Ibis Species - Cranberry Marsh

Apparently not an easy spot...The reporting post indicated it was visible for about 15 minutes over 11 and 1/2 hours. Most likely a Glossy Ibis but maybe it will be moe accomodating tomorrow.

Cranberry Marsh is in Whitby located on Halls's Road ( just off of Victoria Rd. ). Check out I'm assuming the bird will be best seen by the South Viewing Platform. Good Luck !

We will be back...

All apologies for the lack of action. Circumstances have limited the ability to report. The good news...we will be back in action for the fall, trying to keep up with a busy ( hopefully ) migration season. Good luck to everyone and please check back soon !

Warbler Migration, Piping Plover and Western Grebe

Warbler migration is in full effect. There is a benefit to posting the sightings of warblers here but be warned...many of these birds are on the move and may not stay in one place for long. That said, it was interesting to hear about Yellow-Throated Warblers have been spotted at several different sites in the GTA, including Rattray Marsh, Mississauga and Col Sam Smith Park in Toronto.
A Piping Plover was spotted along the beach at Darlington Provincial Park and was still there this morning. Hopefully, it will stay around for the weekend.
Also of interest, a Western Grebe has been seen at the Port Credit Harbour. There was a Western Grebe seen at Col. Sam Smith Park earlier in the spring. Could it be the same bird ? Advice from ONTBirds postings is to bring a scope.

Check ONTbirds for more information on these sightings.

Good Luck !

Not in or near Toronto but...

A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT has been sighted in Wheatley, ON. The bird is in Muddy Creek. This creek flows into Wheatley Harbour and can be viewed from the intersection of City Rd. 1 and Deer Run Road. There have been several postings on ONTBirds. Check them out for more info. Good Luck !

Easter Weekend Sightings

A few interesting birds around the GTA, if not exactly inthe GTA itself. A COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL was spotted in Niagara-on-the-lake flying with a flock of Bonaparte's Gulls. This gull can be found along the east coast of North America during the winter but it is a vagrant and almost never seen in Ontario. If you are a provincial lister, this sighting should spark some interest !
Speaking of interesting, a flock of AMERICAN AVOCETS, 32 in all, set down in Presqu'ile Provincial Park. This species is tough to find in Ontario and a large flock this far east is not expected. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Little Gulls at Second Marsh, Oshawa

Little gull numbers are building at Second Marsh. Reports over the last week show increasing numbers. The window for seeing the smallest gull species is only a few weeks; many have moved on by the first weekend in May. Larger numbers of Bonaparte Gulls are found here too.

Red Crossbills, Ganaraska Forest

There are consistent reports of Red Crossbills in Ganaraska Forest, about 45-60 minutes outside of Toronto. Although, it isn't technically in the GTA, this crossbill can be elusive, so why not post this info here ? It is not a certainty but some of the individuals seem to be displaying breeding behaviour so they may be there for at least a while longer. There are a number of postings from Ontbirds since the beginning of April. I will provide links below. http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/Ontario_Birds/914447 http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/Ontario_Birds/921063 http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/Ontario_Birds/919455 The crossbills were seen on April 15th, following the exact instructions in the last link. The trails are still icy in places and this weekend probably did not improve them. Here is the web-site for more information on Ganaraska Forest : http://www.grca.on.ca/ Good Luck !