I complete forgot to add the Tennessee Warblers (6) on the last posting, which makes 17 species of warblers.
---- Original Message ---- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, May 12, 2011 12:50 pm Subject: [Ontbirds] Rattray Marsh Conservation Area birding/12 May 2011 I spent from 8:00 to 11:00 am doing most the trails and marsh area. The morning was fairly quiet with some loose pockets of migrants. On my way back to where I parked (corner of Watersedge Road and Old Poplar Row) the stretch of woodland and small marsh just east of parking area were teaming with birds, all singing and frantically feeding. Between 10:00 and 11:00 the temperature rose suddenly and humidity increased. 90% of warblers I saw in the 3-hour visit were seen in this area in last hour. Sixteen species of Warbler: Yellow-rumped Warbler: 158: Yellow Warbler: 33; Chestnut-side Warbler: 25; American Redstart: 25; Nashville Warbler: 15; Northern Parula: 8; Palm Warbler: 8; Common Yellowthroat: 5; Black-throated Blue Warbler: 5; Blackburnian Warbler: 5; Magnolia Warbler: 3; Canada Warbler: 2; singles of Orange-crown, Black-and-White, Ovenbird and Black-throated Green. Among the warblers there at least dozen House Wrens but only a small number of Red-eye and Warblin g Vireo and 1 Philadelphia Vireo. No Bay-breasted, Mourning, Wilson's or Blackpoll Warblers. Clearly these came in from south and for some reason were ground as the low pressure system started to move in late this morning with rain forecast for tonight. This habitat is not typical Yellow Warbler nesting habitat so most or all of these were likely migrants. Also relative large numbers of White-throated Sparrow (25+) with no White-crowns among them. This is just one more indication there is yet at least one more wave of warblers and other passerines to pass through ... perhaps in next few days. Directions (this is for the parking area on the east side of the Rattray Marsh Conservation area near where I found above concentration of birds): south on Meadow Wood Road off Lakeshore Boulevard West (just east of Clarkson and Erin Mills Parkway). Veer left on Bob-O-Link then left on to Old Poplar Row which dead ends at a small parking area (where it intersects Wateredge Road). There are trail maps available on the Credit Valley Conservation's web site for the Rattray Marsh Conservation area. Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043) _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
