Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Birding Areas => Topic started by: dunheved on September 09, 2009, 02:44:14 AM

Title: Where can I see Pileated woodpecker?
Post by: dunheved on September 09, 2009, 02:44:14 AM

I will be staying with my son in Toronto (Mortimer) for the week 19-26 September (I'm from the UK). It will be my 4th visit and I've yet to see a pileated woodpecker. Can anyone advise me where my best chances of seeing one this time of year might be. Many thanks.

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Post by: The Observer on September 09, 2009, 07:12:03 AM

Although I have never seen one myself I recall reading about sightings at The Brickworks or Rouge Park Beach.

Hope you have a wonderful stay!

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Post by: Dr. John on September 09, 2009, 11:54:02 AM

I saw one just off Bayview in the dip south of Blythwood. That was a couple of years ago. In general, I think they are seen anywhere in Toronto with significant woodland (the ravines, etc.).

-John

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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on September 09, 2009, 06:53:57 PM

in April, there was one, maybe 2, that hung out on the upper wooded escarpment of the Brickworks. i haven't heard it since then. saw it and got a few bad photos of it. it was huge and beautiful.

we are heading to Guelph this sunday. my fiancee's dad claims that one lives near his house and he can always hear it laughing and pecking away.

and Marnie on this board claims to have heard one in the Beechwood watershed on the Don Trail.

Title: Pileated woodpecker...
Post by: bernie2112 on September 09, 2009, 10:05:22 PM

Greetings!

If you do not mind a two hour drive from Toronto we saw a Pileated Woodpecker at the Viamede resort.http:// [url=http://www.viamede.com/]http://www.viamede.com/ http://

It was regularly by the tennis court eating berries from the vine on the fence. We must have seen it five or so times from a sunday evening to monday morning.

Cheers,

Bernie

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Post by: The Observer on September 09, 2009, 10:42:35 PM

Also try the search feature on this site...

At worst, you'll see the last sightings and where for this year and those from this time last year.

Hope it helps.
Enjoy!

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Post by: Marnie on September 10, 2009, 07:42:44 PM

I did better than "claim," I posted some pictures here:

http://outdoorontario.net/birds/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=11219&highlight=#11219

If you go down the Pottery Road Hill (Mortimer turns into Pottery Road) and turn right along the bike path when you get to the river, that's where I saw this one. I haven't seen it since then, unfortunately.

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Post by: Pruss on September 11, 2009, 04:21:47 PM

Hi there,

Again... if you don't mind a drive, Algonquin Park is worth a drive and overnight.  There are a number of hiking trails of differing lengths and through different habitats.  Last weekend my wife and I were able to have a great look at a pair of Black Backed Woodpeckers, Boreal Chickadees, Swamp Sparrow among others.  Pileated Woodpeckers are in the park, and there are many other fun birds to find that don't make it this far south.

Happy Birding, and welcome to Toronto!

-- Pruss

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Post by: TomTelford on September 22, 2009, 06:54:55 PM

dunheved,

I hope your trip is going well and that you can still follow this board.  We have a female pileated on or near our farm in Orono (as I just discovered this evening).  If you have the chance to come about an hour east of Toronto we'd be happy to have you come by.  I had been hearing the short calls all summer though I didn't know which bird it was at the time so it must have a nest either on our property or in the conservation area right next to us.  

Tom.

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Post by: Pat Hodgson on September 23, 2009, 03:26:59 PM

I'm not sure there is any completely reliable place to go see one as they can range over a pretty large area.  I have seen some over the years in the woods around Sunnybrook Park.  Directions at:http://www.torontobirding.ca/hotspots/descriptions.php#link51  It is a big area and luck will be required.  One area of good forest is around the absolute furthest-in parking lot, past the horse barns and the cricket fields.  I've also seen them on the hillsides across the river using the small bridge near the horse barns.