This morning Ian Cannell and I headed for Durham Region before the rain started and put an end to our day and among other birds we found a few good ones including an Eared Grebe on the lake, close to the shore off Thickson Woods and at Second Marsh we spotted 4 Little Gulls on the marsh and 2 more over the lake off of the the marsh.
The lake off Thickson Woods, Second Marsh and Cranberry Marsh have 150 to 200 Bonaparte’s Gulls on the lake so there may be more Little Gulls with those Bonaparte’s Gulls. Second Marsh also had a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Juvenile Glaucous Gull and there were 2 adult Iceland Gulls at Whitby Harbour. Directions THICKSON WOODS IN WHITBY If driving east from Toronto on Hwy 401 then exit at Thickson Road (Exit 412) and turn right (south). Drive along Thickson Road across Victoria Street E. and Wentworth Street W. At the next street (road) on your left past Wentworth Street (Waterfront Trail) turn left onto this road and you are there. Drive straight down the road and turn around, drive back and park on your right. (DO NOT BLOCK THE TRAIL AND BE SURE TO LOCK YOUR AUTO). The entrance to the woods is on the south side of the road and the entrance to the meadow is on the opposite side. SECOND MARSH IN OSHAWA If driving east from Toronto on Hwy 401 then exit at Farewell Street (Exit 419) and drive south to Colonel Sam Drive. If planning to bird the west side of the marsh then continue on Farewell Street to Harbour Street, park on the east side of Farewell at the entrance of the paved foot trail and then follow it to the marsh. If planning to bird the east side then turn left, east on Colonel Sam Drive and drive to the General Motors Head Office parking lot. Park at the northwest corner of the lot and follow the grassy trail from that corner to the viewing tower. The trail from the tower runs north into the woods to another viewing tower with another view of the marsh and of the surrounding woods and wet area. CRANBERRY MARSH IN WHITBY If driving east from Toronto on Hwy 401 then exit at Brock Street (Exit 410), drive south on Brock Street South, cross the bridge over the railway tracks and drive to Victoria Street West, turn right, west on Victoria Street west and drive past the marsh to Halls Road South and turn left, south here and drive to the marked trails that go to the viewing platforms on the west side of the marsh. There are two platforms here (one at the northwest corner of the marsh and one at the southwest corner of the marsh) , (this is the hawk watching area in the fall). You can also access the lake at the end of this road and from the south platform trail. Norm Murr Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada You can't see birds if you don't go out but sit and wait for others to find them. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
