Sandhill Cranes, Brewer's Blackbirds, C. Yellowthroat - Long Point - Sat Dec 22 - Mon, 24 Dec 2001

   
Hi All,

Long Point was good on Saturday morning (no Willet), but as I got out of the 
car at the Big Creek parking lot just before sunrise, all I heard was the 
sound of TUNDRA SWANS (1,500+ in the bay & in the Big Creek marsh) and a 2nd 
year BALD EAGLE flew by quite close.  I walked the small trail to the 
observation tower, at the start of it right behind the sign pointing to the 
tower I heard, then pished out a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.  At the tower I had 
some SWAMP & SONG SPARROWS (3 of each) as well as 71 SANDHILL CRANES (they 
were standing close together on the ice and there could have been a few more 
than I counted) plus another 3 flying off just as I started the walk!  Also 
over the Big Creek marsh I had 3 NORTHERN HARRIERS.  Out in the bay along 
the causeway I had a male WOOD DUCK, a male RING-NECKED DUCK, 500+ AMERICAN 
COOTS, 6 PIED-BILLED GREBES, an untagged TRUMPETER SWAN calling (good 
comparison in size & voice with the Tundras) a female GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 6 
HOODED MERGANSERS (mostly male, displaying too) as well as quite a few 
CANVASBACK, REDHEAD & both SCAUP.  On the way back, at the north end of the 
causeway, where the open flats are on the west side, many of the Sandhills 
were standing quite close to the road and one of them was definitely a 
"lesser", about 2/3 the size of the others (I believe Maris Apse already 
mentioned this a couple of weeks ago), I believe this is the nominate race 
that breeds in the high arctic (checked "Birds of Canada" for that info - 
Grus canadensis canadensis), also here was one RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER behind 
the house that borders the marsh, where the car pulloff is on the west side 
of Hwy 59.  On the 1st Concession (one concession north of "A" Concession) 
about 1km west of Hwy 59 (where there's a barn and a couple of houses) there 
was a flock of ~100 EUROPEAN STARLINGS with about 15 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS 
as well as 2 female BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS (thanks to Ron Ridout & Alfred Adamo 
for info on finding these).  Also, 32 RED-TAILED HAWKS between Long Point 
and home, and a nice adult COOPER'S HAWK sitting in a tree along Hwy 403 in 
Brantford.

All in all a good half day (had to be home by 2pm)!

Regards, good birding & Happy Holidays,

Frank Pinilla
Richmond Hill, ON


DIRECTIONS:

Long Point is found by taking Hwy 59 to it's south end.  There is a causeway 
as you come to Long Point bay on your left & the Big Creek marsh on your 
right, and you will see a small parking lot on the right/west side where 
there is a short trail to an observation tower, for better views of the 
marsh.  Also check the bay for waterfowl.

1st Concession is the 3rd concession, north of the causeway, running west 
from Hwy 59.

Long Point and area - Sun, 07 Oct 2001

Hi all

 Yesterday Sat. Oct. 6, 2001 Stan Bajurny and I paid little attention to the
weather as usual and headed on down to the Long Point area. We should have given
the weather some attention as it caught us barely ready for the cold front that
settled in. We had rain, rain showers, sleet and snow flurries along with a
constant cold wind but it was worth it for the 86 species we did turn up.

 Following are some of the highlights. 

On Inner Bay off Port Rowan lookout and opposite Big Creek Marsh we counted 92
Pied-billed Grebes, 72 Mute Swans, 30 Great Egrets, around 500 American Coots,
66 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 18 Caspian Terns, and other species. 

In the Big Creek Marsh we saw around 100 American Wigeons, 175 Gadwall, 100
Green-winged Teal, 2 Hooded Mergansers, 9 more Great Egrets, 2 Merlins (we
totaled 6 Merlins in the area), 5 Sandhill Cranes, 39 Common Snipe, both
Yellowlegs, Dunlin, A. Golden & Black-bellied Plovers, more Bonaparte's Gulls
and to our surprise a flock (well seen) of 18 Forster's terns migrating west
into the wind, 1 sedge Wren at the parking lot, 1 Marsh Wren, as well as a
couple of Tree Swallows. 

