Lower Reesor Pond

[Shortsighted]

 I stopped by Reesor pond (south), aka lower Reesor pond, and found very little of the pond to be extant. The smaller portion south of the observation spot was mostly mud, both dried and still wet, while the larger portion to the north was reduced to about 20% of its former coverage. The mud has dried in many spots making access possible. Regions still covered in vegetation are still moist enough to make foot falls sink into the mud. Boots are recommended. The surviving water had a few ducks and a few shorebirds: 2 x Wilson’s Snipe, a couple of Least SP, three or four Lesser Yellowlegs. I didn’t have time to linger, as usual, and wasn’t dressed for a walkabout. A long lens would be needed. Another option, for those with a life, is to arrive just before daybreak and walk out to the mudflat in boots and a nylon body suit, install a vinyl sheet, a foam mat, and a backpack as pillow and then wait for the light to rise. By the time your light meter wakes up all the shorebirds will have learned to ignore you. Now, if only I could actually do that.
 

[Ally]

I stopped by Reesor pond (south), aka lower Reesor pond, and found very little of the pond to be extant. The smaller portion south of the observation spot was mostly mud, both dried and still wet, while the larger portion to the north was reduced to about 20% of its former coverage. The mud has dried in many spots making access possible. Regions still covered in vegetation are still moist enough to make foot falls sink into the mud. Boots are recommended. The surviving water had a few ducks and a few shorebirds: 2 x Wilson’s Snipe, a couple of Least SP, three or four Lesser Yellowlegs. I didn’t have time to linger, as usual, and wasn’t dressed for a walkabout. A long lens would be needed. Another option, for those with a life, is to arrive just before daybreak and walk out to the mudflat in boots and a nylon body suit, install a vinyl sheet, a foam mat, and a backpack as pillow and then wait for the light to rise. By the time your light meter wakes up all the shorebirds will have learned to ignore you. Now, if only I could actually do that.

My challenge is to actually find the pond. I have never been able to figure out the Rogue park, and all the pond you are talking about. Am I beyond help?

[Shortsighted]

Fear not, my child, for thou shalt see the light reflecting off the mud soon enough.
Head north on Meadowvale Road from Sheppard Avenue, East. You will pass the Toronto Zoo on the left. Make a left turn when you hit Finch. Finch takes you west-bound and past the northern limit of the zoo. You will glimpse the administration building on your left. Keep going west until you hit Reesor Rd, which starts on Finch and heads north. You make a right turn onto Reesor Rd and head north.Within less than a km you will see a widening of the right shoulder in the shape of a half circle. Pull over and park. There is a small weed encroached path that leads to the observation spot for the pond. The path is only about 20 meters long. When you get there you will see very little pond. Look north and you will see what is left of it. Wear boots and carefully proceed toward the water. Get as close as you feel comfortable with and pull out your ground cover mat and get down on it. Train your mighty lens on whatever you can. It should be cooler after Tuesday. Today is way too hot.

[Ally]

Thanks for the detailed instruction. I will try some time later this week.

[Shortsighted]

Might I suggest that you also take a site shot for future reference, much as I suggested you do for Rattray after finally discovering how to access the mudflats via the shingle beach. After all, you take pictures of signs for subsequent application. So do I.

[Ally]

Haha, and miss all the oportunities and fun of dumping all the questions on you?

Might I suggest that you also take a site shot for future reference, much as I suggested you do for Rattray after finally discovering how to access the mudflats via the shingle beach. After all, you take pictures of signs for subsequent application. So do I.

[Shortsighted]

No Wilson's snipe this time. There were two of them before / Sora on the wettest northern shoreline x 1 - amongst the reeds / Lesser Yellowlegs still present - a couple of them / smaller peep but could not be certain of species without getting closer, which was not in the cards this time (again). If Ally makes it there and trains her 600mm there might be clarification. Still no boots because I didn't expect to drop by - just binoculars,which I keep in the car. You know, just in case.

[alex]

I had planned on visiting the pond today for the first time but wore out my legs on the southern trails. I did see my first Pileated Woodpecker though, which has been my grail for some time!


Red-headed next… anyone seen one?

[Ally]

No Wilson's snipe this time. There were two of them before / Sora on the wettest northern shoreline x 1 - amongst the reeds / Lesser Yellowlegs still present - a couple of them / smaller peep but could not be certain of species without getting closer, which was not in the cards this time (again). If Ally makes it there and trains her 600mm there might be clarification. Still no boots because I didn't expect to drop by - just binoculars,which I keep in the car. You know, just in case.

Ally will try to make the effort. With boots.

[Shortsighted]

Congrats on your Pileated sighting. I saw one here in Pickering about a week ago. As for red heads, well I saw a beautiful red head walking across Twyn Rivers and she was in the prime of life and she wore these magnificent riding boots .... oh, you mean woodpecker. Sorry, I've never see one of those. There was one at Ashbridges Bay once and on a day that I was there but I didn't get to see it. I reckon that was my best chance. Not holding my breath.

[alex]

Haha 😂 Thanks! I wont hold my breath either as I know those red heads are uncommon 😉. If you’re gonna have a grail though… why not set the bar high.

[thouc]

I saw one Red-headed Woodpecker Aug 31 at John E Pearce Provincial Park (Elgin County), but they are hard to come by in the GTA.


/Thomas

[alex]

Thanks for the tip! Might have to day trip out there sometime and look around. Did you hear it first and then look for it? Or was it a pure surprise?

[Leslie Kinrys]

FYI, if you park at Lower Reesor, you could get a parking ticket. In Toronto, it is considered illegal to park on a boulevard.

[Shortsighted]

Good to know, but that's not going to stop me. There is a semicircular widening of the gravel shoulder for a reason. It also helps to have Ministry of the Environment stickers on your vehicle. Let's face it, everything that doesn't directly or indirectly support the financial health of some corporation is illegal. Some of the things that are considered strictly illegal would make your head spin. Some of the bylaws are ancient ... written on animal skins. Man, when I think of some of the stuff we did during the 1960's was all done without the slightest hassle or complaint from anyone. Now, I cannot even mention some of them without red flags, bells and alarms sounding. I'm getting a little tired of a system that has as its mission to protect me from everything, including myself. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for parking at the site for the short period of time that bird watchers are likely to visit. There is also a gravel lane a little farther up the road that belongs to an abandoned farm house. There is a chain across the driveway to prevent anyone from reaching the farm house but there should be just enough room to back a small car into the lane before hitting the chain with your bumper.