This morning between 9:00am and 10:00 am, the Sage Thrasher was found along the walk to the north end of the pier. However, I found the bird feeding on multiflora about 150-200 m. after a yellow sign that says Danger Quicksand. So don't go as far as the L-shaped turn.
The bird flushed out of thicket for about a minute, then hunkered down (and was almost invisible) amongst the leaflitter for about 20 minutes. So be patient and wait for it to pop up to feed on the red berries. Directions thanks to John Black: To reach the eastern Port Weller pier you need to get to the Seaway Haulage Road on the east side of the canal north of Lock 1. Take the Niagara Street exit off the QEW and follow Niagara Street north to Lakeshore Road where it ends. Turn right on Lakeshore Road and follow Lakeshore until you cross the canal and then immediately turn left onto Broadway Ave. Follow Broadway for about 0.5 km until it is intersected by a dirt road (Seaway Haulage Road ) . Bear left on the dirt road which takes you alongside the canal. You will reach a yellow gated barrier Park well back from the barrier and walk out to the north end of the pier (about 1.7 km). There are often people walking their dogs on this road. Good luck, Jim Watt Oakville, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Feb 26 11:55:23 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from bellwecs3.srvr.bell.ca (bellwecs3.bellnexxia.net [207.236.237.115]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 5E3C964178 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:55:23 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 10244 invoked from network); 26 Feb 2006 16:55:24 -0000 Received: from [EMAIL PROTECTED] by bellwecs3.srvr.bell.ca with EntrustECS-Server-7.4;26 Feb 2006 16:55:24 -0000 Received: from bellwfep8.bellnexxia.net (HELO bellwfep8-srv.bellnexxia.net) (207.236.237.101) by bellwecs3.srvr.bell.ca with SMTP; 26 Feb 2006 16:55:24 -0000 Received: from TOROONDC918.bell.corp.bce.ca ([142.182.89.79]) by bellwfep8-srv.bellnexxia.netESMTP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for <[email protected]>; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:55:24 -0500 Received: from toroondc911.bell.corp.bce.ca ([142.182.89.14]) by TOROONDC918.bell.corp.bce.ca with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830); Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:55:24 -0500 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:55:23 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: Thread-Topic: NO Sage Thrasher, Port Weller... Thread-Index: AcY6dtm4lmtNErVJQWSvLmFyDYDr8gAfpZbY From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 26 Feb 2006 16:55:24.0022 (UTC) FILETIME=[6F974160:01C63AF5] Subject: [Ontbirds]Sage Thrasher, Port Weller - SundayFeb 26th X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:55:23 -0000 QmlyZCBpcyBiZWluZyBzZWVuIChsYXN0IEkgc2F3IGl0IHdhcyBhcm91bmQgMTE6MTVhbSksIGl0 IHdhcyB3YXkgb3V0IG5lYXIgdGhlIGJlYWNvbiBpbiB0aGUgZ3Jhc3Nlcy9zdW1hY2hzIGFuZCBv biB0aGUgcm9ja3kgc2xvcGUgb3V0IG9mIHRoZSB3aW5kIGFueXdoZXJlIGZyb20gNTBtIHRvIDIw MG0gZnJvbSB0aGUgYmVhY29uLiAgSXQgaGFkIGFsc28gYmVlbiBzZWVuLCBlYXJsaWVyIGluIHRo ZSBtb3JuaW5nLCBvbiB0aGUgbWFpbiByb2FkIGFib3V0IDE1MG0gc291dGggb2Ygd2hlcmUgdGhl IHRyYWNrIHR1cm5zIHJpZ2h0IHRvIHRoZSBiZWFjb24uDQoNCkdvb2QgbHVjayAmIGJpcmRpbmcs DQpGcmFuayBQaW5pbGxhDQpUaG9ybmhpbGwsIE9ODQoNClNlZSBkaXJlY3Rpb25zIGJlbG93Lg0K DQotLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLQ0KRnJhbmsgUGluaWxsYQ0KQmVsbCBDYW5hZGEgRmluYW5jZQ0K SW50ZXJuZXQgU2VydmljZXMNCig0MTYpIDM1My00NzkwDQogDQoNCi0tLS0tT3JpZ2luYWwgTWVz c2FnZS0tLS0tDQpGcm9tOiBQaW5pbGxhLCBGcmFuayAoUDAxNDY0MykNClRvOiAnb250YmlyZHNA aHdjbi5vcmcnDQpTZW50OiBTYXQgRmViIDI1IDIwOjQ5OjE1IDIwMDYNClN1YmplY3Q6IE5PIFNh Z2UgVGhyYXNoZXIsIFBvcnQgV2VsbGVyLi4uDQoNCldlIGhlYWRlZCBkb3duIHRvIFN0IENhdGhl cmluZSdzIGhvcGluZyBmb3IgdGhlIFNhZ2UgVGhyYXNoZXIgdGhhdCB3YXMgc2VlbiB0aGlzIG1v cm5pbmcsIGJ1dCB0byBubyBhdmFpbC4gIFdlIGJ1bXBlZCBpbnRvIG90aGVyIGJpcmRlcnMgd2hv IGhhZCBhbHNvIGRpcHBlZCBvbiB0aGlzIHJhcml0eS4gIE5lZWRsZXNzIHRvIHNheSwgdGhhdCB3 aXRoIHRoZSB2ZXJ5IGhlYXZ5IHdpbmRzIGl0IGNvdWxkIGVhc2lseSBoYXZlIGJlZW4gc2ltcGx5 IHN0YXlpbmcgbG93IGFzIHRoZXJlIGlzIGEgbG90IG9mIGJydXNoIGNvdmVyIGZvciBpdC4gIFdl IGhlYXJkIHRoYXQgaXQgd2FzIHNlZW4gYXQgMjoxNXBtIGJ1dCBkaWQgbm90IHNwZWFrIHdpdGgg dGhlIGJpcmRlcnMgd2hvIHNhdyBpdC4gIEFsc28sIGhlYXJpbmcgaW4gYW4gZWFybGllciBwb3N0 IHRoYXQgaXQgd2FzIGEgYml0IHNraXR0aXNoLCBpdCdzIHBvc3NpYmxlIHRoYXQgYWxsIHRoZSBi aXJkZXIgYW5kIGRvZyB3YWxrZXIgYWN0aXZpdHkgY2F1c2VkIGl0IHNvbWUgc3RyZXNzPw0KDQpB bnl3YXksIGp1c3QgdGhvdWdodCB0aGF0IGFuIHVwZGF0ZSB3b3VsZCBiZSBwcnVkZW50Lg0KDQpD aGVlcnMgJiBnb29kIGJpcmRpbmcsDQpGcmFuayBQaW5pbGxhLCBUaG9ybmhpbGwNCg0KRElSRUNU SU9OUyAoYXMgcG9zdGVkIGVhcmxpZXIpOg0KVGFrZSB0aGUgTmlhZ2FyYSBTdHJlZXQgZXhpdCBv ZmYgdGhlIFFFVyBhbmQgZm9sbG93IE5pYWdhcmEgU3RyZWV0IG5vcnRoIHRvIExha2VzaG9yZSBS b2FkIHdoZXJlIGl0IGVuZHMuIFR1cm4gcmlnaHQgb24gTGFrZXNob3JlIFJvYWQgYW5kIGZvbGxv dyBMYWtlc2hvcmUgdW50aWwgeW91IGNyb3NzIHRoZSBjYW5hbCBhbmQgdGhlbiBpbW1lZGlhdGVs eSB0dXJuIGxlZnQgb250byAgDQpCcm9hZHdheSBBdmUuIEZvbGxvdyBCcm9hZHdheSBmb3IgYWJv dXQgMC41IGttIHVudGlsIGl0IGlzIGludGVyc2VjdGVkIGJ5IGEgcm9hZCAoU2Vhd2F5IEhhdWxh Z2UgUm9hZCApIC4gQmVhciBsZWZ0IG9uIHRoZSB0aGlzIHJvYWQgd2hpY2ggdGFrZXMgeW91IGFs b25nc2lkZSB0aGUgY2FuYWwuICBZb3Ugd2lsbCByZWFjaCBhIHllbGxvdyBnYXRlZCAgYmFycmll ci4gIFBhcmsgd2VsbCBiYWNrIGZyb20gdGhlIGJhcnJpZXIgYW5kIHdhbGsgb3V0IHRvIHRoZSBu b3J0aCBlbmQgIG9mIHRoZSBwaWVyIChhYm91dCAxLjcga20pLiBUaGVyZSBhcmUgb2Z0ZW4gcGVv cGxlIHdhbGtpbmcgdGhlaXIgZG9ncyBvbiAgdGhpcyByb2FkLiAgVGhlIHBpZXIgaXMgTC1zaGFw ZWQuIEF0IHRoZSBub3J0aCBlbmQgb2YgdGhlIHJvYWQgKGp1c3QgIHBhc3QgdGhlIGVuZCBvZiB0 aGUgdHJlZXMgb24gcmlnaHQpICB0dXJuIHJpZ2h0IGFuZCB3YWxrIG91dCB0b3dhcmQgdGhlICBi ZWFjb24gYXQgdGhlIGV4dHJlbWUgZWFzdCBlbmQgb2YgdGhlIHBpZXIuIFRoZSBiaXJkIHdhcyBo b3BwaW5nIG9uIGFuZCAgb2ZmICB0aGUgZGlydCByb2FkIGF0IHNldmVyYWwgbG9jYXRpb25zIGJl dHdlZW4gYWJvdXQgaGFsZiB3YXkgdG8gdGhlICBiZWFjb24gKGp1c3QgbmVhciB0aGUgZW5kIG9m IHRoZSB0cmVlcyBvbiB0aGUgcmlnaHQgb2YgdGhlIHJvYWQpIGFuZCA1MCAgbWV0cmVzIGZyb20g dGhlIGJlYWNvbi4gDQoNCi0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tDQpGcmFuayBQaW5pbGxhDQpCZWxsIENh bmFkYSBGaW5hbmNlDQpJbnRlcm5ldCBTZXJ2aWNlcw0KKDQxNikgMzUzLTQ3OTANCiANCg=From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Feb 26 14:42:17 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from hotmail.com (bay103-f27.bay103.hotmail.com [65.54.174.37]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 47D2964451 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 14:41:14 -0500 (EST) Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:41:08 -0800 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Received: from 65.54.174.200 by by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com with HTTP; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:41:03 GMT