 At the Port rowan sewage lagoons were 143 Ruddy Ducks, 58 Ring-necked Ducks, 53
Lesser Scaup, 33 Tree Swallows, 2 Barn Swallows and a Cliff Swallow.

 In the surrounding areas we came up with 86 Turkey Vultures, the 6 Merlins,
Red-eyed Vireo, 12 Eastern Bluebirds, 9 Bank Swallows along Hwy 3, 36 American
Pipits, 54 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 2 Deer.

 Had not the winds been so strong I feel that we could have come up with at
least 100 species as we missed (seen by others before we got there) 2 Bald
Eagles, 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, and Peregrine Falcon.

 Worth the discomfort as it is always easier ( and very satisfying and exciting)
to find birds if you go out and look for them.

Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA

DIRECTIONS:

BIG CREEK MARSH

Big Creek Marsh at Long Point is southwest of Hamilton, directly south of Port
Rowan. To reach it you can drive south on Hwy 6 from Hamilton, passing through
Hagersville and turning right, west in Jarvis onto Hwy 3, drive to Simcoe and
turn left, south on Hwy 24 and follow this to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west
south of town) turn left, south on Hwy 59 and drive right down about 8 km and
past the golf coarse and you will be on the causeway. 
  Drive on across the bridge and continue along the road until you see a
graveled parking lot on your right. Park here and go up onto the dyke and the
marsh is right in front of you. The viewing platform is to your left and if the
gate on your right is open then you may want to walk the whole loop watching and
listening. If this gate is closed then do not, I repeat do not go over or around
it as you will be seen and fined ($100.00 +) the wildlife people take any
trespassing very serious and you can be seen from their offices. The closure is
for the good of the waterfowl. There is no hunting involved.
 When you first arrived at the causeway you may have noticed mud flats on your
right. This is one of the best places at the marsh for shorebirds along with the
area viewed from the viewing platform out on the marsh. DO NOT park alongside
the road. Park either at the start of the causeway and walk or at the end of the
same (at the bridge) and walk. Walk facing the traffic as the speed limit is 70
km across the causeway and the shoulders are very narrow and this being cottage
country the traffic can be heavy and fast..
 NOTE: Be sure to lock your car and put any valuables or equipment out of
sight).

INNER BAY

Inner Bay is across the road from the marsh and can be viewed from just north of
here to the Marina on your left further along the road.

PORT ROWAN OVERLOOK

   From Hwy 59 just before the Long Point drive along Lakeshore Road (AKA Front
Street) to Main Street at the south end of the town of Port Rowan (just south of
the CIBC branch) where it makes left hand turn into town. The overlook and
parking area are directly on your right above the marina and harbour.
P.S. If you continue up Main Street to the traffic light and turn right (east),
this will take to the Turkey Point Marsh overlook and to Turkey Point itself and
a little further on, the Fisher's Glen area.

PORT ROWAN SEWAGE LAGOONS

  Follow the directions above to Big Creek Marsh and from Hwy 59 at Hwy 24 drive
right down about 8 km to Lakeshore Road at the putting coarse. Turn left (east)
here (this is Front Road on this side of Hwy 59).
  Drive along Front Road about 2 km to Mill Road. Turn left (north) here and
drive about 1 km to the lagoon entrance.

Long Point to Toronto 07-21-01 - Sat, 21 Jul 2001

Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.

Today looking to find any birds for summer entertainment , Carol Horner
and I head off to Long Point and area.
Our first stop was the mud flats on the north end of the causeway Not
much their. The water was hi and the fue birds that wear there wear on
the other side of the march.

But just down the rood, feather south along the causeway at Big March
their wear lots of shore birds to be seen including,10 short billed
Dowitcher’s , 2 Stilt Sandpiper’s ,and a Dunlin a long with others ,
also seen wear all 4 Tern’s species including 2 juvenile Forster’s
Tern’s .

All the other area’s for birding on Long Point wear tack in over by the
bathing crowed, all thought we did have a Juv. A. Redstart at the
banding station which was nice .

