After a tip from Eric Jeffrey that conditions were good at Wildwood, I took a drive up and checked out the flats developing along the east shore in the south end of the reservoir. Many shorebirds are present - mostly Leasts, Lesser Yellowlegs and Killdeer - but best bird was a basic-plumaged Red-necked Phalarope. Five Great Egrets provided some [non?] colour.
On another tip from Richard Skevington [yeah, I'm getting lazy], I also birded the Tavistock Lagoons, where maintenance of the east lagoon has it drawn down to puddle-depth. Pretty much the same mix / numbers of shorebirds, but notable were 3 Stilt Sandpiper [1 ad., 2 juv], a juv. Baird's and 3 pre-basic American Golden Plover. Birds were understandably skittish due to the presence of a hunting immature Peregrine, which made viewing a challenge. The Peregrine, however, was making a fist of things by trying to make Mallards the soup du jour, even though there were plenty of smaller and more manageable prey at hand. I watched, twice, when the Peregrine literally bounced off the Mallards it was pursuing. A bit OT - Tavistock was also host to 50 + Wandering Glider, all in mating mode due to the artificial rainpool habitat in the east lagoon. Not rare but great numbers none-the-less. To reach Wildwood, take CR 6 north from the 401 to CR 28. Go west through Harrington and take the 1st right [31st Line] down 1 km to the bridge. Tavistock Lagoons can be found by taking Hwy 59 to Tavistock, turn right at the 1st light and park at the back of the park. The lagoons are visible to the east but be advised they are all posted and the town has made no attempt to make these lagoons birder accessible. Cheers, James Holdsworth, Biological Consulting Services 226-228-1428, [email protected] 'If one does not fail at times, then one has not challenged himself.'' - Ferdinand Porsche _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
