With the forecast for heavy rain all day east of Toronto, Richard Pope and I drove west, first to Long Point for excellent looks at the "calico" Little Blue Heron at the BSC Headquarters in Port Rowan. Then we visited Old Cut where there had been a major fall-out of migrants earlier in the morning. The woods around the banding station were still quite busy, especially with White-throated Sparrows and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Species seen included Blue-headed Vireos, Veerys and Hermit Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and at least 10 species of common warblers, but not the male Yellow-headed Blackbird, which apparently is an "afternoon" visitor to the feeders there. A Hooded and a Blue-winged Warbler and a Wood Thrush had been banded earlier in the day. Six Sandhill Cranes, one pair displaying, were visible from the lookout at Big Creek marsh and the cattails were full of singing Common Yellowthroats.
We then drove back to Paletta Park in Burlington and, amazingly, almost immediately found the Worm-eating Warbler at about 1.30pm, exactly where it was last reported yesterday evening - in the northeast corner of the park, in the slough across the bridge east of the parking lot, close to the north side of the path. It was a very richly coloured individual, giving us wonderful views for several minutes as it foraged quietly in low vegetation. Then we went north to McKinnon Road near Angus and found the Ruff in the flooded field just south of the Hydro right-of way. It's head and neck are now completely black and there is a suggestion of a ruff forming at the base of its neck. In the wet fields along both sides of the road were over 500 Greater and Lesser yellowlegs constantly flying to and fro, several snipe, Dunlin, and at least 1 Pectoral. On the west side, opposite #9329, was a breeding-plumaged Long-billed Dowitcher feeding very close to the road, showing diagnostic bright white scapular tips, and fine white fringes to the thin black scallops on its cinnamon underparts. It gave typical "keek" call-notes as it flew short distances - and had a very long bill, making it most likely a female bird. Directions (copied from previous posts) BSC Headquarters are at the western end of Port Rowan, along Front Street. The pond is visible from the observation deck on the south-west corner. To reach Port Rowan, take highway 59 south and turn east on Front Street. To reach Old Cut, return to Hwy.59 and go south - Old Cut Blvd. runs east, just befor the entrance to Long Point P.P. >From QEW take Appleby or Walkers Line south down to the Lakeshore. Paletta/Shoreacres is east of Walkers Line and west of Appleby Line on the south side of Lakeshore Road in Burlington. Take County Rd. 90 from Barrie west to Angus. McKinnon Road is just east of Angus to the north. Margaret Bain Cobourg [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ 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
