Good Day Eh!
Yesterday Ian Cannell, Jay Peterson and I motored up to the Carden Alvar area
for an early start.
We arrived at the Prospect Rd marsh at approx. 3:45 am for the first of 108
species for the day not including a Brewster’s Warbler and an unusual
Flycatcher (more about that bird in a later post).
As soon as we stopped at the Prospect Rd marsh (just north of Eldon Station Rd)
and before Ian and Jay could follow me out of the automobile I heard a Least
Bittern calling and this was a good start for a successful birding day.
From here we headed up to Wylie Rd and then on to other roads during the day
and following are some of the better birds we found along the way.
Common Loon ( happy Ian ?), 9 Brant flying north, Wood Ducks, Blue-winged Teal,
Least and American Bitterns, several Ospreys plus nests, Bald Eagle, Virginia
Rails, Soras, Sandhill Cranes, many Common Snipe, many American Woodock, Barred
Owls, Common Nighthawks, Whip-poor-wills, Red-bellied Woodpecker,
Yellow-bellied, Alder and Willow Flycatchers, Eastern Wood-Pewees, Eastern
Phoebes, Common Ravens, Yellow-throated Vireo, many Red-eyed and Warbling
Vireos, 3 Loggerhead Shrikes, Eastern Bluebirds, Veery, Swainson’s, Hermit and
Wood Thrushes, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Creeper, Marsh, Winter and House
Wrens, Blue-winged Warbler, 5 Golden-winged Warblers, “Brewster’s Warbler”,
Cape May Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, many Ovenbirds, Northern
Waterthrushes, Grasshopper, Clay-colored, Field, and Vesper Sparrows, many
Eastern Towhees and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
DIRECTIONS AND INFO.
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.
The Sedge Wren Marsh is about 5 ½ km up Wylie Road, you can’t miss it as it has
the only bridge along the road. Park just to the south of and overlooking the
bridge and walk the road. Birding is good all along the road and I find that
the best birding happens when you park and walk both ways a km or two from your
auto.
This is a narrow road with little traffic but be sure to park in such a way as
to not block the road or at the gravelled parking areas that you will find at
several places along the road as you don’t want to rile up the locals. This is
all private property but there really is no need to leave the road, nor should
you. Please respect the property rights of the land owners.
Other roads to check in the area are Shrike, Curl’s, Dalrymple, Eldon Station,
Rockview, Doyle, Palestine, Creek View, and McNamee Road, etc.
PS
Down Rockview Road just west of Kirkfield on your right along County Road 48.
Past the dump road (on your right) you will come to a wet wood lot that
straddles the road. This is a great place for N. Waterthrush. We heard and saw
7 there on May 5/01 and May 4/02. We continue to find the N. Waterthrushes
here. Also along here you should find Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Prospect Road Marsh
Continue south on Rockview Road to Eldon Station Road (the next road) turn
right (west) and drive to Prospect Rd. Turn right (north) and drive up to a
large marsh. Here you could find many Marsh Wrens along with Sora, Virginia
Rail, Common Moorhen, American Bittern, Least Bittern and Green Heron and
watch for Osprey, Northern Harrier and Turkey Vulture. If you continue north on
this road you will come upon another small marsh and pond just short of County
Road 48. Of coarse most of the roads in this and the Wylie Road area can be
very productive and it is not a stretch saying you could spend a whole day in
the area, I have and do.
PPS
Wylie Rd south of the Sedge Wren Marsh is good for Upland Sandpiper, Vesper and
Grasshopper Sparrows and lots of Eastern. Bluebirds. North of the marsh are the
same birds and near the north end of the road watch and listen for Purple
Finch, Golden-winged Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill
Ontario, Canada
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