Hello Birders, Yesterday (August 18th), myself and Sonje Bols irrupted southward from our Algonquin haunt for a few hours to do some shorebirding in the Beeton Sod Farms. We managed see the following species -
4 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER 8 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER 9 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER Many SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS & KILLDEER All of these were on quite far out on field on the north side of Line 11. The Buff-breasteds were split into two groups - two of them were associating with the Baird's loosely, and the other two were feeding nearby the loafing plovers on the opposite side of the field. Today, I went to check out all the action at the West Perth Wetland. What a show! 2 MARBLED GODWIT (loosely associating with one another) 1 HUDSONIAN GODWIT 3 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER 5 or so BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER Many SEMIPALMATED PLOVER & KILLDEER A handful of BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS 1 STILT SANDPIPER Many LEAST & PECTORAL SANDPIPER, LESSER & GREATER YELLOWLEGS I didn't observe the White-rumped Sandpiper or Red-necked Phalarope, though I looked quite carefully for both. A great couple of days! Some pictures and a blog entry are available here: http://spruceblog.jitjit.com/ Good Birding! Lev Frid Algonquin Park, ON Directions: Directions to Mitchell (West Perth) Wetlands (Courtesy Dave Brown): >From the East (Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, GTA) - take Hwy 8 thru Stratford heading west to first lights in Mitchell (Wellington St) and turn left (south) and continue till you hit the "T" intersection at the ball diamond. Lagoon cells are straight back behind the ball diamond and soccer fields and the sewage treatment plant. You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm. >From the London area....take Hwy 23 into Mitchell from the south and just after you pass the "Welcome to Mitchell" sign...watch for Frank St...go right on Frank St and head down over the bridge till you get to the ball diamond (will be on your right). Again...the cells are behind the ball diamond and soccer fields. You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm. >From Southampton area....take Hwy 21, to Goderich and then Hwy 8 to Clinton and down to Mitchell, turn south on Hwy 23 to Frank St. and turn left on Frank St. and head over the bridge to the ball diamonds (which will be on your right). You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm Directions to Buff-breasted Sandpipers etc (Courtesy John Schmelefske) - To get there go north from Hwy 9 or south from Hwy 89 on the Tottenham Road. Count the concession roads until you get to the 11th concession and turn east. Go about 700 metres and look to the north on a large de-sodded field. _______________________________________________ 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/
