Sanderling and other shorebirds - Saturday TTP

[nana]

Shorebirds have been passing thru TTP for the past few weeks including a group of 25 Short-billed dowitchers, many Least and Semi-palmated sandpipers and a few Lesser Yellowlegs. Last night an adult Sanderling was in the mix. A dozen Bank Swallows were  flying low to the water catching midges but the huge group of over 400 that was massing two weeks ago seems to have departed. Two Hooded Mergansers sleeping on a log in Cell 1. A pair of Great Blue Herons flew by and an Egret was wading in the shallows. The wildflowers are wonderful, lots of Red Admirals about, but I have only seen 2 Monarchs to date.

[Kris Ito]

Just a reminder that although the park is closed during the day Mon-Fri, you are allowed in every evening after 4:30 pm when the trucking activity is done for the day. I took my bike out last Thursday and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few folk out there enjoying the cool evening. Since the sun does not currently set until almost 9 pm, there is enough time to either walk or cycle out to Cell 2 without getting caught out there in the dark with the mosquitos.

If you haven't been out lately, Cell 2 is the former pond that has been undergoing major construction all year in an effort to create a new "wetland". It is found past the first marshy area (cell 1), between the fish bridge and the red pedestrian bridge in the centre of the spit. It has recently been drained quite dramatically, creating some temporary mud for shorebirds. Unfortunately the project currently looks like a mostly barren wasteland (yuck), but you can walk out on any of the new rocky berms quite safely. At my last visit I was able to find a few birds at the southern end of the cell.

Here is a link to Ron Pittaway's excellent article about Southbound Shorebirds:  http://ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.southboundshorebirds

-Kris

[Howieh]

Is Leslie St. open yet from the lakeshore to the TTP parking lot?

[Kris Ito]

YES! Finally! Leslie is open both directions from Eastern Avenue down to the park entrance.  

[Howieh]

Thanks, I'll try to get down there this week.

[Kris Ito]

Another lovely evening for a bike ride! Tonight there were two Lesser Yellowlegs, a single Short-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpipers, Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Spotties, Killdeer, and one Semi-palmated Plover. Unfortunately no Sanderling. They've been draining more of the ponds in cell two so be sure to have a peek into all of them, especially the ones at the farthest end. Also please note that the red pedestrian bridge further down the Spit is currently disconnected (I have no idea why). If you really want to go out to the lighthouse you may have to take the long way around.

-kris

[szhai]

In the processing of draining those ponds, they found two fertile Asian Carps! Bad news for the Great Lakes. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/07 ... front.html

[JW Mills]

This morning in Cell 2 we found a few Killdeer, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Spotted Sandpiper,  a few Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Plover and 1 Short-billed Dowitcher.