Many visitors came to enjoy the birding and botanical offerings on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Cranberry Marsh. Light southwest winds, "unseasonably high temperatures" have perhaps kept the raptors away from the lakefront lately. However, the thrill of a an imm. Kestrel taking on a poled owl 4 times, and a slowly-moving imm. Bald Eagle were enjoyed by many. Only 19 raptors in migration were counted over a period of 4.5 hours.
5 Wilson's Snipes were seen over the wetland several times. A Brown Creeper, Yellow-rumped and Magnolia Warblers, E.Phoebe, several White-crowned Sparrows and a Great Crested Flycatcher were noted in the trees along the pathway. I invite you to join me on Sunday at 10am at the second roadside parking area on Hall's Rd. to do some botanizing and birding. >From the west exit the 401 at #404 (Salem Rd. in Ajax), south to Bayly, east through Lakeridge Rd. to the first street (Hall's Rd.), south toward the lake to the second roadside parking area. >From the east use exit 410 (Brock St. in Whitby), south to Victoria, west over to Hall's Rd. Doug Lockrey, coordinator CMRW www.pickeringnaturalists.org
