[Ontbirds] Wilson's Phalarope - West Perth Wetlands, Red-necked Phalarope - Townsend SL

[Carol & Jim]

This morning Ken and I checked out a number of shorebird spots on the way to
and from Long Point for the Bird Studies Canada AGM.  

 

First stop was West Perth Wetlands (Mitchel Sewage Lagoons).  A great
diversity (17 species) and number of shorebirds are still present, including
2 Wilson's Phalaropes.  Also present were:

 

Black-bellied Plover 6 adults

Semipalmated Plover 10

Killdeer 100

Greater Yellowlegs 20

Lesser Yellowlegs 400+ (459 on Thursday, we didn't do an exact count today)

Solitary Sandpiper 2

Spotted Sandpiper 2

Sanderling 1 juv

Semipalmated Sandpiper 20

Least Sandpiper 30

White-rumped Sandpiper 1

Baird's Sandpiper 2

Pectoral Sandiper 40

Stilt Sandpiper 12

Short-billed Dowitcher 1 juv

Wilson's Snipe 3

 

We continued on and checked out Wildwood Reservoir, but water levels are
just starting to be lowered and there were no shorebirds.  We continued to
Port Burwell and had a single Red Knot on the beach just east of the piers.
Along the canal were 3 Least, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper and 5 Semipalmated
Plovers.

 

After the meeting we checked out Townsend Sewage Lagoons.  The first cell
has some habitat in the northeast corner that offers great views of
shorebirds (better in the morning).  The highlight here was a juv Red-necked
Phalarope in the northeast cell.  Other shorebirds included:

 

Semipalmated Plover 5

Killdeer 12

Lesser Yellowlegs 30

Solitary Sandpiper 2

Semipalmated Sandpiper 15

Least Sandpiper 20

White-rumped Sandpiper 2

Pectoral Sandpiper 20

Stilt Sandpiper 3

 

Good shorebirding!

 

Mike and Ken Burrell

Heidelberg, ON

burrellsc at golden.net

 

Directions:

 

West Perth Wetlands(courtesy Dave Brown):

>From the East (Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, GTA) - take Hwy 8 thru
Stratford heading west to first lights in Mitchell (Wellington St) and
turn left (south) and continue till you hit the "T" intersection at the
ball diamond.  Lagoon cells are straight back behind the ball diamond
and soccer fields and the sewage treatment plant.  You can go straight ahead
on the gravel and park next to the berm.
 
>From the London area....take Hwy 23 into Mitchell from the south and
just after you pass the "Welcome to Mitchell" sign...watch for Frank
St...go right on Frank St and head down over the bridge till you get to
the ball diamond (will be on your right).  Again...the cells are behind
the ball diamond and soccer fields. You can go straight ahead 
on the gravel and park next to the berm.
 
>From Southampton area....take Hwy 21, to Goderich and then Hwy 8 to
Clinton and down to Mitchell, turn south on Hwy 23 to Frank St. and turn
left on Frank St. and head over the bridge to the ball diamonds (which
will be on your right). You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park 
next to the berm.

 

 

Wildwood Reservoir:

Directions- Take CR 6, north from the 401,(Exit 222) through Embro, to CR
28. Go  west 
through Harrington, turn north on the 31st line and continue north to  the 
bridge. The bird could be anywhere between the two bridges, although  the
east 
end has most of the mudflats.

 

Townsend Sewage Lagoons: (courtesy Brandon Holden)

When visiting the lagoons, please park AWAY from the gates (either side of
the road), to allow the large tanker trucks easy passage.
 
Directions to Townsend's sewage lagoon - Take 403 Hamilton exiting at 6
south. Follow 6 around Caledonia, through Hagersville turning right at
Nanticoke Creek Parkway. Follow the Parkway into Townsend and turn left
onto Keith Richardson's Parkway. Turn right at Concession 14 Townsend
Rd and the lagoons are on the right between the first and second farms
on the right hand side.