Hello Birders - While cycling the main Hillman Marsh Wetland Cell last evening Aug. 23 I observed 41Great Egrets, mostly north and south of the bridge at County Rd 37. One sported 2 bright orange wing tags, # 10E on each wing. Chip W has informed me that it's one of the egrets tagged from the Nottawasaga area colonies on June 24 / 10.
Black-billed Cuckoo, 5 Black-crowned Night Herons and 2 Green Herons were observed, as well flocks of Am. Goldfinch were actively feeding. A variety of Duck species were common. The main Hillman Creek channel has ~ 1 meter of mudflat on each side and quite shallow water which is attracting some shorebirds such as Greater Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers. Other species are present but I didn't have my scope on the bike. The Shorebird Cell is dry, currently planted to buckwheat, and will be flooded later this fall. Note that the Shorebird Cell is managed for shorebird habitat only in the spring; in the fall the new summer vegetation is flooded to provide duck habitat. The main Wetland Cell dykes are being graded now making for much easier walking or biking for 4.5 km around the unit; the water pump on the cell's north side is actively filling the cell; some of the dykes have recently been seeded to grasses. During the hunting season the area is available to birders and hikers after 2:00pm, and all day Sundays. Kudos to Ducks Unlimited for spending more than $340,000. (3/4's from the Federal Infrastructure Program) this year on maintenance and improvements to this very productive wetland. Hillman Marsh Conservation Area managed by the Essex Region Conservation Authority is on the Point Pelee peninsula, adjacent Lake Erie, 4 km NE of Point Pelee National Park. Good birding - Michael Malone Pelee Wings Nature Store discount binoculars & scopes www.peleewings.ca _______________________________________________ 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/
