Hi Folks, This morning (May 6, 2008) between 6:30-7:00 am I observed and photographed a Marbled Godwit feeding in a back-water bay of the St. Mary's River just beside Belleview Park, in Sault Ste. Marie, ON.
This bird had a nice long black-tipped orange upturned bill, well defined thin dark lores with a buffy patch just above and very dark legs. Its plumage has a buffy base and appears to be in a post winter /pre summer state (belly and lower flanks not yet fully streaked/mottled). It was last reported at 10:30am. Directions to this Bird: Belleview Park is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario along the St. Mary's River, south of Queen Street and between Shore Drive and Lake Street. Head south on Lake Street towards the River and park near the sailing club. The bird is in the bay just north of the sailing club and Parks Dept. soil compound. In Addition: Yesterday (May 5, 2008) while doing field work I observed and photographed a Lark Sparrow feeding in a grassy/gravel opening in a Forested area just north of Sault Ste. Marie (Stokely Cross Country Ski Resort). It was last seen around 2:30 pm (May 5th). Directions to this Bird: Stokely Cross Country Ski Resort is located about 35min north of Sault Ste. Marie, east of Hwy 17, just off of Buttermilk Ski Hill Road (OLD Highway 17). This area is not open to the public at this time of year and a key and special permission is needed to enter the property. The location of the bird is "off-the beaten-path" and therefore GPS coordinates where taken. Ken McIlwrick Forest Ecosystem Biologist/Biologiste des écosystèmes forestiers Natural Resources Canada/Ressources naturelles Canada Canadian Forest Service/Service canadien des forêts Great Lakes Forestry Centre/Centre de foresterie des Grands Lacs 1219 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, ON., Canada, P6A 2E5 (705) 541-5643 [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
