OntBirders,
Early today there were two immature Little Gulls at the tip of Point
Pelee. Later in the morning we found three more at the shorebird pond at
Hillman Marsh.
We also saw the singing Kentucky Warbler that has been present for several
days along the main park road, just north of White Pine Picnic Area.
Yellow-breasted Chats can be heard singing south of Delaurier trail. In
the park Yellow-billed Cuckoo is surprisingly scarce, but there are dozens of
Orchard Orioles.
Also at the Hillman Marsh shorebird pond there is still quite a few
sandpipers - White-rumped, Dunlin, Semipalmated, etc.
Good birding.
Julia Weinstein
Livonia, MI
---------------------------------
New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big.
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mon Jun 5 23:40:31 2006
Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Delivered-To: [email protected]
Received: from web55613.mail.re4.yahoo.com (web55613.mail.re4.yahoo.com
[206.190.58.237]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id
5DD8C63BBF
for <[email protected]>; Mon, 5 Jun 2006 23:40:31 -0400 (EDT)
Received: (qmail 66326 invoked by uid 60001); 6 Jun 2006 03:40:32 -0000
DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws;
s=s1024; d=yahoo.com;
h=Message-ID:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding;
b=fxgOgsUmoUHo1txQOCHiLSi4QcKYkc4FNINkkEYi1TLjZ6QzyWqM0zCKhnSmXx/zHJCCMRyAyieslc02jnmqZlen32mzeQ7VsuYCaIEmN73oPoJNvtFXOo5e/OSY+VcqFwIgCBNfAD5WWA9GhP4WTcwK57rFGiuQSt2gCRcUzf0=
;
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Received: from [216.8.149.78] by web55613.mail.re4.yahoo.com via HTTP;
Mon, 05 Jun 2006 20:40:32 PDT
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 20:40:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: Julia Weinstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1
Subject: [Ontbirds]SPARROW FIELD at Point Pelee now PERMANENTLY Closed
X-BeenThere: [email protected]
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 03:40:31 -0000
Dear Ontbirders:
I thought Ontario birders might want to know that the SPARROW FIELD at
Point Pelee Park is now PERMANENTLY closed to all visitors, including birders.
But it gets much worse ....
Post Woods - now permanently CLOSED to all visitors
Loop Woods (including old road trail) - now permanently CLOSED to all
visitors
Tip interior trails - now permanently CLOSED to all visitors
Also, on the west side (West Beach foot path) if you walk north from the
tip paved road you are suppose to go all the way to the half-way stop to get
back to the main road. And on the east side, if you walk north from the 42
Sign, you are now supposed to go all the way to Shusters Trail (Tildens Woods)
to get back to the Visitor Center (no access to Sparrow Field). Visitors
familiar with the park layout might not get confused by all this, but certainly
some visitors in a panic to get off these routes will probably just crash
through the bush to get back to the main road. Formerly it was common practice
to simply use the existing side trails to walk a nice loop around the Tip area,
before taking the train back to the Visitor Center. Now you basically cant go
anywhere.
I presume these trails will re-open next year for the spring Birding
Festival, but the way things are going dont bet on it. In the fall we used to
go to the Sparrow Field to watch hawks and look at Monarchs. Of course everyone
knows that there are no threatened plants or sensitive breeding birds in any of
these areas, so why are you allowed to access these well-established (and
well-worn) trails for just 22 days each year?
Two weeks ago (on May 23) new "Keep Out" signs went up all over the place,
the morning after the Birding Festival ended. Very bizarre. As of this
morning (June 5) all signs are still in place. Of course two weeks ago when
all this happened there were still dozens and dozens of birders at Point Pelee
(trying to enjoy their visit), and spring migration was still in full force. To
me and the other birders present it seemed that once the park and the Friends
of Point Pelee raked in all the money (from the Birding Festival), for the rest
of the year birders can basically go to you know where!
