Thursday, June 2, 2011

May 27-30, 2011 Eastern Ontario Tour

Birded Alfred Sewage Lagoon early morning on May 27,2011. The east cell was low and there were 500+ shorebirds mainly Dunlin and Semipalmated Sandpiper, highlight were 11 Red-necked Phalarope. Also had 70+ Ruddy Duck. At Embrun Sewage Lagoon 1 Whimbrel was observed until an immature Peregrine Falcon flew in and flushed the shorebirds.
In the afternoon at Lake Dore near Eganville we observed 2 Arctic Tern along with 80+ Common Tern, 1 Black Tern and 3 Bonaparte's Gull. The terns could be viewed from Lake Dore Road.
Good Birding, Bruce


DIRECTIONS: From the town of Alfred go east on Highway 17, then turn south on Peat Moss Road and drive for 2 km. The lagoons are on your left (east side of road). The birds are best observed from the viewing tower. Access to the viewing tower is free and no permit is needed.


Spent the morning, May 28th, birding various sites along Hwy. 60 in Algonquin Park. We observed 2 male Spruce Grouse along Arrowhon Road at Km. 4. Both males were displaying along the road and gave us excellent views. At West Rose Lake along the old railway bed we had a female Black-backed Woodpecker at a nest site, a Olive-sided Flycatcher singing and 3 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 male and 1 female which was checking either checking out a nesting cavity or nesting. There were a number of Moose along Hwy. 60 and on peongo Lake road we observed another 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers at the winter gate area. Unfortunately no Gray Jays were found.
Good Birding, Bruce


Directions: Algonquin Park is three hours north of Toronto, via Highways 400, 11 and 60. Follow the signs, which start in Toronto on Highway 400. From Ottawa, take Highway 17 to Renfrew, then follow Highway 60 to the park. Kilometre markers along Highway 60 in the Park go from the West Gate (km 0) to near the East Gate (km 56). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates.



With migration slowing down there was still a small flight of warbler today, May 29th at Presqu'ile Provincial Park. The later migrants included Blackpoll, Canada and Wilson's Warblers. At Owen Point and along Beaches #1-3 there were was small number of shorebirds mainly Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel and a flock of 24 Ruddy Turnstone flying over. At the Marsh Boardwalk a couple of Great Egrets were observed feeding and a Least Bittern put in a brief appearance as did an American bittern. With the high water levels on Lake Ontario the trails around Owen Point are flooded and rubber boots are necessary.

Directions:To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there.

Our final stop of the tour was Amherst Island on May 30th. We birded the east point area and observed 1 Whimbrel, numerous Wilson's Phalarope and 1 Brant. In the fields Bobolinks were easily found along with a few Upland Sandpiper. The Purple Martin colony on the KFN property was doing very well with lots of activity at both martin houses.






Difficult to find earlier this season, we were fortunate to have two males displaying along Arrowhon Road.


A second Spruce Grouse shows off to us.


Black-backed Woodpecker nesting site.




The female Black-backed Woodpecker in search of food.


This has been an excellent spring for Whimbrel sightings.


A Great Egret along Huff road near Brighton.


Another Whimbrel on Amherst Island.


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