I birded Rattray Marsh & adjacent Lake Ontario from 4:30 to 6:15 pm during intermittent rain. There were at least 110 Red-necked Grebes feeding well off-shore mostly south of the marsh outlet. There were some major roller coming off the fetch of the lake. In spite of limited habitat there was a good variety of shorebirds: Greater Yellowlegs: 1: Lesser Yellowlegs: 2; Solitary Sandpiper: 2; Spotted Sandpiper: 7; Least Sandpiper: 4; Semipalmated Sandpiper: 2; Wilson's Snipe: 1; Pectoral Sandpiper: 7; Stilt Sandpiper: 1. A flock of 8 Sandlings was flying east about 100 m offshore at 6:00 pm. There were two adult Great Egrets on the marsh, neither with markings or leg bands.
Directions: Rattray Marsh is located along the shoreline of Lake Ontario just se of Clarkson, Mississauga. The best access to the marsh is via Bexhill runs south off Lakeshore Boulevard between Mississauga Road and Erin Mills Park (closer to EMP). Park at the south end of Bexhill. The entrance to marsh is well marked and I suggest using both observations towers and also the view of marsh from outlet into Lake Ontario to get the best coverage of the narrow mudflats and sandbars in the marsh. It took me about two hours to scower all the various views because the great height of this year's crop of cattails. Wayne Renaud _______________________________________________ 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/
