Good day Folks.
On Wednesday the 15th Ian Cannell and I birded the Carden Alvar and some roads
south of Kirkfield and on Saturday the 18th we returned with Zoe Brocklehurst
and Justen Dralle and birded some of the same areas and as usual the birding
was outstanding as was the company, especially on Saturday and following are
some of the 107 bird species we found along with some accumulative sightings
totals. The Whip-poor-will, Nighthawk and Saw-whet Owl totals were for the 15th
only.
Pied-billed Grebe (12) - (including 2 families – 1 female with 3 chicks and 1
with 5 chicks), Common Loons, American Bittern (6), Least Bittern (2) Saturday
only, Green Heron, Wood Duck (9), Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Osprey
(16) includes birds seen on the way from Carden, Northern Harrier,
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin (3), Ruffed Grouse, Wild
Turkey, Virginia Rail (16 including chicks), Sora, Common Moorhen, Sandhill
Crane, Upland Sandpiper (31), Black-billed Cuckoo (5), Yellow-billed Cuckoo,
Great Horned Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl (5), Common Nighthawk (17), Eastern
Whip-poor-will (63), Pileated Woodpecker, Loggerhead Shrike, Common Raven,
House Wren, Sedge Wren (28), Marsh Wren (34), Eastern Bluebird (18), Veery,
Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Golden-winged, Nashville,
Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped and Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart,
Northern Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Towhee, Clay-colored Sparrow
(6), Field and Vesper Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrow (36), Rose-breasted
Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting and Purple Finch.
Some of the 15 species of animals were White-tailed Deer, Porcupine, Gray Fox
(great find), Varying Hare (Snowshoe Rabbit), Beaver and many Green Frogs and
Gray Treefrogs.
Directions:-
CARDEN ALVAR INCLUDING WYLIE ROAD / THE SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT ROAD ALONG
WITH A FEW AREAS SOUTHWEST OF KIRKFIELD
Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is
on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km
from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow.
From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift
Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road
curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Road, turn
right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at
Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Road (a T
intersection). Birding can be good on Alvar Road as well, either way.
The Sedge Wren Marsh is about 5 ½ km up Wylie Road, you can’t miss it as it has
the only bridge along the road. Park just to the south of and overlooking the
bridge and walk the road. Birding is good all along the road and I find that
the best birding happens when you park and walk both ways a km or two from your
auto.
This is a narrow road with little traffic but be sure to park in such a way as
to not block the road or at the gravelled parking areas that you will find at
several places along the road as you don’t want to rile up the locals. This is
all private property but there really is no need to leave the road, nor should
you. Please respect the property rights of the land owners.
Other roads to check in the area are Shrike, Curl’s, Dalrymple Lake Road, Eldon
Station, Rockview, Doyle, Palestine, Creek View, and McNamee Road, etc.
PS
Down Rockview Road just west of Kirkfield on your right along County Road 48.
Past the dump road (on your right) you will come to a wet wood lot that
straddles the road. This is a great place for N. Waterthrush. We heard and saw
7 there on May 5/01 and May 4/02. We continue to find the N. Waterthrushes
here. Also along here you should find Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Prospect Road Marsh
Continue south on Rockview Road to Eldon Station Road (the next road) turn
right (west) and drive to Prospect Rd. Turn right (north) and drive up to a
large marsh. Here you could find many Marsh Wrens along with Sora, Virginia
Rail, Common Moorhen, American Bittern, Least Bittern and Green Heron and
watch for Osprey, Northern Harrier and Turkey Vulture. If you continue north on
this road you will come upon another small marsh and pond just short of County
Road 48. Of coarse most of the roads in this and the Wylie Road area can be
very productive and it is not a stretch saying you could spend a whole day in
the area, I have and do.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, Ontario
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