Hi Birders, This afternoon I observed a PURPLE SANDPIPER in Port Burwell (my brother Adam saw a dark shorebird yesterday out on the jetty rocks, so I was following up on his sighting). It was initially foraging on a long cement ledge right below the boardwalk that extends out towards the jetty (it also spent some time on the very small beach south of the parking lot on the west side of the channel). I just happened to look down and saw it as I was walking out to where I thought I would find it on the rocks. It was less than 10 feet away and very tame (it is an absolutely stunning bird up close). It was still present when I left. There was also a single Horned Grebe off the pier and several hundred Canada Geese/gulls hunkered down on the beach on the east side of the pier. Matt Timpf Walsingham, Ontario Directions: Port Burwell is south of Tillsonburg on Lake Erie. Follow Plank Road/Country Road 19 south to Port Burwell, drive west over the bridge, and take Chatham St. south to the end of the road. There is a parking lot on the east side (across from the Provincial Park). The boardwalk starts on the south end of the parking lot. There is a tiny beach as the boardwalk turns south towards the jetty and this is where the bird was frequenting. _______________________________________________ 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/