X-Originating-IP: [69.158.163.195] X-Originating-Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "David Walsh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 14:41:03 -0500 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 26 Feb 2006 19:41:08.0181 (UTC) FILETIME=[96C58050:01C63B0C] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format="flowed" X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]European Goldfinch Barrie X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:42:18 -0000 A male European Goldfinch was seen with a flock of 40 American Goldfinches and 5 pine Siskens and a few house Finches. In the backyard. The bird was seen at 1 pm today by Lyn Pope and myself at 63 Moon Drive in Barrie. directions to Moon Drive: from the 400, take the Essa off ramp, travel west to Ardaugh turn right on to Patterson Road , Moon Drive is the next right. Lyn's phone number is 705-739-5031, (please call before 8:00 p.m.) David Walsh Utopia,Ontario, Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Feb 26 16:39:25 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com (web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com [206.190.37.190]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 0551163B35 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:39:25 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 95528 invoked by uid 60001); 26 Feb 2006 21:39:25 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=rogers.com; h=Message-ID:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding; b¸rMrZI1PTNM/sESICOgmuGcRmV7hYGrClvaIzb9HKAiWS5nI7CnW2eYVhCOSPgiERDz71BH2plnURz5AX8cGF2c/yGmaPfzja3D8QXrwciBZ25btNxVhiUjfubeQWsazJk4RNSQjKfvzEVgD09D5u5ocPS71vc0Gd3OWmH3n9g ; Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Received: from [70.29.34.190] by web88003.mail.re2.yahoo.com via HTTP; Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:39:25 EST Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:39:25 -0500 (EST) From: RON FLEMING <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: OFO Bird Sightings <[email protected]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Wild Turkeys (Palgrave) & Snowy Owls (Bradford) X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 21:39:25 -0000 In an unsuccessful attempt to find the Bohemian Waxwings that have been showing up from time to time in the Bolton and Palgrave area, I received a consolation prize of twelve Wild Turkeys crossing Duffy's Lane about 1 km north of Patterson Road this morning. Heading back to Newmarket, I did a quick check of the Snowy Owls that have been wintering in the "Bradford Marsh" just east of Hwy. 400. I observed three Snowies, all of them female/immature types. Two were sitting in the fields north of Woodchopper's Lane, one of them on the west side of Jane Street, the other on the east side, almost parallel to each other. The third Snowy was sitting on top of a post just north of where Keele Street meets King Street. There were Horned Larks calling and flying around at almost every stop I made in this low-lying agricultural area. Although I did not get Red-bellied Woodpecker today, I have received several recent reports about this species showing up along Dufferin Street in the general vicinity of Miller Sideroad. See below for more detailed directions. