Good morning, My Dad (Richard) and I had a nice morning birding around home here in Constance Bay. A nice assortment of shorebirds were at the beach (4 Long-billed Dowitchers, 1 Hudsonian Godwit, 22 White-rumped Sandpipers, 9 Dunlin, 6 Lesser Yellowlegs, 3 Black-bellied Plover). The best access point to start at is the fire access at the intersection of Sand Bay Street and Baillie Avenue. To get there, follow Constance Bay Drive in from Dunrobin Road. Turn right on Baillie just past the liquor store. Sand Bay is about 400 m east. There is another good access point just past the liquor store where Constance Bay Drive turns left at 90 degrees. Another fire road about 400 m further west along Constance Bay drive also gives good views.
We saw 9 Nelson's Sparrows at the mouth of Constance Creek. You will need boots for this. Normally you would need waders but the water is very low this year. To get to these birds, go to the east end of Baillie where it turns into Allbirch Road. Continue east to the dead end. Park out of the way of everyone's driveway and walk the fire trail due east (off the south side of the road) to Constance Creek. Then either walk north up the shoreline or through the Silver Maple swamp to the area of reeds and grasses at the river mouth. The birds are all through this area and were easy to see using quiet pishing. Morning is better for these birds since they react more to pishing then but you may be able to see them anytime. The coordinates of the site are: 45.477453 N, 76.066583 W (using Google Earth). Note that the fire access roads are public access but landowners do not always see it that way. I have not had any issues though. Please let me know if you turn up any rarities as I am right next door! Jeff -- Jeff Skevington 613-832-1970 E-mail: [email protected] _______________________________________________ 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/
