Not many birds for 7 birders on a Toronto Field Naturalist's walk on Leslie Street Spit, but quality: - a Clark's grebe within 20 metres of a Red-necked grebe, - 2 long-eared owls and a Northern Saw-whet, - 2 first winter Iceland Gulls - 8 White-winged Scoters, a wigeon, 7 Redhead, and 5 Hooded mergs among much larger numbers of the other mergansers, bufflehead, goldeneye, and longtails, and both scaup - 5 Red-tailed hawks - an unusually large number for the spit - a peregrine, plus - the first red-winged blackbirds, robins, and flicker of the spring for many of us made it a memorable day. A male kestrel did some nice aerobatics around us as we were looking at the grebes, on the east side of the base of pipit point where the road that comes east from triangle pond turns north. The Clark's was within 20 metres of the Red-necked about 50 metres from us.
The pair (one clearly larger than the other) of Long-eared owls were in a birch on peninsula C about 150 metres from the portapotty. Directions - thanks to Norm Murr: LESLIE STREET SPIT (TOMMY THOMPSON PARK) IN TORONTO To get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Sts. Take the Queen Street Car #501 east to Leslie St. and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie St. at Unwin Ave. and you will see the gate and signage. You may also catch the Jones Bus #83 at the Donlands Subway Station or transfer to it at Queen St. and Jones Ave. and take it to Leslie St. And Commissioner St. (on Saturday only). By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie St. then south to The Spit. You can park either on Leslie St. or Unwin Ave. You may also park in the parking lot inside the main gate after 9 am. Be sure to observe the parking lot closing time as if you are not out by then your auto will be locked in until the following day. — THE PARKING LOT AND ALL GATES WILL BE LOCKED AT 4:30PM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE:- The official hours for The Spit are 9 am to 4:30 pm (weekends and holidays only of course) but the unofficial hours are sunup to sundown. To date no one has questioned any birder, jogger, cyclist, etc. about the use of The Spit from sunup to sundown. The spit is only open on the weekends and on holidays, at other times you will not be able to access the area. This area is extensive, 7 km to the tip, but be prepared to walk more than that. The Spit is only open on the weekends and holidays because they are still building it. From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Mar 10 17:31:39 2007 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com (web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com [206.190.37.190]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 14FDE63489 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:31:39 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 5677 invoked by uid 60001); 10 Mar 2007 22:31:39 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=rogers.com; h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:Message-ID; b=uRVNCaawT7xGlYljQIAGwkHO3z2wp99mXZ8WfOyc+00DzpJrBLbhOwL6Q9y6OKNM7+zJANsHCYpa+Ks7PTqm5XBne8LLLjv7pc3DZ40yUYAhrp7G6E4Z4iHCzdyH/Ld4af4mWQrWfVhpZmoRKi+hMcDyBMagjWEDAVB1vabthlI=; X-YMail-OSG: ynYe1McVM1kuXTEMjnROPsNj_s4ElLVqghP1FX4f0l2OtupySKUkiX5dOdvYOmfyEX1w.b_Cw8gGwtSNJpXDBb2tS1He.h3j8EttIYo9p5fzJhoFMnXpa6xAMmvjzPzFmV_dIz7j6AI- Received: from [74.120.216.165] by web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com via HTTP; Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:31:39 EST Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:31:39 -0500 (EST) From: RON FLEMING <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: OFO Bird Sightings <[email protected]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Golden Eagle, Snowy Owl, N. Goshawk - Newmarket area X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:31:40 -0000 While driving on Keele Street north of Hwy. 9 today, trying to find my first Red-winged Blackbird of the spring, I instead lucked into a migrating Golden Eagle. Interestingly, the very same thing occured at this location on almost the same date two years ago (March 15, 2005 - five days later). Having had no success with redwings at various cattail stands around the Holland Marsh this afternoon, I decided to check on the Snowy Owls that have shown up over the past few weeks (they did not winter here). I found the pure while adult male at exactly 2:30 p.m., sitting directly south of the snow-mired GMC pickup that sits west of house #289 (green emerg sign) Tornado Drive. The owl was sitting on a thin strip of snow separating two large muddy fields (though by tomorrow that snowy reference point may well be gone). In the background was a bungalow with a ladder on the roof and a small satellite dish (that Bell Express Vu sort). A coyote was crossing the field about 100 m south of the owl - a treat for a weekend naturalist to observe, especially with Horned Larks providing the musical score. Circling SW along Canal Rd, Wist Rd. and Woodchopper's Lane, respectively, I was able to rediscover the same owl from the south side of the Holland River. The bird was harder to see against the white snow and behind the rusted farm trailer it was sitting near, but it was directly north of the house described above, which turned out to be #250 Strawberry Lane. After looking at it for awhile I drove east along Strawberry to Keele Street and stopped at T-intersection. A large bird was flying across the fields on the east side of Keele so I jumped out and looked at it through my binos. I thought at first it was a female N. Harrier because of the white rump, dark brown wings and the dihedral flight pattern, but the bird seemed too large even for a big female Harrier. I got out my scope and watched it circling slowly to the northeast: it had a broad white subterminal band followed by a broad black terminal band on the tail. The bird was dark brown otherwise except for white wing patches in the underwing. It was a juvenile Golden! Very exciting stuff. I tried to follow it with my van but eventually lost sight of it. Returning to where Bathurst meets Yonge Street between Newmarket and Bradford I got my first Red-winged Blackbird of the spring. As for the N. Goshawk mentioned in the subject line, I flushed it while cross-country skiing in the North Tract ("Vivian Forest") yesterday afternoon. