Saw the Barrows Goldeneye at LaSalle park on North Shore Blvd about 500 yards west of parking lot near the shore at 7AM this morning, Thur Mar 18. Then drove east on North Shore from LaSalle to Bayshore parkette (also called Window To The Bay) - 2 horned grebe diving very close to shore. Then to Turkey Point on Lake Erie - bald eagle west of lake jetties at west end of Turkey point. Ice on lake was a way out but many birds out there. A few streets inland near the Marina, two Sandhill Cranes flew over. Left Turkey Point, turned west on Front Street which follows the lake and just before Charlotteville West 1/4 line road, saw a Northern Gosshawk perched in a tree on the north side close to the road(a grove of spruce right across the road). Then west to Booth's Harbour just before of St Williams (follow Marina signs you see on Front Street before you get to St Williams). At the marina sign, you turn south through a neighbourhood toward the lake. Thousands of waterfowl on the ice and a bit of open water including Tundra swans, American Wideons, Canvasback, Ringnecked ducks, etc. Use scope from the hill. An Eastern Meadowlark sang somewhere north of me as I watched the birds from the hill. There are lot's of horned larks on the lesser travelled roads in the area. Then follow the lake front road into Port Rowan and turn west at the tee junction in Port Rowan and then after a mile or so turn south on Rd 59 and drive onto the Long Point causeway to parking lot on west side of causeway(observation tower-new). Shovellers and Green Winged Teal in canal just before observation tower. Lots of ducks in what open water there is.
Then back up Rd 59 to Rd 42, then west through Port Royal to Lee Browns pond - frozen but many waterfowl including Northern Pintails, American Widgeons, green winged teal, etc . Behind the pond and along Rd 42 in the area in many fields were huge flocks of Tundra Swans, Canada Geese, Northern Pintails, Mallards etc. Just west of Lee Browns, turned north up West 1/4 line to concession Rd A then west about 1/4 mile to a cedar tree line on the south side. Sandhill Cranes were west of tree line but well back(need scope). More Sandhill Cranes on Rd 42 near Lee Browns on the north side of Rd 42. Just east of Lee Browns, a gigantic flock of noisy backbirds(biggest flock I've ever seen). A few Brewers Blackbirds in the bunch. Drove to Fisherville and on Conc Rd 6 at about 6:30 PM saw four harriers swooping fields on the south side 1/4 mile west of the field with the owl sign. Two short eared owls flew out of that field too. There was a rough-legged hawk on a fence pole. In the fields with the owl sign a number of short eared owls were flying over. Good birding. M. Corkett Johnston Toronto Directions: LaSalle Park is at the foot of LaSalle Park Rd. Take Waterdown Road south from the 403 Hamilton to the park or North Shore Blvd west off the QEW Niagara to LaSalle Park Rd and then south to the park. CR 42 & Conc A running west from Hwy 59 are good for finding Sandhill Cranes and Lee Brown's Pond (still mostly frozen) is on CR42 just west of the village of Port Royal. Fisherville Raptor Preserve along south side of Haldimand Conc 6, southeast of Hwy 6, west of Fisherville Rd (CR12) & east of CR53. Turkey Point - From Simcoe follow Hwy 24 south. It will bend west and follow it to Rd 10 then south to the lake (Turkey Point) then turn right and go as far as you can.