During our drive along the back roods we watched a flock of black birds
flow across the rood as if they wear a river as Carol put it we
estimated the flock too be over 700+ Wow is fall not far behind..

A quick drive down Fisher Glen rd showed that the Eagle’s nest wear
still in the trees but No Eagles wear too be seen ..

It was then off to Townsend swage lagoons Now I am not shear if your are
allowed in to the lagoons so I wont give the location of them but if you
have gone out and gotten a copy of Clive E Goodwin’s “A Bird – Finding
guide to Ontario “(which you should) you will find every thing you need
to no on page # 119 and 120 also a hole chapter on Long Point on page #
107. At Townsend we found 21 Ruddy Ducks and a amazing 427 Killdeer
(only counted once so their might be moor) wow they wear ever ware.

Heading back too Toronto we stopped in too Rattray Marsh hear we did not
re find the
Tufted Titmouse and only counted 14 Red neck Grebes but we had a great
look at a Horned Grebe at times not 20 feet from the shore. Rattray
Marsh is found on page # 183 -4 in Clive’s book, or south of Lakeshore
rd on Bexhill rd in Mississauga Ont .


All and all a great July day and 3 year birds to boot.


Craig.S.A.McLauchlan
Toronto/Ont/Canada/World.
csam@sympatico.ca

Long Point and area - Mon, 02 Apr 2001

Hello again other Ontario birders

Yesterday April 1, 2001 Stan Bajurny went to Long Point and here are some of the high lights.

After we passed through Simcoe we turned off Hwy 24 onto Kitchen road and immediately found 2 Turkey Vultures in a tree right along side the road affording us close up looks at these interesting birds. Further along the road we found a pair of E. Bluebirds on the wires. Traveling along Front Road through Fishers Glen we saw 5 Killdeer, 2 Hooded Mergansers in a pond, 38 A. Robins, about 1500 Red-winged Blackbirds and 2 E. Meadowlarks. Turkey Point was quiet but we did find a N. Harrier hunting the beach. We then backtracked up the hill and turned west onto Lakeshore Road and stopped at the Turkey Point Marsh overlook. The marsh was pretty empty with only 2 Tundra Swans but up at the overlook we did better with 1 N. Flicker and a passing Tree Swallow.

We continued along Lakeshore Road to the Inner Bay overlook in Port Rowan where there were both Green and Blue-winged Teal, N. Shoveler, Killdeer and 28 Bonaparte's Gulls. The Port Rowan sewage lagoons were not to active with only some Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and 3 more Bonaparte's Gulls.

Note:- Kitchen, Front and Lakeshore Roads between Hwy 24 and Port Rowan is well worth the drive as a good number of good birds have been spotted along these roads. ie - Little Blue Heron (at the Port Rowan overlook) Long-billed Dowitcher, both Yellowlegs, C. Snipe (in field puddles), Wild Turkey, Mountain Bluebird (at Fishers Glen and Port Rowan sewage lagoons), a fair number of E. Bluebirds, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Bald Eagle, plus a variety of other birds.

It was now off to Long Point. In the area of the Big Creek marsh trail start along the causeway we found 8 Tundra Swans, 3 Mute Swans, 11 N. Shovelers, 2 A. Wigeons, 28 Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Lesser Scaup, 13 Bufflehead, 3 A. Coots and over the marsh among the numerous waterfowl tooing and froing we spotted 3 Turkey Vultures and 2 red-tailed hawks. On the Inner bay side of the causeway we saw 49 Mute Swans, 2 Green-winged Teal, 24 A. Wigeon, 23 Canvasback, 12 Lesser Scaup as well as 100+ Scaup species well out on the bay and up close a pair of Hooded Mergansers.. Also on the bay were the usual Bufflehead, Mallards, Black Ducks and Gadwall. The best birds out over the bay were 6 Tree Swallows flying back and forth together.

In Long Point Provincial Park we found very few birds but we did find 1 Eastern Phoebe.

In the Port Royal area we saw another 5 Turkey Vultures and 3 more over Backus woods along Hwy 24.

Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA

PS - When driving south of Simcoe along Hwy 24, just past Radical Road Stan and I have spotted Eastern Bluebirds on the left side (east) of the highway on almost every spring and fall trip past here.

