Ontbirds subscribers,
Tonight I visited the pond at 3147 Morgans Road in Newcastle where the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron has been present for the past 5 days. I arrived at 8:35 p.m. and there was no sign of the bird near the pond or on the surrounding grass or in the trees. After 20 minutes on site the bird walked up out of the pond where it had presumably been the whole time. It walked around the east edge of the pond and up onto the grass for a few minutes of viewing before it eventually flew a short distance up into the woods due east of the pond at 9:02 p.m. The west rim of the pond can easily conceal the bird if it is feeding tucked in behind there. On my way into the site, I found an adult Franklin's Gull in among a foraging flock of 100+ Ring-billed Gulls feeding in a bare field opposite #3554 Third Concession just east of Highway 35/115. For those thinking of going to the Morgans Road area near pre-dawn or post-dusk times, I would strongly caution you to drive slowly as there are many deer here that are used to feeding in the roadside ditches and the woodland edges. Directions: Take Highway 401 to Hwy 35/115 North and exit at the Third Concession. Go east on the Third Concession 4.9 km to Morgans Road. Turn left (north) and proceed 300 metres north to property #3147 and the pond in the distance is where the bird is most frequently seen. Be sure to pull well off the road and it is probably a good idea to use your vehicle as a blind. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
