On my drive from North Bay to Sudbury today I detoured to where I saw 330 Sandhill Cranes in this week last year. There were at least 300 in the same area today. They were further back, but I twice counted at least 300, and I suspect that I missed some in the fields behind.
Directions: From Sturgeon Falls I went west and turned down to Cache Bay. I went west from there and took the first road south, which at one point turns west. If you go straight ahead, there is a sign that the tarmac is replaced by gravel. Go through the woods and over the railway track. Between the railway track and the rock outcrop to the south, scan the fields east. Later I saw another flock of 17 just south of Verner. I was headed to the sewage lagoon, but, unfortunately, the Cranes took off, scared the geese, and ducks also took off, as did the waterfowl in the lagoons. Directions: Verner is west of Sturgeon Falls. To get to the sewage lagoons go south through Verner, take first turn left, and take a dirt track south within 1 Km. In North Bay at Sunset Point I had a flock of 17 American Pipit (I also heard them at Verner). Directions: From Toronto take the first North Bay exit onto Lakeshore Drive and turn left at Churchill's (a well-advertised restaurant). I've a series of meetings from Ottawa to Sault Ste Marie, and so am birding along the way. Waterfowl are plentiful in the sewage lagoons, but warblers seem to be fewer in number than last year at the same time. Sandy Darling Flamborough, Ont _______________________________________________ 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/
