Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Ed O'Connor on May 03, 2008, 04:25:02 PM
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For anyone thinking of visiting the Spit tomorrow, here is a brief summary of birds seen this morning, before the rain started around noon. There were so many birds in the western baselands that I spent three hours there and never made it further out. First time this spring I've found a good number and variety of warblers, including:
Northern Parula
Yellow-rumped
Black & White
Yellow
Ovenbird
Black-throated Green
Black-throated Blue
Palm
Magnolia
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Waterthrush
In addition, I had reliable reports of Blue-winged and Chestnut-sided.
Sparrows included Song, White-crowned, White-throated, Swamp, and Savannah. Also saw a male and female Purple Finch and the same for Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. There was a flock of about 20 Bobolinks in one of the more open areas, feeding and singing, and there was another flock of Rusty Blackbirds in one of the areas with standing water. As well, I saw and heard my first Baltimore Oriole of the year.
For shorebirds, there were several (5+) Solitary Sandpipers, and both Woodcock and Wilson's Snipe were popping up like toast throughout. There were also many Brown Thrashers and Hermit Thrushes.
Finally, in one of the more secluded ponds, I had a good look at an American Bittern, and Brian (thanks Brian!) pointed out a skulking Virginia Rail.
Generally speaking the wetter areas were the most productive, and with conditions being what they are, the birds should still be around for Sunday.