Highlights Tuesday morning total: 114 species
A movement of waterbirds on Lake Ontario (gulls, grebes, waterfowl, etc) this morning from the SE.
There has been a significant drop in Thrashers, Towhees and White-throated Sparrows overnight.
The Barrier Beach running along the south side of McLaughlin Bay(marsh just east of Second Marsh) has some ponding areas on the beach that are starting to attract shorebirds.
The Warblers (other than Yellow and Yellow-rumped) were seen in 3 locations primarily( the grove of trees just south of the GM platform and in Darlington Provincial Park around the Park Store and campsite 211). The Yellow Warblers are now starting to builds nests.
Waterfowl: 19 Species including 2 Black, 7 Surf, and 34 White-winged Scoters, 3 Northern Shoveler, 6 Common Goldeneyes, Redhead pair, Lesser Scaup pair, female Ring-necked Duck, 530+ Long-tailed Ducks( in various plumages), 1262+ Red-breasted Mergansers.
Loons and Grebes: 22 Common Loons. 3 Pied-billed, 4 Red-necked Grebes and 1 Horned Grebe
18 Little Gulls and 914 Bonaparte's Gulls foraging offshore. 6 of the Little Gulls came into the Second Marsh and did several Courtship flights before returning to join the foraging gulls offshore. Bonaparte's/Little Gulls were streaming in from the SE all morning.
2 Virginia Rail, 1 Sora, 5 Moorhens, and 2 Coots observed this morning. 1 Virginia Rail was observed foraging within 4 feet of a Vocal Northern Waterthrush south of the GM platform.
Raptors: 2 Species including 2 Northern Harrier that crossed the lake in the early morning and came ashore at Darlington shortly before 10am. Also the Resident Cooper's Hawk female caught a Blue Jay a short distance from its nest.
2 Great Horned Owl young appear to be ready to leave the nest anyday.
Vireos and Wrens: Same species as yesterday. The Sedge Wren is still singing along the marsh trail between the GM platform and Cool Hollow
WARBLERS 15 species: , Nashville 5, Northern Parula 3, Chestnut-sided 1, Yellow-rumped 115, Black and White 4, Black-throated Blue 5 , Blackburnian 5, Black-throated Green 9, Cape May 1, Pine 1, Palm 21, Yellow 41, Northern Waterthrush 1 , Ovenbird 1, and Common
Yellowthroat 2
Also seen Eastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Gray Catbird, Baltimore
and Orchard Oriole, Least Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Bobolink and Purple Finch.
Direction:
Oshawa Second Marsh
Exit from the 401 at the Harmony Rd. Exit(419) in Oshawa. Go south on
Farewell St. Colonel Sam Drive. Turn East onto Colonel Sam Drive and follow
to the parking lot at the GM Headquarters. Park in the west parking lot
close to the marsh. The east (GM) platform is visible from the NW corner of
the lot.
For a trail map of the Oshawa Second Marsh area visit
www.secondmarsh.com and check the link for a trail map of
the area
Darlington Provincial Park borders the east side Oshawa Second
Marsh/McLaughlin Bay Nature Reserve.
To access the campground and park store area from the east.Take the Courtice road exit from the 401 and follow the park signs. There is a small parking lot at the gatehouse. Park here and walk the trail to the south. This will take you into the campground area. The park store is just south of the main office past the main gate.
