2 Great-crested Cormorants, 2 Caspian Terns, several Killdeer, three Spotted Sandpipers and one Semi-palmated Plover, all actively feeding. Passerine activity was minimal, though I did see one Blackburninan warbler.
The pond edges on both sides of St. John's Sideroad should be checked carefully, though the north side is usually most productive. McKenzie Marsh is a small marsh bisected by the St. John's Sideroad in the north part of Aurora, 1.5 kms east of Yonge Street. Parking is at a premium, but you can pull over on the south side of St. John's once you've passed the main body of the pond. Best vantage point for birding is the brushy hillside on the northeast side of the pond, reached by walking up the hill east of the McKenzie Marsh Wetlands sign, past the no parking sign (gulp), then cutting into the bushes just before the two old slanted wood posts on the north side of the road. By doing some minor bushwhacking through the 3-4 foot vegetation, you will see how the hillside climbs to a more open vantage point from which you can look northwest into the heart of the northern pond. Early morning is the best time to visit as traffic is at a minimum and bird activity at its max. A scope helps. Aurora is straight north from Toronto, between Hwys. 400 and 404. It is about a 30 minute drive from "the big smoke". Ron Fleming, Newmarket "Ronald J. Fleming" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
