Nothing much at the pond except a very dark juvenile Merlin keeps showing up - in certain light, looking like one big black rapacious swallow - also now and then a juvenile Peregrine shows and stoops at flying shorebirds and misses every time - but it's getting lots of practice - a juvenile Pied-billed Grebe has stayed 6/7 days and snaps at Hooded Mergansers and sundry ducks that come within the ambit of its fishing rights, sending them into flight with little todo - attempting to cross one of the spits, it stood up with a hop, falling each time as it tried but eventually bumping its way across - ducks generally are still in eclipse though Pintail, Wood Duck and Green and Blue-winged Teal have been identified. Shorebirds this last week have been few in variety and have not stayed - a Black-bellied Plover stayed for a 15 minute interlude. Great Egrets continue to be a feature and as water levels recede and the muddy shoreline is exposed, the hope is that the next few weeks bring in some interesting shorebirds. Reesor Pond lies just North of Hwy 407 on Reesor Road in Markham _______________________________________________ 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/