Long Pt area - Eurasian Wigeon March 21 - Thu, 22 Mar 2001

Hi All,

I took a day and headed down to the Long Point area and stopped in a couple of places in Hamilton/Burlington on the way back. In all it was a great day with 68 species tallied (27 waterfowl spp. - of the 'regular' Ontario waterfowl I only missed Red-breasted Merg on the day!) and if you include "Atlas owling" the night before, 69 species. Stopped in at Townsend Sewage Lagoons on the way down and saw 200-250 TUNDRA SWANS along with 1 male RUDDY DUCK, a few REDHEAD, CANVASBACK, LESSER SCAUP and many NORTHERN PINTAIL & RING-NECKED DUCK, among others. Along Blueline Road, near Hwy 3 was a lone TURKEY VULTURE soaring and also in this area at the side of the road were 4 HOODED MERGANSERS. Along Charlotteville Conc Rd 2 (which runs parallel to the lake) just west of Haldimand-Nanticoke Townline was a singing NORTHERN SHRIKE. Just east of the road down to Turkey Point PP, along Front Rd was an adult COOPER'S HAWK, which flew over. Not much down at the lakefront at Turkey Point, and it appears that the huge Bald Eagle nest which was in a tall tree off to the west is gone, a broken branch?

Just west of here along Lakeshore Rd (which is the continuation of Front Rd) were 4 PINE SISKINS along with BROWN CREEPER, RED-BREASTED & WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, DARK-EYED JUNCO, etc. Along the causeway down to Long Point, on the inner bay side were 4 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, along with GREEN-WINGED TEAL & others, and on the Big Creek marsh side, where the parking lot & trail are was one well-hidden PIED-BILLED GREBE.

At Lee Brown's Pond there was a beautiful male EURASIAN WIGEON amongst the many AMERICAN WIGEONS (look for the bright rufous head with buff/yellow crown stripe and grey body on the Eurasian). About 1/2km before Lee Browns in a corn-stubble field on the south side of Haldimand-Norfolk regional Rd 42 were 5 SANDHILL CRANES (which could be heard from Lee Browns). On Concession A, west of H-N Rd 59, were approximately 600 TUNDRA SWANS in a couple of fields on the north side of Conc. A, also along here, on the south side, were 3 more SANDHILL CRANES, heard first then seen. At the "3 Bridges" area on Conc A (where Big Creek crosses under the road), I heard a thin 'seeet' (sounding somewhat like a Chickadee only higher pitched) and then saw a TUFTED TITMOUSE, on the south side at the middle of the 3 bridges.

Heading home I stopped in at Travelodge Motel at Brant Street in Burlington and saw BLACK, SURF & WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, but no Common Eider, is she still around?

A very enjoyable day!

Regards & good birding,

Frank Pinilla
Richmond Hill, ON
frankpinilla@hotmail.com
frank.pinilla@bell.ca

DIRECTIONS:
Townsend Sewage Lagoons - turn right/west off Hwy 6 at H-N Reg Rd 69, then left at the stop sign then right at the next concession, the S.L. will be on the right, do not block the gate.

Blue Line Road runs N-S just east of H-N Reg Rd 24.

Turkey Point P.P. - Turn left/south off H-N Reg Rd 24 (note that Rd 24 changes from N-S to E-W around Port Ryerse) at Turkey Road (follow signs to P.P.).

Lee Brown's Pond - on the south side of H-N Rd 42 west of H-N Rd 59 just beyond Port Royal, you'll see the pond with an observation tower. The birds did not spook with people outside their cars.

Concession A - parallel to H-N rd 42 one concession north, running west off Hwy 59.

Long Point Causeway - Hwy 59 south check the Inner Bay on your left and Big Creek marsh on your right. Also later in spring 'Old Cut' at the end of Hwy 59 (where the banding station is) can be excellent along with the P.P. itself.

Travelodge Motel, Burlington - exit QEW at Brant Street and go south to the lake, park in the parking lot and walk down to view ducks (Check other spots along the lake in this area as well).

