Birding Lake Ontario Shoreline

Saturday morning I was up early to head towards Toronto.  This weekend (Sunday) was the annual meeting of the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC).  When I was on the committee before, I always went up a day ahead of time to look around.  I do not get to that locale often.  Seems I used to in the distant past though!

Skies were clear most of the weekend, but the unseasonably cold weather continued.  In fact, I heard comments that we are on our third winter for this year!

My first stop was J. J. Plaus Park in Port Credit. 

This small park at the mouth of the Credit River is often a good spot in winter to see waterfowl and waterbirds.  I also recall Yellow-rumped Warblers here in winter a number of years ago.  

This day, there was not much around but I did a see a few Red-necked Grebes in the distance.
Many years ago, a pair of Great Cormorants were hanging around here.  This is one species I went to chase!  The two were perched on the bow of the old laker when I saw them.

It is also a spot I like to view the old lake ship Ridgetown that has been in place since the early 1970's.  It is looking a little worse for the wear!  I would imagine the steel is getting rather thin.

This ship was one of four sister ships built in 1905.  Originally named William E. Corey, it sailed for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company (later United States Steel).  In the 1960's it was sold Canadian to Upper Lakes Shipping and named the Ridgetown (for the village in Chatham-Kent).  The latter name is long since worn off, but the original name can actually be seen peaking through on the bow.

I then moved east to Colonel Sam Smith Park at the end of Kipling Road in Toronto.  This is a very popular birding stop for many.  

Here, a large number of Red-necked Grebes can be seen.  They littered the place.

This area is no doubt the largest staging area for this species in Ontario.

I estimated over 200 of them in my visit.  Last week, David Pryor et al. estimated around 2000!

While there, the Red-necked Grebes were quite vocal and many were paired up and displaying.  Others were singletons.

A good variety of ducks was around during my visit.

After a quick lunch, I headed back west to J. C. Saddington Park, on the west side of the Credit River.  It is a popular spot to view the lake for waterbirds.

I sat on the rocks for a while looking at waterfowl.  I then started walking west and stopped to scan again, and noticed something intriguing.  A Western Grebe!  I was not even carrying a scope (too lazy!), but this bird was just close enough to be seen well.  Very distinctive.

On this trip, I did not bother to bring the big camera, so I just had the Canon G16 for record shots.

first view

This is the second "self-found" Western Grebe for me in Ontario.  I found one off Pinery Provincial Park in 18 November 2006 which is an odd story in itself.

The Port Credit bird is interesting, as one shows up in this area almost every year at this time.  In fact, a couple of the birders present predicted one would show up this very weekend!  Quite possibly, it is the same returning bird (just like a dove at Rondeau!).

I put out the word on Ontbirds.  I stuck around, and soon many birders started arriving.  Included was David Pryor who was sick in bed when he got the word!

I stayed quite a while helping birders spot the grebe.  The Western Grebe moved around quite a bit and even went right up to the Ridgetown and into the mouth of the Credit River.

The was a good raft of White-winged Scoters present as well (up to about 60), and a couple of Surf Scoters.  A Common Loon or two was also seen.

After two hours there, I was chilled to the bone, and left to find a motel for the night and get some supper.

I did not do any birding today, but the trip into Toronto and to the ROM went well.

Weekend Birding on Lake Ontario

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.

Change of Scenery

the Toronto skyline from Col Sam Smith Park

I spent the Valentine's weekend birding in and around Mississauga. The weather was fantastic. Today was perfect with clear skies, no wind, and mild temperatures. I spent the time with my girlfriend Jo-Anne and I helped her record some observations for the Great Backyard Bird Count at various locations.

Our first target was Colonel Sam Smith Park in Etobicoke on Saturday morning. The main attraction here was the waterfowl, plus the wintering Snowy Owl.

Snowy Owl atop electrical service box in the marina

We saw the owl first thing in the marina. This is the same bird we saw just before New Year's. A couple of Horned Grebes had been reported previously, but I saw at least four on the lake! As well, I spotted a Red-necked Grebe quite far out.

Gadwall and other ducks

Thanks to a tip from Glenn Coady, we found the three Harlequin Ducks, albeit far away.

Our last location there led us to the well-reported male King Eider. We had almost lost hope in seeing it for the trip. I did take a poor photo, but I only had my small point and shoot camera. I was not too interested in photography for this trip.

The next stop before lunch was the park at Port Credit. There were lots of ducks and swans, including three Trumpeter Swans (all tagged). The numbers were recorded and will be reported to Harry Lumsden (#06, #E26. #137). Interestingly, we saw #E21 and #E27 at Humber Bay on our last visit.

