Good morning Ian Cannell and I birded some of the Long Point areas that the Burrells mentioned on their yesterday and we saw some birds they may have missed.
At Lee Brown we arrived just minutes after a white morph Snow Goose landed and after looking at this bird we quickly found the 2 White-fronted Geese. We also came up with 4 Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes (in Big Creek Marsh), Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wren, E. Bluebirds, Field Sparrow, Killdeer, Turkey Vultures, Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls, and Rusty Blackbirds. We missed the reported Towhee at Old Cut Woods. Besides the thousands of waterfowl seen by others on Inner bay off Big Creek Marsh we also watched as a Golden Eagle cruised over the bay and dove a few times on some of those waterfowl. At the Townsend sewage lagoons and in a field just to the south of them were approx. 600 Tundra Swans and in the lagoons we counted a total of 16 species of waterfowl in 2 of the lagoons (the other 2 were still ice covered) including Cackling Goose, Green-winged Teal, N. Pintail, Shoveler, Ruddy and Ring-necked Ducks. For the day we saw a total of 27 waterfowl species. A cool day but a nice day to be out there. Directions:- LONG POINT AREA - CENTERED ON PORT ROWAN Port Rowan is southwest of Hamilton, to reach it you can drive south on Hwy 6 from Hamilton, passing through Hagersville and turning right, west in Jarvis onto Hwy 3, drive to Simcoe and turn left, south on Hwy 24 and follow this to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west south of Simcoe) and your in the Long Point Area. Turn left (south) on Hwy 59 at Hwy 24 and Port Rowan is straight down Hwy 59 (about 6 kms) on County Rd 42 (Lakeshore Rd), Big Creek Marsh, etc. are just a little further south of County Rd 42. Or you can exit Hwy 403 just west of Brantford. Exit at Hwy 24 South at Exit 91 and drive south through Simcoe and follow it to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west south of Simcoe) and your in the Long Point Area. LEE BROWN WATERFOWL SANCTUARY just west of Port Royal To get to the sanctuary drive south on Hwy 6 from Hamilton, passing through Hagersville and turning right, west in Jarvis onto Hwy 3, drive to Simcoe and turn left, south on Hwy 24 and follow this to Hwy 59, ( it curves to the west south of town) turn left, south on Hwy 59 and drive right down about 7 1/2 km to Lakeshore Road (or Road 42) and turn right (west) off Hwy 59 onto this road. (This is the last road before the Long Point Causeway). (a gas station on your left and a driving range on your right). Drive over the bridge over Big Creek at Port Royal and watch on your left side (south) for the parking area with the viewing platform and a washroom and probably birders during migration. This is just a small pond and some cedars off the side of the road. TOWNSEND SEWAGE LAGOONS On the way down to Long Point on Hwy 6 you will pass through Hagersville and drive towards Jarvis. Just as you approach the town of Jarvis you will see a sign indicating “TOWNSEND” at Nanticoke Creek Parkway #69. Turn right here and drive to the intersection with the stop signs, turn left on Keith Richardson Parkway and drive past some park ponds on your right. Drive ahead until you reach County Rd 14. This is just before you reach the abandoned railway line (tracks removed). Turn right here onto County Rd 14 and drive a few hundred yards and you will see a gate and sign indicating that this is a waste treatment area. Park well to the side of the road, do not block the gate. If the gate is open (they are on sometimes) then do not park directly across from the gate as the larger “Honey Trucks” need the area to swing into and out of the entrance road. These lagoons are accessible each day and on the weekend but if asked to leave or not enter then please be respectful and comply as it seems that for now we are being tolerated. Norm Murr Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada _______________________________________________ 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/