When I was at Point Pelee two weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting a
few very knowledgable local birders. They told me so many horror stories about
Point Pelee that I started to take notes! I was informed that this aggressive
trail policy might be the agenda of just one single staff person, and that
other park staff might not be fully aware of what was occurring. Also, other
staff members arent naturalists nor birders so if a bunch of trails are closed
they are indifferent to the whole situation, since they have no interest in
walking these trails themselves. Many never leave their offices, even in May.
I am a new subscriber to Ontbirds, but I looked at the archives and was
very surprised that none of this has been discussed online. But I am so upset
by all this that I am going to urge a friend of mine (who writes for the
Detroit Free Press) to do an exposé on Point Pelee. Perhaps some other
organizations like American Birding Association should be contacted also, so
they too might do an article on how Point Pelee is becoming so hostile to
visitors? And maybe this message should be forwarded to other birding
listserves important ones would probably be Michigan, Ohio, Indiana,
California, New York and Quebec. Maybe Great Britain as well?
If you are concerned about all this, here are some people that can be
contacted:
Marian Stranak (park superintendent):
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dan Reive (park warden):
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
But good luck on getting any action or response from these people. I was
also told that the Superintendent doesnt even respond to some of the
complaints and enquiries that she receives! As I said, it just gets worse and
worse. Arent government employees suppose to acknowledge all correspondence?
I know this message is probably off topic, but it seems important enough
that birders need to know whats going on. I am not a subscriber to Ontario
Bird Chat, but I will be asking that this message be forwarded to that site so
this discussion on Point Pelee can continue. You dont need to subscribe if you
just want to read the responses that will be posted. Here is the direct link:
http://groups.google.com/group/ontbirdchat
Hopefully birders will respond to this problem, otherwise it is likely to
get far worse at Point Pelee with each passing year.
Julia Weinstein
Livonia, MI
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Jun 6 16:21:50 2006
Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Delivered-To: [email protected]
Received: from sccrmhc11.comcast.net (unknown [63.240.77.81])
by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E89F063ADB
for <[email protected]>; Tue, 6 Jun 2006 16:21:49 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from [127.0.0.1] (c-68-43-173-6.hsd1.mi.comcast.net[68.43.173.6])
by comcast.net (sccrmhc11) with ESMTP
id <2006060620214901100g03tae>; Tue, 6 Jun 2006 20:21:49 +0000
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:16:38 -0400
From: Reg Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.4 (Windows/20060516)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Julia Weinstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Ontbirds]SPARROW FIELD at Point Pelee now PERMANENTLY Closed
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
cc: [email protected]
X-BeenThere: [email protected]
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:21:50 -0000
With all due respect, perhaps we Americans should refrain from advising
our Canadian friends on how to manage their natural areas. Those of us
who bird there frequently--and I do--might recognize that we are guests
there and simply be grateful for their hospitality.
Reg Baker
Ann Arbor, MI
Julia Weinstein wrote:
> Dear Ontbirders:
>
> I thought Ontario birders might want to know that the SPARROW FIELD at
> Point Pelee Park is now PERMANENTLY closed to all visitors, including
> birders. But it gets much worse ....
>
> Post Woods - now permanently CLOSED to all visitors
>
> Loop Woods (including old road trail) - now permanently CLOSED to all
> visitors
>
> Tip interior trails - now permanently CLOSED to all visitors
>
> Also, on the west side (West Beach foot path) if you walk north from the
> tip paved road you are suppose to go all the way to the half-way stop to get
> back to the main road. And on the east side, if you walk north from the 42
> Sign, you are now supposed to go all the way to Shusters Trail (Tildens
> Woods) to get back to the Visitor Center (no access to Sparrow Field).
> Visitors familiar with the park layout might not get confused by all this,
> but certainly some visitors in a panic to get off these routes will probably
> just crash through the bush to get back to the main road. Formerly it was
> common practice to simply use the existing side trails to walk a nice loop
> around the Tip area, before taking the train back to the Visitor Center. Now
> you basically cant go anywhere.
>
> I presume these trails will re-open next year for the spring Birding
> Festival, but the way things are going dont bet on it. In the fall we used
> to go to the Sparrow Field to watch hawks and look at Monarchs. Of course
> everyone knows that there are no threatened plants or sensitive breeding
> birds in any of these areas, so why are you allowed to access these
> well-established (and well-worn) trails for just 22 days each year?
