Although I've been checking the Holland Landing lagoons for shorebirds about twice a week since late July, I have still not turned up anything unusual. Reports of Baird's and white-rumped sandpipers in many other places around southern Ontario have kept me going back, but to no avail. Still, there have been good numbers of birds at the HL lagoons this summer. I was disappointed today to find only a fraction (i.e. about 1/4) of the 80+ Lesser Yellowlegs and 40+ Least Sandpipers that were present earlier in the week. Killdeer, Spotted Sandpipers, and Semipalmated Plover numbers were also down to about half of Tuesday's total and I could not find any Pectorals at all today. As I stood there attributing the relative absence of shorebirds to recent nights with good flying conditions and the steady pull of southern climes, another contributing factor suddenly announced itself: a dark falcon sweeping low over the lagoons. As I watched, it made an unsuccessful attempt to take a Lesser Yellowlegs, then flew to the highest tree on the northern edge of the third lagoon. I was able to get excellent views of the bird through my scope: a dark female Merlin, carefully watching the shorebird activity below. It soon left its perch and make a beeline for another Lesser Yellowlegs, causing the target bird to almost completely submerge inself in the shallow water of the second lagoon in a thrashing, splashing panic that foiled the Merlin's attack. The raptor then ascended to a great height as if to reconnoiter, then went after a group of passerines passing over the hillside on the south side of the lagoons and was lost from view. It made for an exciting little show. I contentedly circled the lagoons after that, no longer so disappointed. There were still lots of ducks in attendance: well over 200 Blue-winged Teal, at least 50 Wood Ducks, 100+ Mallards, about two dozen Green-winged Teal, and two Shovelers. There was also one Pied-billed Grebe in the third lagoon and the still large group of Bonaparte's Gulls (approx. 250) that has been there for several weeks. Other raptors seen were two Turkey Vultures and a local Red-tailed Hawk. I was surprised at the virtual absence of Cedar Waxwings and Eastern Kingbirds which had been hawking insects here in great numbers throughout August. Chimney Swifts were also absent and swallow numbers were low. 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 muddy edges of which are all worth checking but the second lagoon definitely offers the best shorebird habitat. You can walk the perimeter of the lagoons easily, checking for passerines along the fenceline vegetation as well as raptors and aerial foragers overhead (eg. Red-tailed hawk, Osprey, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Chimney Swift and various swallows). Holland Landing is just north of Newmarket and east of Bradford, both of which are north of Toronto by about 30-40 minutes.
