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This afternoon I found a Red-bellied Woodpecker at Claireville
Conservation Area near Brampton. This bird has been present
intermittently for about a month; I first saw it on November 15. This
afternoon it was at the bird feeder on the left (east) side of the
entrance road near the inner gate (and the illegally-dumped dirt
pile). When it's present, it usually visits the feeder or forages in
the oak trees along the right-hand road which leads to Claireville
Ranch.
Elsewhere in the area, I also found a "parliament" (!) of 4
Long-eared Owls roosting among some Scotch Pines.
Directions:
Claireville CA is about 2.7 km east of Airport Road, south off
Regional Road 107/Hwy 7. The entrance is opposite McVean Drive; look
for the Claireville Ranch sign. Park outside the outer (first) gate,
then walk the short distance to the second gate, located at a fork in
the road. The Red-bellied Woodpecker was at the feeder located to the
left of the gate.
Owls: Go in past the second gate and follow the left-hand roadway.
At the bottom of the hill there is open field on both sides of the
road; just before that point you will see a trail on the left leading
up a steep hill. Follow this trail to the top, and continue on toward
a plantation of Scotch Pines that you'll see straight ahead of you.
When you reach the intersection with a second trail, turn left toward
the pines and follow this trail for 30 - 40 metres, keeping an eye out
on the right for a clear opening into the trees (I also put a small
pile of brush on the trail at this point). Go into the trees and
follow this trail (although not heavily used, it's identifiable if
you look at the tree trunks - someone has pruned all of the lower
branches flush with the trunks). Follow the trail, watching to the
left until you see a straight, open corridor through the trees and
turn left here. Look for "whitewash" on the lower tree branches on
the right side of the trail about 30 metres past the point where you
turned (I also scraped a large "X" in the pine needles covering the
trail at this point!). If you reach a place where there is a bird
feeder and a bench on the right, you've gone too far. The owls were
in this tree at 2:00PM today.
John Thompson
Brampton, Ontario
[email protected] [1]
Links:
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[1] mailto:[email protected]
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