I birded the Rattray Marsh C.A. this morning from 6:40 to 10:00 am and managed to find the Yellow-throated Warbler by 7:00 am and watch for about 15 minutes. I was in the same general area as previously posted, then moved up the slope to near the back of the beige house that backs onto the forest at that point. It was a female. I let met John Lamey who saw it yesterday and he said the one he saw was also a female. There are good numbers of Yellow-rumped Warbers (100+) plus smaller numbers of Palm (11), Black-throated Green (4) and 2 each of Black-and-white and Pine. I easily managed 6 species of woopecker: Pileated (1 female); Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3); Red-bellied Sapsucker (2); Northern Flicker (7); Hairy Woodpecker (2) and Downy Woodpecker (5). The new species for this spring, with one each was Blue-gray Gnatcacher, Lincoln Sparrow and House Wren. There were also a few American Tree Sparrows near the mouth of Turtle Creek. Also there were about 30 Red-necked Grebes on the lake opposite the marsh outlet of Sheridan Creek together with 5 species of swallows.
Directions: Drive south on Bexhill Road (which runs off Lakeshore Boulevard West between Mississauga Road and Erin Mills Parkway); walk down the hill and turn right. Take the trail angling to the right just before the Sheridan Creek bridge and go to the far end of the second boardwalk (there is large spruce on right hand side). I first found the warbler there, then it made it way up the slope. I was staying fairly low in the honeysuckles which are just leafing out so it may take a while to find it. Good luck. 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/
