Peter Hogenbirk, Clayton Vardy and I did a complicated Big Day route that took us over 650 kilometers in search of migrating and breeding birds. I guess I knew I eventually had to leave my yard and pursue this annual pilgrimage - and it was well worth. A nice mix of experiences ensued as we both counted and studied birds and other critters along our route.
The mammalian highlight was undoubtedly a LIVE Opossum on Wylie Road in Carden. This species continues its expansion in Ontario. Our day started at midnight looking at Cliff Swallows and Red-necked Grebes in Oakville, a Screech Owl in Burlington (heard) then BCN Herons at Windermere and the Hamilton Peregrine. All were visible with the local ambient light. We then quickly worked our way back to Durham where we added a few marsh birds at Cranberry Marsh, a Barred Owl near Dagmar and Least Bittern and rails at Prospect Marsh. Carden was spectacular with all the specialties (except Sedge Wren (are they gone from here? - for 2 years in a row they've been missing or tough) and the Shrike (darn!). We did see/hear 9 or 10 Golden-winged Warblers. Other highlights were Cape May, Tennessee and Bay-breasted Warblers, Northern Parula, cranes, ravens, Merlin, Uplands, Grasshopper (lots) and one 2 Clay-colored Sparrows and more. By the time we left about 8:30 we were at around 110 species. Then began the long drive to Presqu'ile where we added a couple of birds enroute. At Presqu'ile we were treated to thick fog at Owen's Point that luckily dispersed eventually. Here the highlights were 2 Ruddy Turnstones, 31 Whimbrel, Iceland, and LBB and GBB Gulls. Land bird were thin but a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a nesting Saw-whet Owl, several Blackpoll Warblers and lingering Common Golden-eye and Bufflehead added spice. We missed the nesting Great Egrets - hmpff The route now carried us to Darlington Provincial Park where we added 11 Sanderlings, 5 Ruddy Turnstones and an exciting Piping Plover (legs bands were silver on the top of the right leg, red over blue on the lower right leg and blue on the left leg). A word of caution. We had to use three cars for the last part of the route in the latter part of the afternoon (we had carpooled all day in one vehicle) to facilitate homeward travel at the end of the day. We parked two of them outside the gates of Darlington with the permission of Park staff. When we returned they had ticketed us and only canceled the tickets when we protested and when we bought a day pass for one of the vehicles. This makes a sad statement about Park staff in my opinion. Second March was dismally disappointing as the water is very high. We pooped out on the rest of the Durham waterfront so late in the day headed to Nonquon, where we added nine species including a Black-bellied Plover, 5 other species of shorebirds, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, GW Teal, Shoveler, Ring-necked Duck, Coot, 130+ Black Terns and more. The last bird of the day was a Horned Lark - # 165. Time for a nap. Good luck to all the other Big Dayers who will be out this week. Geoff Carpentier www.avocetnatureservices.com _______________________________________________ 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/
