Good evening folks Today Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius and I birded The Spit and a good choice Sunday rather than Saturday turned out to be. Around 8am as we walked along the entrance causeway checking the passing small flocks of Pine Siskins I looked up to see a small Loon flying low off of the lake towards us. As it approached and flew right over us we were happily surprised to see that it was an adult winter plumaged Pacific Loon. The chin strap was very visible as the bird was lite up by the sun and the fact that it was so low. We all 3 had great satisfying looks at this bird. The bird was last seen flying low in a westerly direction.
Bing greedy we continued on to hopefully see more good birds and the following birds are some of the ones we did find. Horned Grebe, only 2 D-C Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Black Ducks, Northern Shovelers, A. Wigeons, 100+ Redheads, 600+ Lesser Scaup, 1200+ Long-tailed Ducks, 200+ Bufflehead, 600+ Common Goldeneye, all 3 Mergansers including 85 Hooded Mergansers, ( missed but seen by my friend Ed O'Conner, Ring-necked Duck, and Canvasback ), a nice close fly pass of an adult male Peregrine Falcon, Purple Sandpiper ( beside Lighthouse, within 10 feet of us ), Horned Larks, both Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Tree Sparrows, Snow Bunting, 35 Purple Finches in 1 tree, and 125+ Pine Siskins flying past in several flocks. A long windy walk but worth the effort for anyone thinking of going out there next weekend, Always a few surprises. Directions:- LESLIE STREET SPIT (TOMMY THOMPSON PARK) IN TORONTO - Now on it’s Winter schedule for the gates and Van. To get to "The Spit" from Queen and Yonge Streets. 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 4:30 pm and there is NO Van in the winter. The van will not resume again until next Easter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 5 km to the tip, but be prepared to walk more than that. Norm Murr Richmond Hill, ON "Sils mordent, mords les" _______________________________________________ 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
