It's been hard to find any good spots for shorebirds this spring but 3
of the 4 ponds at Aylmer sewage lagoons are great for shorebirds at the
moment. There are receding shorelines on the 2nd and 3rd pond and the
4th pond in from the road is shorebird heaven with extensive shallow
water and mudflats. Today, there were 7 species of shorebirds numbering
about 200 individuals. Most of these were Pectoral Sandpipers. Others
were 10 Dunlin, 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Wilson's
Snipe, 1 Least Sandpiper and a few Killdeer.
Ducks were numerous with over 100 each of Ruddy Duck and Bufflehead
along with a few to dozens of Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser
and Ring-necked Duck on the deeper water ponds. There were lots of
puddle ducks on the 4th pond including our first of spring Blue-winged
Teal [male] and a dozen Northern Pintail [first since the influx in mid
winter], 50+ Northern Shoveler, 20+ Green-winged Teal, 6 Gadwall, 2 Wood
Ducks along with a few Mallards and Canada Geese. There were no American
Wigeon here but 40 were over at the nearby Aylmer Wildlife Management Area.
To round things off were 2 American Coots, numerous Tree Swallows and a
few Barn Swallows and 100+ Bonaparte's Gulls.
Savannah Sparrows appeared overnight with a few scattered here and there
on our travels.
Directions:
Aylmer WMA is northeast of Aylmer in Elgin County. From Hwy 401 drive
south from Exit 203 on Elgin Road / Hwy 73 which becomes Imperial Road
once you are in Elgin County. Turn left/east on College Line. Turn
right/south on Hacienda Road and drive to the south end of the Ontario
Police College. Turn left/east and follow the laneway to the viewing stands.
To get to Aylmer lagoons from Aylmer WMA, drive south on Hacienda Road.
Turn right/west on Glencolin Line. Cross over Hwy 73/Imperial Road and
drive to Rodgers Road. Turn left/south on Rodgers and drive about 1 km
to the sewage lagoons on the right.
Dave Martin and Linda Wladarski
Harrietsville, ON
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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/
