Hello Ontbirders: Who in their right mind ventures into a woodlot during gale force winds? Just birders (at least, those of questionable sanity!) Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday April 1), I visited Thickson's Woods Nature Reserve (Whitby) in hopes that the earlier burst of spring weather had lured some unsuspecting spring migrants into our wintry clutches. Sure enough, a Hermit Thrush and a Winter Wren were present, despite the stormy skies and icy winds. Both birds were around the brushpiles just south of the Bird Sightings Book, near the main trail. Other recent arrivals included a dozen Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers (3), and Song Sparrows (4). There were also a number of other passerines attracted by feeders, and the nesting Great Horned Owls have been seen regularly. The adjacent Corbett Creek marsh had Hooded Mergansers (3 pairs plus 2 unattached females) and a good variety of waterfowl was visible from the lakeshore bluff. Directions (courtesy of Dennis Barry & Margaret Carney):Exit Hwy 401 onto Thickson Road South in Whitby. Proceed south past Wentworth Street to the Waterfront Trail. Turn left (east), drive to the designated turn around, and park on the north side of the road. Enter the woods on a path from the south side, about 200 m east of Thickson Road. Follow the trails through the woods, some of which access the Lake Ontario shore. Please stay on the path and record your observations in the Bird Sightings Book. To view the beaver pond and Corbett Creek Marsh, continue east about 100 m past the entrance to the woods. The meadow is across the Waterfront Trail immediately north of the woods. The meadow entrance is directly across the waterfront trail from the entrance to the woods. To view a map of Thickson's Woods, visit the website at http://www.thicksonswoods.com Good birding! Steve LaForest,Pickering Naturalists _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