I also spotted a lone Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Here, I got a closer look at the Ridgetown that I mentioned a while back. She is looking rather sad, but this hull is 104 years old! The paint is wearing off, and I could see her old name peeking through: William E. Corey. A complete history of the vessel is pasted below (from the book Ahoy and Farewell).

After lunch we checked out Riverwood Park where the much-mentioned Brown Thrasher was wintering. Depite many attempts, I did not see it! Jo-Anne first reported this bird on January 11.

One of many Chickadees getting handouts

There were lots of birds here including Pine Siskins, Redpolls, nuthatches, etc. I even caught a glimpse of a Song Sparrow. We luckily caught sight of a Hairy Woodpecker peeking out its hole!

Hairy Woodpecker

Next day we first stopped at Riverwood Park, but still the thrasher was not to be seen while I was there. Dave Milsom was looking as well, but it was quiet there.

Our main target for the day was Jack Darling Park and Rattray Marsh. There were lots of woodpeckers and chickadees there. A couple of redpolls flew over, as well as some siskins. I heard a Carolina Wren singing in the distance.

We had robins at almost every location on the trip. There are lots wintering all over when you down to it. Many people thought these were spring birds, but obviously they are not familiar to the fact that thousands of robins do winter in Ontario every year.

wintering American Robin

After finishing here, it was time for lunch then my trip home to Wallaceburg.

As a side note, the Thames River is now flooding. Coming through Thamesville this afternoon, the water was up to the highway! I have not seen it this high.

RIDGETOWN, C.305991, Lake Bulk Freighter built in 1905, at a cost of $475,000, by the Chicago Shipbuilding Co., Chicago, IL as Hull #67. Launched June 24, 1905 as a) WILLIAM E. COREY, US.202296, the first flagship for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, OH. 569'loa, 549'x 56'x 31'; 6363 GRT, 5045 NRT. Powered by an 1,800 ihp triple expansion steam engine, 24",39 1/8",65 1/2" dia. x 42" stroke, and two coal-fired Scotch marine boilers, 15'4" x 11'6", with a combined heating surface of 5964 sq.ft. Engine and boilers built in 1905 by the American Ship Building Co., Cleveland. She was the near sistership to the HENRY C. FRICK, ELBERT H. GARY, and GEORGE W. PERKINS. The CORY sailed from Chicago on her maiden voyage August 12, 1905 bound for Duluth, MN to load iron ore. On November 28, 1905 the WILLIAM E. COREY was driven hard aground onto Gull Island Reef in the Apostle Islands in western Lake Superior during what some say was the worst November storm on the Great Lakes. In a very short period of time, temperatures dropped to twelve degrees F below zero and winds reached hurricane force. Three days of seventy to eighty mile per hour winds, blinding snow showers and mountainous seas wrecked thirty vessels with a loss of seventy-eight lives. After taking a terrible beating, a monumental effort was required to free her. At one time the salvage force included 158 men, four steamers (MANOLA, MARINA, SIR WILLIAM SIEMENS and DOUGLASS HOUGHTON) and the tugs EDNA G. and GLADIATOR. On December 10, 1905 the CORY finally was pulled free and refloated. The cost of salvage and repairs totaled $100,000. During the ordeal the SIEMENS and EDNA G. also grounded on the same reef, their damage amounted to $6,000. The CORY was reconstructed with 17 hatches on 24' centers which replaced her original 12' center hatches. A new tank top and two coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox water tube boilers, with a heating surface of 6980 sq.ft., were installed in April 1937. New tonnage; 6485 GRT, 5118 NRT, 10,950 dwt. The WILLIAM E. COREY was laid up at Duluth early in 1960 until she was sold to Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., and placed into British registry; London, England in July 1963 and renamed b) RIDGETOWN. In 1965 she was registered Canadian to Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., Toronto, Ont. Canadian tonnage: 7637 GRT, 5362 NRT, 11,300 dwt. The RIDGETOWN operated regularly until November 17, 1969 when she was laid up at Toronto with a load of grain. She was sold in May 1970 to the Canadian Dredge & Dry Dock Co. Ltd. of Toronto. On June 1, 1970 the RIDGETOWN was towed to Port Colborne, Ont. where she was loaded with stone and was towed to Nanticoke, Ont. to form a temporary breakwall during the construction of the Ontario Hydro Power Plant. The de-activated steamers LACKAWANNA and KINSMAN VENTURE were also used as temporary breakwalls there. After being raised, the RIDGETOWN was towed by the tugs SALVAGE MONARCH and HELEN M. McALLISTER to Toronto on September 5, 1973 where she spent the winter. On June 21, 1974 the RIDGETOWN was loaded with stone and again sunk as a breakwater at the entrance to Port Credit Harbour (on the north shore of Lake Ontario just west of Toronto) with her cabins and stack still in place. She remains there to this time. The registry for the RIDGETOWN was closed on June 19, 1974.