Reesor Pond North and South - May 18

[zadore]

Reesor Pond North (Reesor and Hwy. 407)

Red-winged Blackbird
American Crow
Canada Goose
Common Grackle
Ring-billed Gull
Red-Tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron (2)
Killdeer
Belted Kingfisher
Mallard
Osprey (soaring for about 5 minutes)
Semipalmated Plover
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Song Sparrow
European Starling
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Turkey Vulture

Reesor Pond South (Reesor just north of Steeles)

American Coot (1 Adult, 3 babies)
Ring Necked Duck
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Red-Tailed Hawk

[gary yankech]

Cool, great list, ,.... just a question, the second pond, wouldn't that be the wetland just north of the Toronto zoo, north of Old Finch? Or are you talking  about the very small pond in Bob Memorial Park, north of Steeles on the west side, off 14th Ave? On Sunday, May 20th, I saw the American Coot, Pie-Billed Grebe, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon and other birds south of Steeles on the east side, just north of the back entrance of the Toronto zoo in the restoration wetland of Rouge Park.

Gary Yankech

[zadore]

Hey Gary, you are right, the pond is just north of Old Finch NOT Steeles.

Cheers,
Phil (we met at Rosetta McLean gardens when you were shooting ladybugs)

[pacharo]

I hope this is the right forum to post this query.

I drove a year ago to Reesor Road, Just North of the 407, but could not find an entrance on the West side of Reesor Road let alone a place to park since this was a busy road with no shoulder (there was a locked gate if I recall). I thought I had seen the pond on Google satellite, so needless to say I felt like the proverbial lost tourist.
(A good thing I had just visited Milne Dam and got some Great Egrets, a Cooper's Hawk and a GBH on camera, so the day was not a total waste...).

Again looking at Google satellite, there seems to be a pond North East of Reesor Road and Old Finch.

Could you tell me exactly where these 2 Reesor ponds are - what road do you access them through, and where do you park or enter the area? How far do you have to walk?  

I would be grateful for any direction.

Moy

[thouc]

For the North Reesor Pond, just south of Hwy 7 on the west side of Reesor Rd., there is space to park at the locked gate. You can then walk past the gate and there's a paved path going about halfway around the pond (on the east, north and part of the south side of the pond).

/Thomas

[pacharo]

Thank you Thomas!

[gary yankech]

Hi Phil,

nice to hear from you, glad you joined this forum!

To add to Thomas' posting,  the north Reesor pond ( if you are heading north up Reesor), is just past the 407 underpass. There is only one spot for a car at the actual gate, other than that, you'll have to park on the shoulder. For the south Pond, If you head back south down Reesor, take a slight right turn on Steeles and then back south on Reesor, just before the Zoo watch for an wide, open space on the east side for the pond. If you make it to Old Finch, you past it. Turn back, it is only a few metres away, there is lots of space to park.

Gary Yankech

[pacharo]

Thank you, Gary, for the additional detailed directions.
I won't feel like a lost tourist next time...
Moy

[zadore]

Headed back today and found 4 black-bellied plovers and a green-winged teal at the north pond (reesor and 407). Didn't see the Wilson's Phalarope or the Piping Plover.

At the south pond (reesor north of Old Finch) found the pied-billed grebes - looks like a couple and a juvenile, maybe - and the american coot is still there. Didn't see the ring-necked duck.

Phil