On Wednesday, June 2 at 9:00 pm I spotted a crane in a flooded wheat field
just south of Chatham, ON on Doyle Line which is east of Charing Cross
Road. The crane was approximately fifty feet off of the road, on the south
side and could be viewed clearly with the naked eye. A quick check at
8:15 am the following morning revealed that it had moved on.
I apologize for the delay in posting but I wanted to run it by Mark Cranford
first.
The crane was approximately 1 - 1.5 metres in height with a black head,
neck and breast. The back and wings (when folded) where light grey in
colour. There was white feathers originating just behind the eyes and
leading off of the head in what appeared to be small plumes.
As I am TOTALLY unknowledgeable about exotics, an internet
search revealed the most likely candidate to be a Demoiselle Crane (native to
Japan).
The bird appeared to be quite tame and ignored traffic roaring around it. No
legbands were seen although it was wading in deeper water and the light was
poor. It is most probable that it is an escaped exotic.
It's possible it is hanging around in local marshes and flooded fields and you
may want to keep an eye out for it.
Melisse DeDobbeleer
DIRECTIONS: (to the site it was first spotted - had moved on the day after).
From Toronto/London - Take the 401 West into Chatham-Kent. Exit at the Highway
40 cutoff. Proceed north (turn right). Turn left on the first road (sorry,
don't know it's name). It winds around for approx. 1.5 km. Doyle Line is the
first paved road on the left. The crane was approx. 1 km east of Charing Cross
road in a flooded wheat field on the south side.
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<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> at Fri, 4 Jun 2004 12:24:54 -0400
Subject: [Ontbirds]Mockingbirds, Virginia Rail in Whitby-June 4
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Cranberry Marsh-June 3- Virginia Rail sighted crossing the north pathway
leading down to the marshland from Hall's Rd.
June 4- 11AM -while doing a Bird Atlas Point Count, 2 N.Mockingbirds alit on
the fencing and posts 3-5m. from my car in a parking lot just west of the
Pier 7 parking lot, above the railway line, along Victoria St., a very short
distance east of Thickson Rd. in Whitby. They "stayed with me" for the
5-minute duration!
Doug Lockrey, Whitby
