A 5:30am start at the Sedge Marsh at Carden did not turn up a hoped-for
Yellow Rail, but among the 50+ species seen on the day, by Jay Peterson and
me were the following highlights:
Loggerhead Shrike. (In the usual area near Bluebird box #10).
Sparrows: Vesper, Field, Chipping Savannah,
Song, House, Swamp, Eastern Towhee.
American Bittern (3), Virginia Rail (4),
Osprey (at least 4), Eastern Bluebird (many), Brown Thrasher (several),
Upland Sandpiper (many), Wilson's Snipe (several), Horned Lark, Eastern
Phoebe (2), Eastern Meadowlark (many), Common Loon (6),
Wild Turkeys (only 3),
There were 10-20 Greater Yellowlegs in casual water.
Most of the birds were seen on Wylie Road, but the rails and one bittern
were seen on Prospect Road.
Although the Upland Sandpipers and Wilson's Snipe were extremely vocal and
easy to find early in the morning, they became very hard to locate by
mid-morning.
To reach Wylie, turn left off Highway 48 (if coming from Toronto) onto
Regional Road 6, in Kirkfield. Drive 5.5 kms, (passing the Kirkfield Lift
Lock), until you reach McNamee Road. Turn right onto McNamee and then almost
immediately, turn left onto Wylie.
Prospect Road is back on Highway 48, 4.2 kms kilometres before you reach
Regional Road 6.
