With the southbound migration of shorebirds well under way, some Toronto area birders might be considering a trip up to the Holland Landing Lagoons. In the summers of 2006 and 2007 this was a very productive area to visit and well worth the trip. The last two summers have been a bust due to high water levels and minimal shorebird habitat for migrants to visit. This summer, due to some ambitious vandalism in the spring, access to the lagoons is unequivocally denied to even the most passive user. New fences (of substantial height, for those of you with gymnastic notions) and unignorable NO TRESPASSING signs have been put up to discourage any attempts at entry. On a more positive note, a fairly good shorebird area has developed along the north side of Ravenshoe Road east of Woodbine (Keswick area) over the past few years. The disadvantage of birding here is that Ravenshoe is typically busy with east-west traffic passing by at high speed as you scope from the gravel shoulder of the road. The shorebird habitat is too marshy and wet to walk out to so you have to stand there at the roadside. I do not know the current status of the once productive Schomberg lagoons west of Newmarket but will look into it. Hope this info helps shorebird seekers in the GTA. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Holland Landing is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