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Directions: The Holland Marsh area described above is just west of Newmarket. It is most easily accessed by driving north on Hwy. 400 and taking the Canal Road exit a few kms north of Hwy. 9. Turn right (east) on Canal Road and follow it about 3 kms to Tornado Drive, then turn right (east). Once you pass Jane, Hazel and Fraser Streets, you will see a bright blue "garage" coming up on your right. The old truck is just past the 60 km/h sign. Park at the truck and scope south for the Snowy. Keele Lane, a short distance east, is also worth checking out since there has been another Snowy around there the last few weeks. Vivian Forest is east of Newmarket. Take Davis Drive all the way over to Hwy. 48, turn south and look for the entrance to the North Tract on the west side. It is a big forest, but if you walk straight west on the main trail you are in the general vicinity of where the gos was. From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Mar 10 19:09:09 2007 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from tomts36-srv.bellnexxia.net (tomts36.bellnexxia.net [209.226.175.93]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 31A3C63489 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 10 Mar 2007 19:09:09 -0500 (EST) Received: from Study ([70.51.134.159]) by tomts36-srv.bellnexxia.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.13 201-253-122-130-113-20050324) with SMTP id <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for <[email protected]>; Sat, 10 Mar 2007 19:09:08 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "Bob Kortright" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ONTBIRDS" <[email protected]> References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 19:08:55 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="Windows-1252"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3028 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 Subject: [Ontbirds]Re: Leslie St. Spit Clark's Grebe X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 00:09:09 -0000 Having been informed that this would be the first record of Clark's grebe for Ontario, a few more details: - It was clearly either a Western or a Clark's - ie bigger than the nearby red-necked grebe. We consulted Sibley at the time after noting that it had a bright yellow bill, light splotching on the flanks and a narrow black line down the back of the neck. Location was off the east side of the base of Pipit point, 50 m southeast of the southeast corner of the road around cell 1. The location per Google maps is http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=h&om=1&z&llC.621693,-79.323134&spn=0.007239,0.009763 Good luck. I have filed an OBRC report. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Kortright" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ONTBIRDS" <[email protected]> Cc: "jasmin kortright" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 4:56 PM Subject: [Ontbirds]Leslie St. Spit Clark's Grebe, owls Not many birds for 7 birders on a Toronto Field Naturalist's walk on Leslie Street Spit, but quality: - a Clark's grebe within 20 metres of a Red-necked grebe, - 2 long-eared owls and a Northern Saw-whet, - 2 first winter Iceland Gulls - 8 White-winged Scoters, a wigeon, 7 Redhead, and 5 Hooded mergs among much larger numbers of the other mergansers, bufflehead, goldeneye, and longtails, and both scaup - 5 Red-tailed hawks - an unusually large number for the spit - a peregrine, plus - the first red-winged blackbirds, robins, and flicker of the spring for many of us made it a memorable day. A male kestrel did some nice aerobatics around us as we were looking at the grebes, on the east side of the base of pipit point where the road that comes east from triangle pond turns north. The Clark's was within 20 metres of the Red-necked about 50 metres from us. The pair (one clearly larger than the other) of Long-eared owls were in a birch on peninsula C about 150 metres from the portapotty. Directions - thanks to Norm Murr: LESLIE STREET SPIT (TOMMY THOMPSON PARK) IN TORONTO To get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Sts. Take the Queen Street Car #501 east to Leslie St. and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie St. at Unwin Ave. and you will see the gate and signage. You may also catch the Jones Bus #83 at the Donlands Subway Station or transfer to it at Queen St. and Jones Ave. and take it to Leslie St. And Commissioner St. (on Saturday only). By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie St. then south to The Spit. You can park either on Leslie St. or Unwin Ave. You may also park in the parking lot inside the main gate after 9 am. Be sure to observe the parking lot closing time as if you are not out by then your auto will be locked in until the following day. — THE PARKING LOT AND ALL GATES WILL BE LOCKED AT 4:30PM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE:- The official hours for The Spit are 9 am to 4:30 pm (weekends and holidays only of course) but the unofficial hours are sunup to sundown. To date no one has questioned any birder, jogger, cyclist, etc. about the use of The Spit from sunup to sundown. The spit is only open on the weekends and on holidays, at other times you will not be able to access the area. This area is extensive, 7 km to the tip, but be prepared to walk more than that. The Spit is only open on the weekends and holidays because they are still building it. _______________________________________________ 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
