[Ontbirds] Osprey, Loggerhead Shrikes, etc at the Carden Alvar.

[Norm Murr]

Good day again.

After birding Algonquin Ian Cannell and I headed down Hwy 35 to the Kirkfield 
and Carden Alvar area and on the way we had a close overhead Red-shouldered 
Hawk north of Minden.

In the Carden Area we found some nice birds including 11 Waterfowl species that 
included Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and approx. 225 Common 
Mergansers on Canal Lake. The lake had 10 of those species minus Wood Ducks 
which we found in other places. On the lake ice we spotted 2 juvenile Bald 
Eagles and over the ice Common Ravens. There were 500 to 600 waterfowl on the 
lake.

Other birds that we found were Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vultures, 3 Osprey, 
several A. Kestrels, Merlin, Wild Turkeys, A. Coot, Sandhill Cranes, Killdeer, 
3 Loggerhead Shrikes (McNamee and Shrike Roads), Tree Swallows, and Eastern 
Meadowlarks along with many of the more common birds like Red-winged 
Blackbirds, Robins and Grackles.  

We also had a close encounter with a Beaver and we found a Porcupine asleep in 
a tree.


CARDEN ALVAR INCLUDING WYLIE ROAD / THE SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT ROAD ALONG 
WITH A FEW AREAS SOUTHWEST OF KIRKFIELD

  Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is 
on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km 
from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow.

From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift 
Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road 
curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Road, turn 
right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at 
Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Road (a T 
intersection). Birding can be good on Alvar Road as well, either way.

Other roads to check in the area are Shrike, Curl’s, Dalrymple, Eldon Station,  
Rockview, Doyle, Palestine, Creek View, and McNamee Road, etc.

NOTE:- Wylie Road has been graded and is good driving only as far north as the 
little cabin on the east side (1.2 KM north of McNamee Rd).  From there the 
road is in very bad shape no doubt caused by the multiple number of ATV’s we 
saw roaring down the road.

Norm Murr
Richmond Hill
Ontario, Canada
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[Ontbirds] Golden Eagle, Great Gray Owl, etc. in Algonquin

[Norm Murr]

Good evening.

This morning Ian Cannell and I birded Algonquin Provincial Park and though we 
missed a Spruce Grouse that was reported wandering along Opeongo Road we did 
okay anyway.

At approximately 6;30 am we spotted a Great Gray Owl on a hydro wire along Hwy 
60 at KM 10.5 and we then headed for the Spruce Bog area where we had the first 
of 4 Black-backed Woodpeckers and the first of 3 Boreal Chickadees. We also had 
several Common Redpolls and a Sharp-shinned Hawk there and on the boardwalk Ian 
spotted a tiny moth, our first of the season.

It was then off to Opeongo Road where we found another Black-backed Woodpecker 
and 2 more Boreal Chickadees along with a few more Common Redpolls.

We then headed to the East Gate so Ian could buy a park pass and on the way we 
stopped at KM 53 where Black-backed Woodpeckers had been seen earlier in the 
week and we lucked into a pair of them along with a Pileated Woodpecker.

Our last stop before heading down to the Carden Alvar was the park Visitor 
Centre. At the centre feeders behind the building were about 35 more Common 
Redpolls and as I stood there looking at them a very noisy Common Raven flew 
over heading south and it rose up and joined what I thought was another Raven 
that turned out to be a juvenile Golden Eagle that slowly circled as it drifted 
north overhead giving us nice views of the Golden Head as the sun shone on it.

Now it was time to head south, see my next posting.

Norm Murr
Richmond Hill
Ontario, Canada
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[Ontbirds] Osprey, Ottawa

[Don Wigle]

We saw our first Osprey of the year at Galetta west of Ottawa this afternoon.  
A photo is shown at 
https://sites.google.com/a/ontariobird.com/ontario-birds/Home/recent-photos

Beth Wigle
Ottawa

Directions: see Google map link http://goo.gl/maps/2vRyp  We saw the Osprey 
circling above a nest on the railroad bridge just east of the village.
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Re: [Ontbirds] Barnacle Goose in Stratford

[Jarmo Jalava]

I was just there -- it's a five-minute walk from home.  
 
No Barnacle Goose, but there was a Bar-headed Goose at the reported location.  
Both species are commonly kept in captivity, and frequently escape, in North 
America.  Today, the quite tame Bar-headed Goose was showing some romantic 
interest in a Canada Goose.
 
On Lake Victoria were a couple of Hooded Mergansers, a few Ring-necked Ducks, a 
Lesser Scaup, and the usual Mallards, Blacks and Canada Geese.
 
Jarmo
 
Coming from the east, Lake Victoria / North Shore Park can be reached by taking 
Highway 8 into Stratford, going through the lights on Romeo, and turning north 
at the next corner onto Parkview, which eventually meets Lakeside Drive, which 
crosses Lake Victoria / Avon River at the Festival Bridge.  North Shore Park is 
on the left (west side) north of the bridge.
 
 
 
Rebecca Flook nesidara 
at faerywood.com 
Sat Apr 6 12:22:34 EDT 2013 
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Question:
Has anyone been able to substantiate this sighting??
As this goose is an ABA Code 5.
"Code 5: Accidental.
Species that are recorded five or fewer times in the ABA Checklist Area, or
fewer than three records in the past 30 years." Thank you
R. Flook -Original Message- 
From: Kelly Russell
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 9:44 PM
To: birdalert at ontbirds.ca Subject: [Ontbirds] Barnacle Goose in Stratford 
April 4th and 5th in North Shore park amongst Canada Geese. Sex unknown. Kelly 
Curtis-Russell & Chloe Russell
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Jarmo Jalava
Director, Ecosystem Recovery
Carolinian Canada Coalition 
"Greening the Future of Southwestern Ontario"
Grosvenor Lodge, by appointment
1017 Western Rd., London, ON N6G 1G5
www.carolinian.org

home office: 519-271-7627

cell: 519-949-0402
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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
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Re: [Ontbirds] Barnacle Goose in Stratford

[Rebecca Flook]

Question:
Has anyone been able to substantiate this sighting??
As this goose is an ABA Code 5.
"Code 5: Accidental.
Species that are recorded five or fewer times in the ABA Checklist Area, or
fewer than three records in the past 30 years."

Thank you
R. Flook

-Original Message- 
From: Kelly Russell

Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 9:44 PM
To: birdalert@ontbirds.ca
Subject: [Ontbirds] Barnacle Goose in Stratford

April 4th and 5th in North Shore park amongst Canada Geese. Sex unknown.

Kelly Curtis-Russell & Chloe Russell
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Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ 



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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
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[Ontbirds] sandhill cranes and great blue heron at Big Creek

[Noah Cole]

Around 10:10 AM I saw a great blue heron and two sandhill cranes at Big
Creek National Wildlife Area.

At 10:20 I saw two more sandhill cranes.

Big Creek National Wildlife Area is just north of Long Point Provincial
Park, near Port Rowan.

Just now, at 10:53 two more sandhill cranes just landed by a flock of
Canada geese in the marsh, near the observation tower.

Noah Cole,
Don Mills

-- 
Noah Cole
647 224 1494
greenravenphotogra...@gmail.com
http://www.GreenRavenPhotography.com 


“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was
loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the earth from our
ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
Native American Proverb

The information and conversation in this e-mail are strictly confidential.
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