View from CSS Park
The Annual Ontario Bird Records Committee meeting was on Sunday, so I headed up to Toronto and area on Saturday morning just to check out some areas.
I first went for a walk at Riverwood Park along Burnhamthorpe Road. I became familiar with this park a year ago in the winter. It is a large park with trails and connects with Erindale Park to the south. Soon after my arrival, I heard Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Winter Wren singing. I saw a few birds, and some local people pointed out a Cooper's Hawk at a nest site along the slope.
After lunch, I headed down to the waterfront.
Red-necked Grebe
I went as far east as Colonel Sam Smith Park. It is a good spot for waterfowl and other waterbirds. Dozens of Red-necked Grebes were around as well as a few Horned. I just learned today that a Western Grebe was there briefly Saturday morning, as seen by Mark Peck and company! There is an excellent photo of it on the Toronto Bird Forum by "Denis".
I did not scope for long, and the wind was cold and raw when I was there.
Port Credit There are many parks along the shoreline and some are good for birding. More and more parks are being created or expanded, as they are very popular with the urbanites for recreation! All the parks I stopped at had many people out and about. Some even brought their BBQ's!
Of course a must stop is the mouth of the Credit River at Port Credit in Mississauga. There is a small park on the east side of the mouth (J. J. Plaus Park), or the larger J. C. Saddington Park on the west side. Here we can see the rusting hulk of the Ridgetown which is now 105 years old. It was put there as a breakwater in 1974. It was originally built in 1905 as the Wm. E. Corey, and was the flagship of the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.
A pair of Trumpeter Swans was in the river, but they were too far away to get tag numbers.
"Ridgetown" Just west of Port Credit is Jack Darling Park which connects with Rattray Marsh. There is a trail around the marsh and a nice trail through the woods at the west end.
Rattray Marsh
I walked a bit along the creek and fish were way up in this creek. They must have swam up there during higher water. There were dozens!
Lots of gulls and waterfowl were out on the lake, most of which was too far away for scoping. I saw my first Caspian Terns of the year.
Blake, are horned and rednecked grebes easily found near pelee? I've seen pied-billed grebes in big creek at Holiday Beach. I would love to see the two grebes you spoke of.
ReplyDelete-Dwayne
Dwayne,
ReplyDeleteRed-necked Grebes are rather rare around our parts, but Horned Grebes are fairly common in early spring or fall. They are usually farther out, so you need a scope.
Hello, I think I was the "local"and nice to meet you and talk to you.
ReplyDeleteActually I am not that local, just move to the area last year and start bird watching. Just discover your blog while I was googling for Erindale Park. Please keep up the blog as I like to read and learn more about different birds.