Aylmer Sewage Ponds, ETC. - Wed, 17 May 2000
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are
repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).
Ontbirds:
This morning I drove to Aylmer Sewage Ponds in the hope of seeing the Willet and Phalaropes reported by Dave Martin there yesterday. It was not worth the trip. There were only about 30 to 40 total shorebirds present. The Willet and Red-necked Phalaropes were not there and only one male and one female WILSON'S PHALAROPE remained. This of course is the commoner phalarope for us to see.
The shorebirds on the ponds were continually being scared away because of construction being carried out on the berm between the two central ponds. Besides the continuous noise of an operating backhoe, several trucks were moving from time to time along the dikes. As long as this construction continues, it probably will not be wise to go there. On the weekend perhaps there will be no work going on and conditions for shorebirds to feed there may be better.
(Shorebirds present: Semipalmated Plover,Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Wilson's Phalarope. A Black-bellied Plover flew over while I was there. Besides the ducks mentioned by Dave Martin, a few American Coots were present)
I visited Aylmer Wildlife Management Area while in the area. Nothing worth noting there either.
I had a little better luck on the way back to Brantford. I heard and saw a PRAIRIE WARBLER near St. Williams (north-east corner of 1/4 East Line and the sand road north of old Highway 24 as previously reported) I don't know how much longer this bird will habitate that piece of habitat. The woodlot is being used by motor cycles on a regular basis and the noise and damage created by the bikers cannot be condusive to birds nesting in the area. I believe the property is owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources as part of the St. Williams Forestry Area, and it appears the bikers have permission to be there. Too bad!!
Further north on the 1/4 East Line, I stopped in the area where the Worm-eating Warbler has been heard. I did not hear the warbler, but as I turned around in a sand roadway, a RUFFED GROUSE popped out on the roadway ahead of me.
I then went east on the sand road beginning at the crossroads where I saw the Prairie Warbler, and a WILD TURKEY crossed the road in front of me.
Earlier I had visited Wilson Tract off Norfolk Road 60. It was mid afternoon when I was there so there was not much activity, though I did hear A CANADA WARBLER. I did not see the Swallow-tailed Kite reported earlier today, but of course, I did not know about it. I ran into two birders from Quebec while I was there and they told me that they had had no significant sightings although they had been there since early morning. Most of their time, however, was spent in the woods trying to see a Hooded Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush and they would not likely see a kite fly over.
On Monday, May 15th, I was at Peacock Point. I saw a second year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on the rocks near our cottage. It was not around the next day. On Tuesday, May 16th, I saw 6 WHIMBRELS on the Lake Erie shore east of Selkirk, in front of the Salvation Campground.
That is it for now.
Denys Gardiner,
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO
