This afternoon I drove to the "Road Closed" sign on the 10th Line of Bradford-West Gwillimbury east of Highway 11. In the wet field on the right just past the last house going east there was a large gathering of waterfowl - mostly Mallards and Can. Geese with smaller groups of Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintails, and American Widgeon. A male Wood Duck also flushed up from the ditch on the left side of the road. As well there were at least 50 Rusty Blackbirds in the trees edging the wet field and two Greater Yellowlegs that flew in as I was leaving. I then drove back to Hwy. 11 and went up to the 13th Line. I turned right and continued east across the 20th Sideroad, past the rail tracks, and on the right, in the wet field behind the houses on the right was a pair of Sandhill Cranes bugling and doing their courtship dance quite close to the road. Besides their stately bowing and covorting in the air, one was picking up bits of corn stubble and flinging it into the air. For the last three years there has been a small group of cranes in the vicinity both in spring and fall, and I would not be surprised to find them breeding there. I've heard that locating a nest is not easy, especially in that area where there is little accessibility to the most likely breeding sites.
Go north on Hwy. 400 to County Road 88 and exit right towards the town of Bradford. Turn left at the lights at the 10th Sideroad and go north to the 13th Line. Turn right and continue past Hwy.11 to the 20th Sidroad past the RR tracks. To get to the 10th Line, go back to Hwy.11 and head south back towards Bradford. These roads are quite rutted right now so be careful. Peter Wukasch _______________________________________________ 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
