May 4, 2011 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. John Watson and I visited the Carden Alvar on Wednesday night in hopes of hearing the Yellow Rail reported April 30. We stopped at Box 10 on Wylie Road and found a Loggerhead Shrike on the bushes nearly due east of Box 14.at about 8:30. We headed north to the Sedge Marsh after that and stood on the bridge for about 45 minutes where we were joined by Ginny Moore, the Evening Grosbeak lady. At about 9, I heard the soft ticking of what could have been a Yellow Rail east of the bridge. I only heard it once and I have never heard it before so I cannot say it was a Yellow Rail. While there we saw Virginia Rail and heard Sora, American Bittern, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Common Snipe overhead, American Woodcock south of the marsh, and Whippoorwill at points north, west and south of the bridge. It was a lovely evening, but a bit chilly with a breeze out of the north west. Direction: Hwy/CR 48 north to the centre of Kirkfield then north on CR 6 to McNamee Road where a right turn is made and a short distance traveled to Wylie Road. Then turn left and go north to the marsh. Kevin Shackleton _______________________________________________ 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/
