Mike Van den Tillaart, Fritz Fisher and I enjoyed a good morning of birding at
the Holland Landing lagoons just north of Newmarket today. Highlights included
40+ Lesser Yellowlegs, one juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher, 20+ Least
Sandpipers, about 15 Pectoral Sandpipers, three Semipalmated Plover, two
Solitary Sandpipers, over a dozen Spotted Sandpipers, and several Killdeer.
There will still numerous Bonaparte's Gulls (approx. 80), lots of Mallards and
about a dozen each of Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal and Wood Duck.
Walking the perimeter of the lagoons we also had one Brown Thrasher, one
Warbling Vireo, Cuckoo (more likely Black-billed than Yellow-billed for this
area), a pair of Red-tailed Hawks, an Osprey and about 20 Chimney Swifts.
I checked the Schomberg Lagoons in the early afternoon and observed 30 Lesser
Yellowlegs, one Greater Yellowlegs, one Snipe, one Short-billed Dowitcher, 15
Least Sandpipers,
5 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 12 Spotted Sandpipers, one Solitary Sandpiper, 12
Killdeer, and two Bonaparte's Gulls.
Ron Fleming, Newmarket
Directions:
The Holland Landing lagoons are at the end of Cedar Street in the north
part of Holland Landing, accessed by turning east from Yonge Street
(look for the white wagon wheels in front of the house on the corner of
Yonge and Cedar). Cedar St. is between Doane Road (on the south) and
Queensville Sdrd. (on the north). There are four cells, the first two
(particularly the second one) offering the best shorebird habitat. You
can walk around the whole property by going all the way to the farthest
pond, then taking the slightly overgrown (but still quite passable) path
south, then turning west along the southern perimeter of the ponds to
the also slightly overgrown (but still quite passable) path that goes
north and back to the secondary gate. Holland Landing is north of
Newmarket and southeast of Bradford.
The Schomberg lagoons are west of Hwy. 400. Take Hwy. 9 west to Hwy.
27 (which runs north out of Nobleton). Turn south and take the next
left, which is Proctor Road (you will see a "Harvest House" furniture
place on the east side of 27). As you approach the end of Proctor, turn
right (south) just before the Schomberg Fire Hall. Park out of the way
at the bend in the short gravel road. There is a gate, beyond which are
three lagoons. The muddy perimeter of the second pond is best for
shorebirds. For specific entry suggestions, contact me.
If any one happens to try either of these lagoons, I'd be curious to
know what you find. Many thanks to Ron Pittiway for his tips on
shorebird ID, particularly his excellent article from OFO News in June 1999
entitled "Soutbound Shorebirds".
