Eleanor Beagan and I spent a great day on Friday birding the Carden Alvar. Highlights were four Loggerhead Shrikes on Wylie Road, two adults and two fledged young near the big white birch on the ridge on the east side just north of the cabin. A scope brings them in well. Upland Sandpipers with young were scurrying along Alvar Road. At the Sedge Wren Marsh on Wylie Road a Virginia Rail with two young crossed the road, also Sora, and incessantly singing Sedge Wrens and Marsh Wrens. Carden's grassland specialties were easily seen: Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Bluebird, Bobolink, Black-billed Cuckoo, Grasshopper, Vesper and Clay-colored Sparrows, and four Sandhill Cranes. Several Golden-winged Warblers were singing along Wylie and Alvar Roads. In early evening Wilson's Snipe were on fence posts near wet areas and Common Nighthawks were displaying near bluebird box 10. Whip-poor-wills are commonly heard along Alvar Road just after dusk.
The butterflies were very active today including several Milbert's Tortoiseshells. DIRECTIONS: OFO's birding site guide to the Carden Alvar with map. http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/cardenalvar.php Jean Iron Toronto ON _______________________________________________ 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/
