[Ontbirds] Short-eared Owl & Black-headed Gulls - Minesing Wetlands, Barrie

[Chris Evans]

Dear Birders,

Here's a brief Minesing Wetlands trip report with some awesome sightings.
Or was that an awesome trip with some brief sightings?  No, I was right the
first time.

The Minesing Wetlands is an internationally significant wetland and
designated under the RAMSAR convention.  It covers approximately 6000
hectares.  These sightings in a small portion of that area give an
indication of the diversity and capacity of this habitat.

The Black-headed Gull photos have been verified by Bob Bowles.  Apparently
this may be a first record for Simcoe County.  Here's the brief report on
all of my sightings yesterday.

2008-04-12 Minesing WETland tour - Friends of Minesing Wetlands (FOMW) &
Barrie Canoe & Kayak Club (BCKC) 

Overcast, showers, low 1 high 6 degrees light E, SE 4 to 8 km/h winds Very
high water levels! 
FOMW - Lynn Brennan, Harold & Robert Parker, Harold McMaster & son 
BCKC - Ed Irwin & Tom 

Highlights - Harold Parker's wonderful documentary commentary of the natural
and cultural history of the Minesing Wetlands 
- Paddling with Vanessa 
- Short-eared Owl @ Willow Creek sand traps 
- Wilson's Snipe - in flight and calling 
- 2 or 3 pairs of Sandhill Cranes 
Car tour after trip - South Glengarry Landing Road - Marl Creek -
Black-headed Gulls - nearly to Ronald Road - Canvasbacks 

For the most part I'll just note the first sighting of a species and not
repeat it unless it is significant. 
Route - started at Willow Creek canoe access on George Johnston Road to Big
Marsh to Nottawasaga River halfway to the Mad River back to the Nottawasaga
to Willow Creek to Muskrat Creek and Muskrat Marsh to Swaley Drain
(landowner permission required) to George Johnston Road. Approx. 18 to 20 km
total trip. 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM. 

Willow Creek 
Ring-billed Gulls, Mallards, Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbirds,
Bufflehead, Green-winged Teal, Wood Ducks, American Black Ducks, American
Crows, American Robins, Common Grackles, Song Sparrows 
Sand Traps Short-eared Owl, Sandhill Cranes, Wilson's Snipe, European
Starlings, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Muskrats, Northern Harrier,
Blue-winged Teal, Tree Swallows, Northern Pintails 
Big Marsh Ring-necked Ducks, Common Mergansers, American Wigeons, Porcupine 
Nottawasaga River - Sandhill Cranes pair, Bald Eagles adult pair perched in
tree above large "osprey" nest northwest of the eagle nest - eagle nest
looked smaller than previous observations and I suspect it might be a new
nest and the "original" tree may have fallen down? I have never approached
the nest from this direction before, so I may be mistaken, but it did not
look nearly as large to me. 
Swaley Drain - Turkey Vultures 3 roosting in trees on south side, one with
wings open, Gull sp. 2 with partial hood on back of head (Franklin's?,
Sabine's, Boneparte's?, Black-headed?, etc.? didn't get a good enough look!)
flooded field south of drain west of iron bridge, Raccoon in tree, Mourning
Doves, Wilson's Snipe, Killdeers 
Field on East side of George Johnston Road - Gadwalls 1 pair, American
Wigeons, Sandhill Cranes 1 pair 

Car tour - 
Fralick Road - south of Ronald Road - Northern Harrier pursuing falcon sp.
(likely American Kestrel), Wild Turkeys, Red-tailed Hawk, rafts of ducks but
tough to ID from road 
South Glengarry Landing Road - Marl Creek - Black-headed Gulls, Bonaparte's
Gulls, Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads, Black Ducks, Mallards including 1
leucistic hen, Canada Geese, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Northern
Shovelers 6 drakes (I looked hard for hens but did not identify any?),
Northern Pintails, Greater Yellowlegs 8, 
corn stubble - Trumpeter Swans 4, American Crows, Brown-headed Cowbirds,
Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, American Robins, Savannah Sparrow
with very yellow lores, Rock Pigeons, Mourning Doves, Rough-legged Hawk 
flooding north of Ronald Road, west of Glengarry - Canvasbacks 2 or 3 pairs,
Common Goldeneyes, Northern Shovelers 2 males, Buffleheads, Wood Ducks,
Scaup sp., Common Mergansers, Mallards 
Nottawasaga River south of Hwy 26 - Double-crested Cormorants 8 
Fralick Road - south of Hwy 26 - Northern Harrier female with mouse being
harassed by Rough-legged Hawk 

Next FOMW Spring Canoe Tour Saturday, April 19th. Please contact Tina
Desroches @ 424-1479x241 or email tdesroches at nvca.on.ca for more
information. Pre-registration is required. 

Here's a link to my photos. I haven't edited them yet so you'll have to wade
a bit, but that's what birders do. I didn't notice I bumped the photo size
button on my camera so they aren't very high resolution.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45181961@N00/sets/72157604516957161

Directions to South Glengarry Landing Road - Highway 26 just east of
Edenvale and the Nottawasaga River, travel south on South Glengarry Landing
Road to the bridge which crosses Marl Creek (not identified) Note: the road
is currently flooded at Ronald road and not passable.

Best of luck,

Chris Evans
10 Cole's Court
MIDHURST ON  L0L 1X1
(705) 722-1136