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Directions: The southern section of the Holland Marsh is just south of Bradford and west of Newmarket, It is most easily reached by taking Hwy. 400 north from Toronto. Exit east at Hwy. 9/Davis Drive and travel toward Newmarket. You will soon see a sign for Jane Street. Take Jane north and follow it to a T-intersection. This is Woodchopper's Lane, which runs east-west between Wist Road (a little lane that runs N-S right beside the highway) and Keele Street. Jane resumes running northward a bit west of this intersection, so turn left, then right again. The two Snowies I saw today were across from each other only about .3 kms up the northern continuation of Jane. They were both right on the ground; the one on the west was only about 70 metres out and very easy to see; the one on the east was about 150-200 metres out and much harder to pick up. A scope definitely helped. Interestingly, a pure white adult male often hunts in this area, but he was nowhere to be found today or yesterday. He is still worth checking for, though, and - if he is still around - is usually best seen from the western terminus of Edward Ave., so drive a little further north to where Jane meets Edward, then turn left and drive to the dead end. Another Snowy Owl - visible Saturday but not today - often sits on the furthest of 8 wooden posts that run north from Woodchopper's Lane just just east of house #450 (stop at the "Maximum 60 km/h" sign and scope the pole tops), so you can check that bird out by returning to Woodchopper's and travelling east toward Keele. The "most reliable" Snowy continues to be the one at the corner of Keele and King Street. This heavily barred bird is most often seen by looking at the post tops straight north along the Keele road extension (Keele is briefly interrupted by the Holland River just north of King St.), but it occasionally sits right on top of the TV antenna at the last house on Keele (west side). If you don't see him, drive about 500 m further east along King and scan the low horizon north of house #596; the latter bird (or another one?) sometimes sits on top of a little shed by the riverside. King Street ends at Dufferin and, if you turn south toward Hwy. 9, you will cross the southern loop of the frozen canal and eventually go up a little hill. At the top is Miller Sdrd., which runs east into Newmarket and becomes Green Lane. A Pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers can sometimes be found within the first km east (on Miller) and the first km north (on Dufferin). Parking means pulling over without going in the ditch. Watch for traffic. One last caution: if you choose to drive along these narrow lanes where they follow the frozen canal, be very, very careful to keep your eyes on the road: a mother and her young son hit some ice on the north Canal Road three weeks ago and went into the canal; tragically, both of them drowned. Another Snowy was visible from the northern arc of Canal Road; we saw it sitting on a long greenhouse by scoping southeast from Canal road about 1 km east of Jonkman's Corners (where Canal meets Simcoe Rd.). I believe this is the same bird that often perches way up atop the metal hydro towers that run N-S through the farm fields; it can sometimes be seen by looking west from nearby Dufferin Street. Miller Sdrd. runs east from Dufferin, about 2 kms north of Hwy. 9, but south of the other areas described above.
