With the water levels being quite low in the Oshawa Second Marsh, there are now extensive mudflats. Shorebirds present included 1 Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlins and Lesser Yellowlegs. Along the adjacent lake shoreline there were 5 Sanderlings present.
The large Red-breasted Merganser feeding frenzy at the mouth of Oshawa Harbour easily exceeded 8000 birds with the frenzy stretching eastward towards Darlington P.P. 50+ Common Loons, Horned Grebes, and 1 Red-necked Grebe were also seen in Lake Ontario just off the marsh. Waterfowl within the marsh included a low 29 Wood Ducks(have been hovering around 100 birds all fall), Hooded Mergansers, Northern Pintails, and Northern Shovelers among the 12 waterfowl species present in the marsh. Other species observed in the Oshawa Second Marsh include: 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 78 Great Blue Herons 1 Common Gallinule, 1 Marsh Wren and 8 Rusty blackbirds among the few thousand blackbirds/starlings which roost in the cattails each evening. Botulism Beached bird survey Did a Beached bird survey this evening from Oshawa Harbour east into Darlington P.P. I found a total of 24 beached bodies (approx 7bodies/km of beach), and offshore there was at least 8 floating bodies being attended to by Herring Gulls This is quickly appearing to be the largest dieoff in the Oshawa area since I started surveying in 2008. Botulism Type E is the probable cause of this mortality. Long-tailed Ducks and Common Loons made up the bulk of the bodies today. Directions Exit from the 401 at the Harmony Rd. Exit(419) in Oshawa. Go south on Farewell St. Colonel Sam Drive. Turn East onto Colonel Sam Drive and follow to the parking lot at the GM Headquarters. Park in the west parking lot close to the marsh. The east (GM) platform is visible from the NW corner of the lot. For a trail map of the Oshawa Second marsh area visit www.secondmarsh.com and check the link for a trail map of the area. Tyler Hoar Oshawa _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
