I birded most of trails and marsh (and adjacent lake) from 3:40 to
6:00 pm.
I found the Arctic Tern at 3: 55 pm as it flew in from the lake
through the marsh over-flow channel with two Common Terns. It was
about 20 feet over my head and I could clearly see the small bark red
bill with no black tip. It flew around and circled back again over me
back into Lake Ontario. I checked the lake again at 6:00 am and
could not relocate the bird although there were still at least 5
Common Terns on the marsh.
Like other areas of the southern Ontario the warbler fallout was
widespread with warblers scattered through virtually all areas I
covered. Mark Cranford gave me the location of the Blue-winged
Warbler. Here the warbler totals: Yellow-rumped: 64; Palm: 33; Black-
and-white and Black-throated Green: 20; Nashville and Blackburnian: 5;
Orange-crowned and Pine: 3; Yellow: 2 and singles of Northern
Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Hooded, Blue-winged, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia
and Common Yellowthroat.
Other highlights include a Clay-colored Sparrow singing just outside
the gate leading to the soccer field of Green Glade School. The were
also small numbers of Gray-head, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos. The
only flycatchers I saw were two Great Crested. Other than a dozen
Robins I found not other thrushes ... very strange. There were small
numbers of Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
The mudflats are quite extensive right now and should host a good
variety of shorebirds over the next three weeks.
Directions:
As large as the area is, most birders are aware that parking at the
south end Bexhill (off Lakeshore Boulevard) is the best place to
access the marsh and woodland trails. The trail to left at the bottom
the hill at the south end of Bexhill takes you into a flooded area
which is a great place to start. At any given time (like for next 10
days) any of the trails off good view for warblers and other woodland
birds.
Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043)
_______________________________________________
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/
