While doing a circuit around the Oshawa Second Marsh I found 3 Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Two of the birds were along the western side of the marsh. One bird was just north of the east platform (GM Office platform) at the north end of Wilkinson's Pond. Like most areas this weekend there were alot of White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows present in the area. Other Sparrows present included Chipping, Lincoln's, Fox, Swamp and Song.
Ghost Road woods, Cool Hollow, and the 2nd Marsh barrier beach woods were productive for passerines. Highlights include: Warblers ( 2 Black-throated Blue, 1 Common Yellowthroat, 3 Palm, several Yellow-rumped, 1 Blackburnian, and 1 Northern Waterthrush) Thrushes (Hermit, Gray-cheeked, Swainson's and 1 Wood) 1 Baltimore Oriole at the southwest corner near the pumphouse 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the east side of Ghost Road Woods 1 Gray Catbird 7 American Pipits 1 Blue-headed Vireo The raptor migration at the 2nd marsh at noon was in a line from Darlington P.P. in a west/northwest direction across the central part of the marsh. By 2:00pm the flight line had moved north of the 401 and appeared to over Hwy 2 and over downtown Oshawa by 2:30pm. Most birds were several hundred feet up. In the 2 1/2 hours of watching the raptors in the 2nd marsh the following were observed: 327 Turkey Vultures 3 Bald Eagles (2 adults) 66 Red-tailed Hawks 9 Sharp-shinned Hawks 4 Red-shouldered Hawks 3 Rough-legged Hawks (all light phase) 1 Merlin In addition a Peregrine Falcon (probably the local) caught a Racing Pigeon and proceeded to pluck it near the pumphouse (southwestern corner of the marsh). Other locals included 2 Northern Harriers, 2 American Kestrels and 1 Cooper's Hawk. Waterbirds of note observed on Lake Ontario off Second Marsh include: 1 female Surf Scoter 1 Red-throated Loon 34 Common Loons 1 Adult Lesser Black backed Gull loafing with a 100+ gulls on the beach just west of the marsh. In the Oshawa Second Marsh approx 300 birds (16 species) were observed including: 57 American Wigeon 26 American Coots 9 Pied-billed Grebes 6 Northern Pintails 2 Common Moorhens 1 Ruddy Duck The only shorebirds seen today were 1 Wilson's Snipe and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs Currently the best viewing into the marsh is from either the SE or SW corners of the marsh.
