Good morning and a very bird filled and Happy New Year to yawl. Yesterday Jan. 1/13 Ian Cannell and I birded some of the Long Point area in the morning and afternoon returning home in the evening via Hagersville and a very productive day it was.
First we would like to thank Diane Salter of Walsingham for her kind hospitality and information as she welcomed us into her yard to view the many birds at her many feeders. Always a pleasure to check these and to talk to Diane. Following are some of the birds we found though we were mainly road bound and most waters were frozen. 12 Pied-billed Grebes, 350 Tundra Swans, 2 Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Merganser, 9 Ruddy Ducks, 3 adult Bald Eagles, 5 Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s and Rough-legged Hawks, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, 125 American Coots, 1000 Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Screech Owl, Short-eared Owl, Red-bellied Woodpecker, many American Crows and Mourning Doves, both Nuthatches, 110 Horned Larks, 8 American Pipits, 6 Purple Finches, 30 House Finches, 75 Snow Buntings, 10 Song Sparrows, 7 White-throated Sparrows, 3 Field Sparrows, 400 Dark-eyed Juncos, 550 A. Tree Sparrows, Red-winged and Rusty Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbird. The Cranes were a sight to see as we arrived at Big Creek Marsh in the morning just as an adult Bald Eagle flew over the marsh filling the sky with Cranes. The fields and sky north of the marsh around Port Royal (on Lakeshore Rd (Cty Rd 42) west of Hwy 59 and Port Rowan were also filled with Cranes and the sound of these great birds. Most of our waterfowl were in Big Creek itself along the main road as this was the only open water that we encountered. Directions to Long Point:- 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. Norm Murr 303-48 Laverock Ave. Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 4J5 _______________________________________________ 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/
