Of regional interest to York county birders: the Great Egret which has lingered at the little McKenzie Marsh in north Aurora for ten days now has been joined by another member of that same species. These birds are much more readily observed along the shores of the Great Lakes, especially during migration; up here north of Toronto they are harder to come by.
For York region birders who want to observe these elegant white herons, simply drive west of Yonge Street 0.7 km and pull over on the gravel shoulder of St. John's Sideroad when you are almost past the marsh (southeast is best as it offers a wider shoulder). Both egrets are in the south pond. There are still about a dozen Great Blue Herons, six Double-crested Cormorants, two Belted Kingfishers and one or two Black-crowned Night Herons in attendance if you scour both sides of the road. Take note, however that the traffic here is almost always busy and the gravel shoulder is not wide, so take care when you park and exit your vehicle. The most trouble-free viewing is gained by walking east on the north side of the road and cutting into the land on the hillside overlooking the northern pond. By climbing the hill through light vegetation, you can observe most of the northern part of the marsh. The egrets are usually in the southern pond, yes, but the north pond is well worth checking and the vantage point described above offers a pleasant alternative to the car-on-shoulder viewing that is characteristic of the southern shoulder of the road. Check the marshy edges for Sora, especially near dawn or dusk. Aurora is straight north of Toronto on the Yonge Street corridor, about halfway between Toronto and Barrie. "Ronald J. Fleming" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
