After leaving the Fisherville area yesterday March 8th we ( Ian Cannell, Margaret Liubavicius an me ) continued on towards Long Pont and on the way we traveled along Front Road towards Port Rowan stopping in Fishers Glen.
At the small community of Fishers Glen we found 2 Red-bellied, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 singing Carolina Wrens, 1 Hermit Thrush, many Dark-eyed Juncos and Pine Siskins. Continuing along Front road we found Cooper’s Hawk, Horned Larks, Eastern Bluebird, A. Robins, N. Mockingbird, Song Sparrows, the first Common Grackles, Snow Bunting and Tundra Swans overhead. In the Long Point area both on Inner Bay opposite Big Creek Marsh, over the marsh and along a few of the roads west of Hwy 59 to East 1/4 Line Road at Port Rowan / Port Royals area we saw an estimated 8000 Tundra Swans on the ground in the water and overhead, great sights and sounds. On Inner Bay were many A. Coots, Canvasbacks, Redheads, a Pied-billed Grebe (in Big Creek), Common Mergansers, Lesser Scaup and a few other waterfowl, many, many more to come I’m sure. Over Big Creek Marsh we spotted Bald Eagle, N. Harrier, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon and in the marsh 2 Sandhill Cranes were found and we found 4 more Sandhill Cranes and Ian spotted another Bald Eagle just west of Port Rowan along County Road 42. On the north side of 1st Concession Road just north of Port Rowan (between Hwy 59 and Main Street) there is a wet area along a creek on the north side of the road. Here we stopped in the morning to check for the reported White-fronted Goose but despite checking through approx. 200+ Canada Geese we missed the bird, BUT we left Stan Long there and seconds after we left he found the bird #$+%%$#*$# and later told us about it and later in the day we went back and we too found the Goose as well. If you go for the White-fronted Goose be patient and check carefully (I recommend a scope). We also counted 6 Killdeer here. Other birds we found in the area were Sharp-shinned Hawk, Rough-legged Hawks, 1000+ Canada Geese over and in the fields, 300+ Mallards, same fields, 3 Wild Turkeys, 43 Horned Larks, A. Robin, 9 Song Sparrows, Tree and White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged and Rusty Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, 100+ A. Crows, plus many of the usual birds to be found this time of year. Note:- With the number of Tundra Swans we saw and heard over the Fisherville area in the evening it looks like this weekend may be the time to visit Long Pont to see these beautiful birds, OR NOT :>)). Directions:- LONG POINT AREA - CENTERED ON PORT ROWAN Port Rowan is southwest of Hamilton, to reach it you can drive south on Hwy 6 from Hamilton, passing through Hagersville and turning right, west in Jarvis onto Hwy 3, drive to Simcoe and turn left, south on Hwy 24 and follow this to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west south of Simcoe) and your in the Long Point Area. Turn left (south) on Hwy 59 at Hwy 24 and Port Rowan is straight down Hwy 59 (about 6 kms) on County Rd 42 (Lakeshore Rd), Big Creek Marsh, etc. are just a little further south of County Rd 42. Or you can exit Hwy 403 just west of Brantford. Exit at Hwy 24 South at Exit 91 and drive south through Simcoe and follow it to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west south of Simcoe) and your in the Long Point Area. The wood lots, fields, marshes etc. are north, south, east and west of Port Rowan. Big Creek Marsh and Inner Bay areas mentioned above are south of Port Rowan along Hwy 59. FISHERS GLEN AREA You can reach Fishers Glen by turning right off of Hwy 24 south of Simcoe onto Kitchen Road and driving southeast down Kitchen to Front Road, turning right on Front Road and driving to Fishers Glen. After leaving Fishers Glen you can continue along Front Road through Normandale, past the Turkey Point marsh overlook, through St Williams and on to Port Rowan. Be sure to watch for the at times many birds along the way. This drive often produces Eastern Bluebirds and Raptors. You can also reach Fishers Glen directly by exiting Hwy 24 at Fishers Glen Road and driving straight down (south) to Front Road. Norm Murr _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
