Hey Birders, With the winds finally shifting, it was a good day at the Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station. There were flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds in the hundreds (with some Common Grackles mixed in) as well as Snow Buntings and American Pipits. A lone Lapland Longspur also flew over. Our nets have mainly been catching kinglets, chickadees, Fox Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes.
This morning Bob Kortright led a bird walk to the station and the group reported seeing a flock of Cave Swallows over Cell 1, the first wetland on the East side where the road forks. Around 11:30 I walked over with John Crawford and Maya Ricker-Wilson, and the flock was still there. We watched them for about 10 minutes and had excellent looks before they flew towards the South. As we were closing up the banding station around 1:00 a Rough-legged Hawk flew over, heading towards the tip of Peninsula D. It was seen by John Crawford, Bronwyn Dalziel, Theresa McKenzie, Glenn Reed, Maya Ricker-Wilson and myself. DIRECTIONS Tommy Thompson Park (TTP) is located at the foot of Leslie Street where it meets Unwin Avenue, south of Lake Shore Boulevard East. >From the west: Take the Gardiner Expressway east and exit at Lakeshore Blvd. OR take Lakeshore Blvd. east to Leslie St. Turn right at Leslie St. and continue to the end where you will see the park gates. >From the east: Take Lakeshore Blvd. west to Leslie St. Turn left at Leslie St. and continue to the end where you will see the park gates. >From the north: Take the Don Valley Parkway south and exit at Lakeshore Blvd. Go east on Lakeshore Blvd. to Leslie St. Turn right at Leslie St. and continue to the end where you will see the park gates. TTC: Take the 501 streetcar along Queen St. to Leslie St. It is 1300m south on Leslie St. to the gate. OR Take the 83 Jones S. bus south from Donlands station to Commissioners St. and walk 500m to south to the gate. Cheers, Brett -- Brett Tryon Coordinator, Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (416) 318-2107 _______________________________________________ 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/
