Spotted an american bittern in the first marsh at Petrie Island yesterday morning at 7am. I have heard them there, but this was the first one I have seen.
About 50 yards away were a pair of blue herons apparently doing a courtship routine. Maybe young ones practising for next spring ? While all this was going on a green heron did a fly past. After 30 minutes of watching the bittern and the blue herons we moved on down the road to the large culverts and were greeted by a flock (250 plus or minus) of tree swallows. Down the trail one tree had a family of downy woodpeckers, parent and two juveniles plus 4 white breasted nuthatches in it. Unfortunately no black terns today, but lots of warblers. I'll send pictures, if they turned out, later today to website Directions to Petrie island: Take Queensway (Hwy #174) east to Trim Road, turn north on Trim Road. Marsh is at bottom of hill on both sides, more activity on the left (west) side Nature trails are found at the west end of the parking lot. Jim Robertson Ottawa (sorry for late report - I sent the note to wrong e-mail address)
