[Ontbirds] Female Barrow's Goldeneye, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher in Mississauga

[Giraud, Jacques]

I spent a few hours birding the Mississauga shoreline between the Credit
River and Rattray Marsh. I saw a female Barrow's Goldeneye along the
trail that leads west out of JC Saddington Park along the waterfront
heading west. The bird was located next to a small jetty feeding along
the ice edge.

 

At Rattray Marsh, I found a mature bald eagle west of the mouth of the
river that feeds the marsh and a belted kingfisher flying over the
marsh.

 

On a stranger note, I watched a black-capped chickadee feeding on moths
that were flying around the marsh near the boardwalk. Never expected to
see that in January in Mississauga.

 

A Google map (useful for getting specific directions and exact locations
of the birds can be found here):

http://www.giraud.com/blog/2008/01/08/unusual-birds-in-mississauga-ontar
io

 

To get directions from the map, click on one of the markers and there is
an option to get direction to the marker.

 

JC Saddington Park is located at the base of Mississauga Rd South. Take
the QEW west and exit at Mississauga Road. Drive south along Mississauga
Road until it comes to the lake. The park is on the left hand side, the
trail on the right hand side.

 

Rattray Marsh is in Mississauga. From the QEW exit at Southdown Road,
travel south to Lakeshore Road (old Highway 2). Turn left (east) and
drive through Clarkson Village. Turn right (south) on Bexhill Road (just
past the 5th or 6th stop light east of Southdown). Park at the bottom of
the street near a laneway access to Rathway . At the bottom of the hill
follow the boardwalk east( LEFT) to the lake then walk the shore west to
the outlet.

 

Good birding

Jacques Giraud