Yesterday, Saturday march 30th Ian Cannell, Jay Peterson and I visited the Long Point area and though migration has been slow as far as passerines go it is still worth a visit and it can only get better if and when the winds change to southerly over the next week or so.
We did okay and following is a sample of some of the 63 species of birds we did find. Great Blue Herons, Tundra Swans (still about 250 or so down there), 50 American Wigeons, Northern Pintails, 150 Redheads, 50 Ring-necked Ducks, 200 Greater Scaup, 35 Lesser Scaup, 50 Ruddy Ducks (there are still many thousands of waterfowl further out on the Inner Bay (off Port Rowan) even too far out for a scope), 61 Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawk, Merlin, 12 Sandhill Cranes, 36 Killdeer, 3 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, 2 Marsh Wrens (either over wintering birds or very early migrants), 6 Carolina Wrens, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebirds, still some Common Redpolls, 66 Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlark and Rusty Blackbirds. Directions:- 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 Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada _______________________________________________ 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/
