Good day again. After birding Algonquin Ian Cannell and I headed down Hwy 35 to the Kirkfield and Carden Alvar area and on the way we had a close overhead Red-shouldered Hawk north of Minden.
In the Carden Area we found some nice birds including 11 Waterfowl species that included Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and approx. 225 Common Mergansers on Canal Lake. The lake had 10 of those species minus Wood Ducks which we found in other places. On the lake ice we spotted 2 juvenile Bald Eagles and over the ice Common Ravens. There were 500 to 600 waterfowl on the lake. Other birds that we found were Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vultures, 3 Osprey, several A. Kestrels, Merlin, Wild Turkeys, A. Coot, Sandhill Cranes, Killdeer, 3 Loggerhead Shrikes (McNamee and Shrike Roads), Tree Swallows, and Eastern Meadowlarks along with many of the more common birds like Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins and Grackles. We also had a close encounter with a Beaver and we found a Porcupine asleep in a tree. CARDEN ALVAR INCLUDING WYLIE ROAD / THE SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT ROAD ALONG WITH A FEW AREAS SOUTHWEST OF KIRKFIELD Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow. From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Road, turn right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Road (a T intersection). Birding can be good on Alvar Road as well, either way. Other roads to check in the area are Shrike, Curl’s, Dalrymple, Eldon Station, Rockview, Doyle, Palestine, Creek View, and McNamee Road, etc. NOTE:- Wylie Road has been graded and is good driving only as far north as the little cabin on the east side (1.2 KM north of McNamee Rd). From there the road is in very bad shape no doubt caused by the multiple number of ATV’s we saw roaring down the road. 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/
