Apologies for not posting sooner but cataract surgery on Monday (yes, I'm "only" 51) has made computer work a bit of an adventure this week. Anyway, last Sunday at Tiny Marsh the OFO Trip I tried to lead was reduced to about 2.5 hours of rain-birding before we packed it in at lunch time. Still, we managed to find a few warblers (Pine, Yellow-rumped, and Yellow), several sparrow species, a modest variety of ducks (Hooded Merganser, GW Teal, and American Wigeon being the most noteable), several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a very early BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER in basic plumage showing its black axillars and calling "peeeeee" as it flew by. (Unfortunately, with the line of almost 40 rain-soaked participants spread out along the trail with hoods up and heads down, it was observed by only three of us.) Wayne and Fran Bullock trudged onward into the open marsh while the rest of us headed for shelter. The Bullocks managed to observe an AMERICAN BITTERN, GREEN HERON, a pair of N. Shoveler, and a Northern Harrier, among other things. Outside the Tiny Marsh property Kevin Shackleton and I observed an Eastern Meadowlark and two Wild Turkeys driving to and from our destination. Two other birders scouting the area in the nearby hamlet of Perkinsfield (near Balm Beach) had both GR. & LSR. YELLOWLEGS and WILSON'S SNIPE. Many thanks to those who came out in bad weather to give this trip "the old college try". Ron Fleming _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
