Did a three-town excursion. Birds seen -
1)West of Barrie --pure white SNOWY OWL and SNOW BUNTINGS (over 300).
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Burlington Lift Bridge - Adult PEREGRINE FALCON, SURF SCOTERS, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, lots ducks
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La Salle Park on Hamilton Harbour - white juvenile SNOW GOOSE, Young COOPERS HAWK
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Lake Ridge Rd - Whitby - 2 GREAT GRAY OWLS
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Halls Road Whitby - BARRED OWL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, LONG EARED OWL (heard crying just north of south path, not seen)
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Thickson Woods - GREAT HORNED OWL (heard not seen-"who's awake")
Directions:
SNOWY OWL - 400 Hwy to Barrie, Take Bayfield St west to Hwy 26, then follow 26 to Edenvale. Set odometer to 0. Continue 3km on Hwy 26, left on Strongville Rd. Set odometer to 0. About 1km south is the Strongville Gospel Hall. About 0.6 km on left, a flock of over 300 snow buntings. Continue till the road jogs right and then quickly left. Right there are 2 silos. The snowy owl was on top of a utility pole there.
LaSalle Park. - Queen E from Toronto past 403 to North Shore Blvd exit - go about 3 km west on North Shore Blvd to LaSalle Pk Rd, turn left and go down to the parking lot on the water.
Burlington Lift Bridge - (Coming from Toronto) After pass 403, take Eastport Drive exit off Queen E and turn left at lights. You can see the green lift bridge on your right. Drive across the lift bridge. You can park on your right just past the bridge. Peregrine often on bridge cables or green bridge supports.Channel full of ducks and scoters etc.
Halls Rd - Take 401 east from Toronto to exit 410 (Brock St) and go south to Victoria and turn right and travel about five minutes to Halls Rd on left. Turn left and go down to two pathways into the marsh on left. Owls along roadway and down pathways.
Lake Ridge Rd - first light west of Halls Rd on Victoria (Victoria becomes Bayley Rd at Lake Ridge Rd). Owls half way down on right.
Thickson Woods - take exit 412 off 401 and go south almost to lake. If you park there in the parking area you may hear the GH owl near dusk from Thickson Woods on your left.
Good birding.
Mike Johnston Cobourg
Did a three-town excursion. Birds seen -
1)West of Barrie --pure white SNOWY OWL and SNOW BUNTINGS (over 300).
2) Burlington Lift Bridge - Adult PEREGRINE FALCON, SURF SCOTERS, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, lots ducks
3) La Salle Park on Hamilton Harbour - white juvenile SNOW GOOSE, Young COOPERS HAWK
4) Lake Ridge Rd - Whitby - 2 GREAT GRAY OWLS
5) Halls Road Whitby - BARRED OWL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, LONG EARED OWL (heard crying just north of south path, not seen)
6) Thickson Woods - GREAT HORNED OWL (heard not seen-"who's awake")
Directions:
SNOWY OWL - 400 Hwy to Barrie, Take Bayfield St west to Hwy 26, then follow 26 to Edenvale. Set odometer to 0. Continue 3km on Hwy 26, left on Strongville Rd. Set odometer to 0. About 1km south is the Strongville Gospel Hall. About 0.6 km on left, a flock of over 300 snow buntings. Continue till the road jogs right and then quickly left. Right there are 2 silos. The snowy owl was on top of a utility pole there.
LaSalle Park. - Queen E from Toronto past 403 to North Shore Blvd exit - go about 3 km west on North Shore Blvd to LaSalle Pk Rd, turn left and go down to the parking lot on the water.
Burlington Lift Bridge - (Coming from Toronto) After pass 403, take Eastport Drive exit off Queen E and turn left at lights. You can see the green lift bridge on your right. Drive across the lift bridge. You can park on your right just past the bridge. Peregrine often on bridge cables or green bridge supports.Channel full of ducks and scoters etc.
Halls Rd - Take 401 east from Toronto to exit 410 (Brock St) and go south to Victoria and turn right and travel about five minutes to Halls Rd on left. Turn left and go down to two pathways into the marsh on left. Owls along roadway and down pathways.
Lake Ridge Rd - first light west of Halls Rd on Victoria (Victoria becomes Bayley Rd at Lake Ridge Rd). Owls half way down on right.
Thickson Woods - take exit 412 off 401 and go south almost to lake. If you park there in the parking area you may hear the GH owl near dusk from Thickson Woods on your left.
Good birding.
Mike Johnston Cobourg