>
> Two weeks ago (on May 23) new "Keep Out" signs went up all over the
> place, the morning after the Birding Festival ended. Very bizarre. As of
> this morning (June 5) all signs are still in place. Of course two weeks ago
> when all this happened there were still dozens and dozens of birders at Point
> Pelee (trying to enjoy their visit), and spring migration was still in full
> force. To me and the other birders present it seemed that once the park and
> the Friends of Point Pelee raked in all the money (from the Birding
> Festival), for the rest of the year birders can basically go to you know
> where!
>
> When I was at Point Pelee two weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting a
> few very knowledgable local birders. They told me so many horror stories
> about Point Pelee that I started to take notes! I was informed that this
> aggressive trail policy might be the agenda of just one single staff person,
> and that other park staff might not be fully aware of what was occurring.
> Also, other staff members arent naturalists nor birders so if a bunch of
> trails are closed they are indifferent to the whole situation, since they
> have no interest in walking these trails themselves. Many never leave their
> offices, even in May.
>
> I am a new subscriber to Ontbirds, but I looked at the archives and was
> very surprised that none of this has been discussed online. But I am so upset
> by all this that I am going to urge a friend of mine (who writes for the
> Detroit Free Press) to do an exposé on Point Pelee. Perhaps some other
> organizations like American Birding Association should be contacted also, so
> they too might do an article on how Point Pelee is becoming so hostile to
> visitors? And maybe this message should be forwarded to other birding
> listserves important ones would probably be Michigan, Ohio, Indiana,
> California, New York and Quebec. Maybe Great Britain as well?
>
> If you are concerned about all this, here are some people that can be
> contacted:
>
> Marian Stranak (park superintendent):
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Dan Reive (park warden):
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> But good luck on getting any action or response from these people. I was
> also told that the Superintendent doesnt even respond to some of the
> complaints and enquiries that she receives! As I said, it just gets worse
> and worse. Arent government employees suppose to acknowledge all
> correspondence?
>
> I know this message is probably off topic, but it seems important enough
> that birders need to know whats going on. I am not a subscriber to Ontario
> Bird Chat, but I will be asking that this message be forwarded to that site
> so this discussion on Point Pelee can continue. You dont need to subscribe
> if you just want to read the responses that will be posted. Here is the
> direct link:
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/ontbirdchat
>
>
> Hopefully birders will respond to this problem, otherwise it is likely
> to get far worse at Point Pelee with each passing year.
>
> Julia Weinstein
> Livonia, MI
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
> _______________________________________________
> ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
> birding organization.
> Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected]
> For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit
> http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm
> ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm
>
>
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Jun 6 17:44:58 2006
Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Delivered-To: [email protected]
Received: from BAYC1-PASMTP08.BAYC1.HOTMAIL.COM
(bayc1-pasmtp08.bayc1.hotmail.com [65.54.191.168])
by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6F2696391D
for <[email protected]>; Tue, 6 Jun 2006 17:44:58 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
X-Originating-IP: [64.231.173.202]
X-Originating-Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Received: from dianaoffice ([64.231.173.202]) by
BAYC1-PASMTP08.BAYC1.HOTMAIL.COM over TLS secured channel with Microsoft
SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830); Tue, 6 Jun 2006 14:50:12 -0700
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "Mike Williamson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 17:44:50 -0400
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
format=flowed;
charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 06 Jun 2006 21:50:12.0500 (UTC)
FILETIME=[300DCD40:01C689B3]
cc: Rayfield Pye <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Ontbirds]Sandhill Cranes Duram Region
X-BeenThere: [email protected]
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:44:59 -0000
Hi; Today at around 4:30 PM .I Spotted 2 Sandhill Cranes in amongst 30
Canada Geese in a farmers field.They were in a super saturated area of the
plowed field. The location was at the junction of York-Durham Line and
Taunton Rd. on the North East corner just North of Taunton RD.
Cheers;
Mike Williamson
