There was a female Wilson's Phalarope in full breeding plumage in sw bay of Rattray today around noon. The waters are much higher than in May due to the record June rainfall and most of the mudflats present all spring are flooded. The phalarope was in area of emergent vegetation on sw side of sand island in the middle of marsh and could only be seen from the outflow channel into Lake Ontario. Other shorebirds include 3 Short-billed Dowitchers, 1 breeding plumage Least Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Sandpipers, 3 Killdeers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs and 1 Solitary Sandpiper. I also counted 79 Red-necked Grebes (which I thought was very early for a concentration this large) in Lake Ontario just off the outlet of Sheridan Creek from the marsh.
Directions: The marsh in most easily accessed at the bottom of Bexhill Road which runs of Lakeshore Boulevard between Mississauga Road the Erin Mills Parkway. Wayne Renaud _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