Townsend to Long Point and Owls - Sun, 18 Mar 2001

Hi all

Yesterday, Mar. 17, 2001, Stan Bajurny and I went birding down Long Point way and despite the day long snow fall (argh) we didn't have such a bad day. We started off by stopping off at the Townsend Sewage Lagoons (just west of Jarvis). Here we found 1000+ Tundra Swans, 200+ Canvasback and Ring-necked Ducks. We were not able to check out the lagoons fully as the wind was very strong and cold and we were being subjected to snow and ice pellets and being "OLD MEN" we didn't stay in the open too long but long enough to see 11 Horned Larks beside the lagoons.

We then proceeded along 14 th Concession Road towards Simcoe and along here we found 5 Killdeer, 72 A. Robins, 2 more Horned Larks, 9 N. Cardinals and many Red-winged Blackbirds and C. Grackles (in fact for the day between here and Long Point we saw about 5000 red-wings and 2000 C. Grackles). After stopping for gas in Simcoe we proceeded south on Hwy 24 and in a pond beside the road we spotted 5 Hooded Mergansers.

We turned off Hwy 24 on Kitchen Road and headed thru Fisher's Glen where we saw 1 nice Rough-legged Hawk plus the usual Juncos and Cardinals. Our next stop was Turkey Point and as we sat at the Marina on the west end of the beach we were shown 2 Mink frolicking (nice word) in the parking area. Not much was here except 13 Tundra Swans passing by and some Bufflehead, C. Goldeneye and C. Merganser. We then headed along the road to the eastern end of the area where we found 2 American Pipits on the ice at the beach edge, a nice surprise.

It was now off towards Long Point again but on the way near the junction of Long Pt Rd and Lakeshore Rd we saw 3 Ruffed Grouse about 50 feet up in a Cottonwood tree feeding on buds, a Northern Shrike beside the Turkey Point overlook on Lakeshore Rd and a White-crowned sparrow at a feeder just outside Port Rowan. We next stopped at the Port Rowan sewage lagoons where we found 25+ Rusty Blackbirds and 16 B-H Cowbirds.

Still cursing the steady fall of snow and limited visibility we headed for Long Point finally. Along the causeway in the marshes on both sides and on Inner Bay we found 134 Tundra Swans, Mute Swan, Gadwall, A. Black Duck, A. Wigeon, Green-wing and Blue-winged Teal, N. Pintail, N. Shoveler, many Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Com. Merganser and Great Black-backed Gull. We birded some of the streets and avenues in this area and we came up with 26 Song Sparrows, 1 White-throated Sparrow and 17 N. Cardinals.

We left the marsh and area and headed to A Concession at Port Royal (just west of Port Rowan) and in a bitter wind and steady snow fall we found a field with 500+ Canada Geese, 100+ Mallards, 50+ N. Pintails and many Red-winged Blackbirds and C. Grackles all mixed in. It is about here that we decided to leave the area and head to the Nanticoke LED area near Peacock Point.

At Nanticoke we found 300+ Tundra Swans, a Great Blue Heron, a N. Harrier, and many Com. and Red-breasted Mergansers. We arrived here after 6 pm so we can not say whether the Bald Eagles are still around as it was snowing, blowing and near dark.

From here we headed up to the Owl sanctuary on Concession 6 just east of Selkirk Road where we found a Short-eared Owl eating a rodent (?) on a post and one more hunting beside us (just west of the Owl Sanctuary). We sat here observing the owl on the post as it fed and of coarse it appeared very nervous and alert to it's surroundings. As we watched it started to get very vocal (it is always nice to here that) and the other Short-eared that was hunting also got very vocal and in seconds a dark shape approached and almost collided with the Short-ear on the post and Stan said that what ever it was seemed to be trying to take away the Short-ear's prey. Maybe so but it was also quite able to take the Short-ear as a meal as it was a Great Horned Owl that missed and landed on a tree branch right in front of us.]

A nice end to the day. We headed off home and when I finally reached Richmond Hill I was a little bit peeved as here we didn't get a bit of snow but down Haldimand way it never stopped and in some areas probable got 4" of it. We did end up with 57 species despite the bad weather but it was better than my couch.

Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA