I spent two hours in mid to late afternoon birding Rattray and surrounding woodland trails. There was a Red-throated Loon in full breeding plumage about 200 feet off shore with about a dozen Red-necked Grebes. It spent a lot of time diving. Also I saw 2 Fox Sparrows, 6 Chipping Sparrows and about dozen American Tree Sparrows, the latter feeing in the dead bulrushes on Turtle Creek (which separates Rattray Marsh C.A. from Jack Darling Park). One White-throated Sparrow. I also found two Yellow-rumped and one PIne Warbler. There were Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglets well-distributed through the woods. Lots of woodpeckers with Northern Flicker and Down Woodpecker the most common, with 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and lots of evidence of fresh Pileated Woodpecker work. There was one Great Egret (with no makers) feeding in marsh. The mudflats are about the best I have ever seen them in spring shorebird ... 2 Killdeer were on the mudflats. Ducks: Mallards and 7 Green-winged Teal. Both Winter and Caroline Wrens (one each). No Hermit Thrush!
Directions: Park at the south of Bexhill Drive which runs south of Lakeshore Boulevard West between the MIssissauga Road and Erin Mills Parkway (exits off the QEW). The marsh is located just down the hill from parking area. Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043) _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
