An excellent shorebird area has been created by flooding in a field east of Keswick this spring. It sits on the north side of Ravenshoe Rd. a few kms east of Woodbine Avenue. Keith and Chris Dunn were there yesterday in the early evening and observed numerous Dunlin (60+), Semipalmated Plover (25), Black-bellied Plover (15), Ruddy Turnstone (12), Least Sandpiper (12), Stilt Sandpiper (1), White-rumped Sandpiper (1), and Wilson's Phalarope (1). This can be a busy stretch of road but there is a fairly wide gravel shoulder for setting up scopes. Thanks, Lorena Campbell, for mentioning the potential of these flooded fields. There was a late-ish movement of warblers this weekend in several areas. Keith Dunn had a dozen warbler species in Holland Landing on Sunday including Wilson's and Mourning at the north end of Yonge Street across from Silver Lakes Golf Course. A rare visitor to York Region - a White-eyed Vireo - has lingered for a few weeks at the Humber Trails CA north of Kleinburg and east of Nobleton. It was found on May 16th by Sean Macey and rediscovered this past weekend by Bruce Brydon. Humber Trails is located on the west side of Mill Rd., which runs south from King Road between the 7th and 8th Concessions east of Nobleton. The section of Oak Ridges Trail which runs east from the 7th Concession on the south side of the Oak Ridges moraine has had some good birds so far this spring. Interesting species seen and/or heard from that trail this month have included both Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-winged Warbler, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Common Raven. The Cawthra Mulock Reserve in northwest Newmarket has also had some very good birds this month including Olive-sided Flycatcher, Grasshopper Sparrow, Clay-coloured Sparrow and - thanks to the fine scouting and hearing of Kevin Shackleton - Sedge Wren. The reserve sits on the west side of Bathurst St. less than a km north of Green Lane. King City's Seneca College campus has also been good this month with 18 warbler species observed during migration including Northern Parula, Blackburnian, and Blue-winged Warbler. Birds on territory there include Osprey, Eastern Bluebird, Winter Wren, Northern Waterthrush, and Wild Turkey. Ron Fleming, Newmarket _______________________________________________ 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/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
