Good morning folks. Yesterday Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius and I headed east this time towards Kingston to bird the Opinicon Road area and after only 3 or 4 stops we continued on up to Canoe Lake Road. Though we did not find a large quantity of bird species we did, as far as WE are concerned find some quality birds.
On the way up County Road 10 we stoped briefly at a marshy area where we could hear Marsh Wrens, Green and Bull Frogs. One of the high lights as we drove along the start of Opinicon Road was a beautiful Tom Turkey on the side of the road not 25 yards in front of the car in full display. It strutted it's stuff for 5 minutes until we spied the object of it's desire. A female Turkey came strolling across the road and joined the Tom. A rare sight ( the display to for a female ) for us and a pleasant way to start the morning on Opinicon Road. Continueing along Opinicon Road we stopped at 3 or 4 places and at these places we saw or heard Common Loons, Common Raven, Wood Ducks, Ruffed Grouse, 2 Black-billed and 3 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Alder and Great Crested Flycatchers, E. Phoebes, E. Wood Pewees, both Nuthatches, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, E. Bluebirds, Swainson's and Wood Thrushes, 7 Yellow-throated Vireos, Warbling Vireos and 44 Red-eyed Vireos, Golden-winged, Pine, Tennessee, Black-throated Green and Blackburnian Warblers and of course Cerulean Warblers, 17 of them, Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings and E. Towhees. We then drove along Chaffeys Lock Road adding more Red-eyed Vireos as we headed to Canoe Lake Road. Along Canoe Lake Road as we commented on the fact that we finally had a nice warm, sunny day we saw or heard Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vultures, Red-shouldered Hawk, 14 more Red-eyed Vireos, Ovenbirds, Pine Warbler, A. Redstarts, and both Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes and where Bedford Road meets County Road Ian spotted a female Turkey crossing the road followed by 10 chicks. We found 14 warbler species on the trip. We then headed on down several roads towards Hwy 401 and on the way we added of course more Red-eyed Vireos as well as A. Bittern, A. Kestrels, Field and Grasshopper Sparrows, E. Meadowlarks and E. Kingbirds. Note for those interested:- Opinicon Road had many species of Butterflies and Canoe Lake Road many species of Dragonflies - Don't ask about what species :>)), but I do remember that Margaret mentioned Juniper Hairstreaks, a nice little greenish Butterfly - On Nugent Road just west of County Road 27 for you Butterfly people. Another note:- North of Newburgh ( north of Napanee ) it was depressing to see that the land owners have cut down many of the Junipers and Hawthornes in order to destroy the Loggerhead Shrike habitat in the area, sad to see and they were apparently succesfull in that endevour :>((. Directions:- OPINICON and CHAFFEYS LOCK ROADS Exit Hwy 401 at Exit #617 just east of Kingston (County Road 10 or Perth Road) and drive north approximately 30 km to just south of Raymonds Corners or past the small town of Perth Road to Opinicon Road. Opinicon Road becomes Chaffeys Locks Road at Chaffeys Locks. CANOE LAKE ROAD To reach Canoe Lake Road from Chaffeys Lock Road turn left (north ) at Hwy 15 on the east end of Chaffeys Lock Road. Drive north to Crosby and then turn left ( west ) on County Road 42. Continue on County Road 42 to Westport and then again turn left ( west ) on County Road 12 and drive to Salem where County Road 10 becomes County Road 8. Drive along County Road 8 to Fermoy where Canoe Lake Road north end starts. ALTERNATE ROUTE TO CANOE LAKE ROAD - If you want to bird there first or after Opinicon Road and do not want to bird Chaffeys Lock Road. When driving up County Road 10 ( Perth Road ) from Hwy 401 turn left ( west ) at the town of Perth Road onto Wilmer or Norway Road and then continue west on Norway, Charlie Green and Little Long Lake Roads to County Road 19. Turn right ( north ) on County Road 19 and drive to Bedford Road ( just northeast of Desert Lake, town of ) Turn right ( north ) on Bedford Road and then continue along Bedford and further along this road it will become Canoe Lake Road. OR drive south from Opinicon Road to the town of Perth Road and then follow the directions above to Canoe Lake road. 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
