Little Gulls are back at Second Marsh !

A sure sign of spring for GTA birders...LITTLE GULLS are back at Second Marsh in Oshawa. The gulls are migrating from their winter locales off the East Coast of the U.S. to their nesting grounds in the "Far North". Second Marsh provides one of the most consistent places to see these little guys. However, the window of opportunity for gull viewing is short...they are generally gone by the first week of May. There will be special Little Gull viewing days on Apr. 30th and May 1st, hosted by staff and volunteers of the Canadian Wildlife Service ( Dawn - 10:00 am ). However, you can try The little gulls intermingle with the very similar and far more numerous BONAPARTE'S GULLS, so brush up on your IDs ( look for black under the wings ! ). Second Marsh is great for waterfowl viewing, with 22 species reported Apr. 11th.

To get to Second Marsh, exit the 401 at the Harmony Rd. in Oshawa. Turn south onto Farewell St. and drive until you reach Colenol Sam Drive. Turn East onto Colonel Sam Drive and follow the road to the GM Headquarters. Park in the west parking lot close to the marsh. The viewing platform can be seen from the lot. Make sure you bring a scope ! If you have time, you should also check out the McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve. For more information, check the Friends of Second Marsh website.
Good Luck !

A Guide to Birding Halls Road

Hawk vs Man...Hawk wins !

Is it wrong for me to cheer for the hawk  ?

Lynde Shores coming to life ( slowly )...

For anyone in the eastern portion of the GTA, Lynde Shores Conservation Area offers a lot of birdwatching opportunities. I had the kids out on the Chickadee Trail ( named for the abundance of fearless and apparently hungry little birds ) on Saturday, as the mercury finally climbed into double digits. Lots of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES ( of course ), RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, COMMON GRACKLES and a nice looking pair of TRUMPETER SWANS who seem to be nesting in the marsh by the parking lot. It's always a fun walk but Saturday was particulairly noisy with lots of blackbird bravado. The only interruption came from a brief COOPER'S HAWK flyover; a pair of these hawks may be setting up a nest in the north-west corner of the trail loop. Look for it in the hemlocks...

On Sunday, my wife joined myself and the kids for a long walk at Lynde Shores. The east side of Cranberry Marsh can be reached by taking the long trail loop that traverses the entire conservation area. I even convinced my wife that I should take my scope. She seemed a little dubious when I said that it would only get a few minutes of use. Alas, that's all it recieved. Waterfowl numbers in Cranberry Marsh are still low, with RING-NECKED DUCKS being the only noticeable migrant. Nice to see this bird, as I feel they are one of the nicest looking ducks around. Songbird numbers are still generally low, although the sight and sound of SONG SPARROWS is great to hear.

Of course, two wonderful walks are ruined by the fact that there was snow in the air on Sunday night *sigh* Here's hoping for a warming trend this week and some more walks next weekend !

Rotary Park, Ajax

I will state, right here, right now that the Lake Ontario shoreline in the GTA ( Greater Toronto Area for non-locals ) is extremely underrated for both nature and birding. Yes, the natural bits are isolated islands in a sea of roads, industry and subdivisions, but they are wonderful in their accessibility. And for birders, these areas are migrant traps for many species. Fans of Point Pelee, Rondeau and the north shore of Lake Erie may snicker but believe it, friends...birding lives in the GTA.

Whitby waterfront

A nice walk along the waterfront today. Lots of spring-like stuff of note. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS calling, BUFFLEHEADS diving, COMMON GOLDENEYES displaying...Spring may be here !



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A Weekend in Windsor

A trip to Windsor is usually an opportunity to hit the nearby parks and look for birds. Point Pelee, Ojibway, Lake St. Clair et al are among the hotspots for migrant birds, as well as resident birds that are difficult to find in Canada; mostly southern species that are at the extreme north of their range in the southernmost area of Canada. This weekend, however, was more social than bird-related...I ( and the rest of the family ) will be back in the area later in the spring when migration really kicks into gear.

However, the early signs of spring were noticeable. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were singing. THE SON was amused by three vocal KILLDEER. RED-TAILED HAWKS were everywhere along the 401 and I have my first COOPER'S HAWK sighting of the year.

Can't wait to go back !