A "non-birding" trip to Tiny Marsh yesterday for a picnic with some friends,
nonetheless turned up some good birds. Highlights:
About 20 Sandhill Cranes.
American Bittern.
Pair of Pileated Woodpeckers
Black-bellied Plovers (3)
Osprey
Merlin
Black Terns, Caspian Tern
Hummingbird, Cedar Waxwings.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pectoral Sandpiper,
Semi-palmated Plovers
Lots of Lesser and a few Greater Yellowlegs
Common Moorhen, Pied-billed Grebe and Trumpeter Swans, all with young.
No sign of the earlier-reported Phalaropes, but I only got as far as the
observation platform.
On the Third Concession, the road behind the marsh, an adult and three young
Red-headed Woodpeckers were enjoying feeding in a presumably worm-infested
apple tree.
Another adult Red-headed Woodpecker was encountered on the Baseline, again
next to an apple tree,
which also harboured a family of Orioles, a Yellow Warbler and Catbirds,
among several other species.
BTW: The water has been drawn down at Tiny Marsh, so there is a lot of good
habitat for shorebirds.
DIRECTIONS TO TINY MARSH: (per Ron Fleming):
Tiny Marsh is about a 20 minute drive northwest of Barrie and about 10
minutes east of Wasaga Beach. Exit Hwy. 400 at the Bayfield St. ramp in
Barrie, then follow Bayfield northwest (left). Bayfield becomes County Road
27 (do not turn onto #26 west toward Stayner and Wasaga). Keep going north
(straight). Take 27 north through the village of Elmvale, cross the little
Wye River, then look for Simcoe Road 6 and turn west (left). The road
quickly angles northward through the hamlet of Saurin.
Go a short distance to 1st Conc., which is the Tiny-Flos Townline (a sign on
the left indicates the way to Tiny Marsh). Turn west (left) on the unpaved
townline road and go 3.5 km to either the first parking lot on the right or
another half km to the Interpretive Centre parking lot.
