2014 Spring Migration Birding, Part 2: Toronto

Well, a very specific part of Toronto, which is Colonel Samual Smith Park, along the shores of Lake Ontario.  Within Toronto it is the migration hot spot and every birder I've ever met birding in Ontario spends a considerable amount of time walking amongst the dogwoods, and meandering the fields and amongst the trees surrounding the "bowl" to the "little bowl."

It is there where we find a large portion of our spring warblers and sparrows, as well as catch up with birders who are returning to the outdoors, just as the birds are returning to their nesting grounds.  Col. Sam is one of the stopping grounds in southern Ontario and it's where those of us who are not in Point Pelee National Park can be found looking for the more elusive spring migrants.

Over the course of the past two weeks I've been able to add to my growing spring list of migrants, which I began in Florida last month.  The first birds were not warblers, but a nice collection of early migrants:

April 21	Northern Flicker
April 21	Brown Creeper
April 21	Red-necked Grebe
April 21	Common Tern
April 23	Warbling Vireo

I took time out to check out from Col. Sam from time to time to check out other Toronto area hots spots, including Oshawa Second Marsh for the Little Gulls, Bonapart's Gulls, a Cackling Goose and a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese.  Other good spots in the area are Thickson Woods,(Hermit Thrush), Tommy Thompson Park's Wet Woods,(Swainson's Thrush, Eastern Towhee), and James Gardens,(Wood Duck, Sharp-shinned Hawk).

Back in Col. Sam I picked up my first Orange-crowned Warbler for my Col. Sam List, with my birding pal, David.  I'm not sure which one of us is the more obsessed birder, but I am sure no two other birders have been to Col. Sam more than the two of us over the last 28 months.  With the addition of many new birds for my park list, I have now seen 136 different species in the park, up from 122 at the beginning of May, including a Common Raven, American Woodcock,  Clay-colored Sparrow and just yesterday a Blue-winged Warbler, the report of which seemed to atrract every birder in the park to the dogwoods for a look.

In addtion to species I've already seen this year, either in Florida or elsewhere in Ontario, I also added the following species in the past 11 days, all in Col. Sam:

May 1	Wood Thrush
May 1	Orange-crowned Warbler
May 1	Rusty Blackbird

May 5	Winter Wren
May 5	Brown Thrasher
May 5	Nashville Warbler
May 5	Blue-headed Vireo
May 5	Field Sparrow
May 5	Bobolink

May 6	Veery
May 7	Yellow Warbler
May 7	American Woodcock
May 9	Clay-colored Sparrow
May 9	Bay-breasted Warbler
May 10	Tennessee Warbler
May 10	Blue-winged Warbler
May 10	Magnolia Warbler
May 10	White-crowned Sparrow
May 11	Blackburnian Warbler
May 11	Chimney Swift

I may still pick up a new bird or two between now and Thursday, before work, but starting Friday I'll have a week off for birding with Sue in Ontario and Michigan, including another trek for the Kirtland's Warbler, and stops at Point Pelee and the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons, where 12 months ago I finally succomed to my kidney stone pain and ended out migration trip with a trip to the emergency room.  I hope to not have the same luck this year.