To all, Four Common Loons were washed ashore today over a relatively short stretch of beach on Lake Ontario just west of Bowmanville Harbour. I did not have an opportunity to check adjacent beach areas to see if more birds could be found there. I recall about this time last year there being a large die-off of loons on Lake Ontario because of an outbreak of avian botulism. I believe there was a similar outbreak on the New York State side of eastern Lake Ontario this past July that was reported to have effected mostly gulls and Caspian Terns. Directions: Exit eastbound 401 at Bowmanville (Liberty Road). Turn right onto Lake Road. Turn Right onto Port Darlington Road. Turn right onto West Beach Road. Travel to the base of West Beach Road where there is a parkette. The beach can be accessed from here. The birds were found to the west. Regards, Rob Maciver

Will visiting some friends this past weekend they pointed out a common loon that had washed ashore on a shoal near their cottage. The cottage is located on Little Pine Tree Harbour near the tip of the Bruce Peninsula on the Lake Huron side. Pat Walsh ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Maciver" <Rob@hgr.ca> To: <ontbirds@hwcn.org> Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 11:32 PM Subject: [Ontbirds]Common Loon Die-off - Bowmanville Harbour > To all, > > Four Common Loons were washed ashore today over a relatively short > stretch of beach on Lake Ontario just west of Bowmanville Harbour. I > did not have an opportunity to check adjacent beach areas to see if more > birds could be found there. > > I recall about this time last year there being a large die-off of loons > on Lake Ontario because of an outbreak of avian botulism. I believe > there was a similar outbreak on the New York State side of eastern Lake > Ontario this past July that was reported to have effected mostly gulls > and Caspian Terns. > > Directions: > Exit eastbound 401 at Bowmanville (Liberty Road). Turn right onto Lake > Road. Turn Right onto Port Darlington Road. Turn right onto West Beach > Road. Travel to the base of West Beach Road where there is a parkette. > The beach can be accessed from here. The birds were found to the west. > > Regards, > > Rob Maciver > _______________________________________________ > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial > birding organization. > Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org > For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit > http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdshow.htm > ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm > > >