I went for a walk with Gord Vogg on the barrier beach today at noon. This
was one of the few days I wished I brought my surfboard along as well. The
beach was getting pounded by 6-8 foot waves. Most areas of the barrier beach
was either covered in water or was being eaten away by the strong surf.
Highlights
34 westbound Brant flying west into the wind along the shoreline
1 Le Conte's Sparrow in the flooded willows and sedges at the west end of
the beach.
Gulls: 1 Iceland, 1 Glaucous, 1 Lesser Black-backed on the beach roosting
with the Herring, Ring-billed Gulls and Caspian Terns
Shorebirds: 32 Semi-palmated Plovers, 1 Black-belled Plover, 5 Killdeer, 19
Least Sandpipers and 4 Dunlin.
Direction:
The McLaughlin Bay Barrier beach can be accessed from either Oshawa Second
marsh (west access point) or Darlington provincial park (east access point)
Oshawa Second Marsh
Exit from the 401 at the Harmony Rd. Exit(419) in Oshawa. Go south on
Farewell St. Colonel Sam Drive. Turn East onto Colonel Sam Drive and follow
to the parking lot at the GM Headquarters. Park in the west parking lot
close to the marsh. The east (GM) platform is visible from the NW corner of
the lot.
To the Barrier Beach head south to the lake and then east along the
shoreline
For a trail map of the Oshawa Second Marsh area visit
www.secondmarsh.com and check the link for a trail map of
the area
Darlington Provincial Park
borders the east side Oshawa Second Marsh/McLaughlin Bay Nature Reserve.
To access the campground and park store area from the east.Take the Courtice
road exit from the 401 and follow the park signs. There is a small parking
lot at the gatehouse. Park here and walk the trail to the south. This will
take you into the campground area. The park store is just south of the main
office past the main gate.
For the Barrier Beach park at the beach parking lot and head west along the
maintained beach.
Tyler Hoar
Oshawa, ON
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