Enticed by Ron Fleming's report yesterday of shorebirds, I spent 1.5
hours this morning at the Holland Landing Sewage Lagoons. The second
of four lagoons has shallow water and mud. A scope is essential.
There were 9 species of shorebirds: 8 Killdeer (mostly grey juveniles
with downy tail streamers), 6 Spotted Sandpipers (adults &
juveniles), 5 Solitary Sandpipers (worn adults), 38 Lesser Yellowlegs
(molting adults, no Greaters), 1 adult Semipalmated Sandpiper, 55
adult Least Sandpipers (first juveniles very soon), 3 adult Stilt
Sandpipers (all heavily barred below and one still with chestnut
auriculars), 2 adult Short-billed Dowitchers (expected subspecies
hendersoni), and 1 Wilson's Snipe. I also saw an adult Bonaparte's
Gull which had a full black hood, likely one of the first arrivals
from the muskeg breeding grounds in northern Ontario.
Directions: 50 km north of Toronto. From 401 take 404 to Green Lane
(last exit). Go left (west) on Green Lane to Yonge St. Turn right and
go about 1 km and exit right onto York Rd. 51. Follow winding road
which is Yonge St through Holland Landing for 5.6 km. Turn right on
Cedar St. to the lagoons. Please don't block locked gate or climb it.
Follow opening at left of gate about 15 steps to first orange stake
and go right by large white pine to lagoon road. Wear long pants
because of poison ivy.
Ron Pittaway
Minden/Toronto ON
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