30 August 2009 Palgrave, Tottenham Sod Farms, Schomberg Lagoons
Leader: Dave Milsom.
26 birders attended today’s OFO trip in rather cloudy and occasionally rainy weather. The morning at Palgrave was exceptional for a fallout of migrating passerines. 12 species of warblers, including many Chestnut‐sided, Black‐throated Green, Magnolia and Blackburnian, were counted along with hordes of Red‐breasted and a few White‐breasted Nuthatches. There were many Eastern Wood‐Pewees, Olive‐sided, Great‐crested, Least and Willow Flycatchers.
Several Purple Finches were also seen, plus Scarlet Tanager and an early Dark‐eyed Junco.
At the Beeton sod farms no Buff‐breasted Sandpipers were found though there had been at least two there on Friday. There was a large mixed flock of Black‐bellied and American Golden‐Plovers at the east end of the 12th Line, along with 7 Lesser Yellowlegs, a Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Killdeer and Horned Larks.
Schomberg provided 2 Greater Yellowlegs, more Lesser Yellowlegs, one Least Sandpiper, 5 Spotted Sandpipers, a Merlin, 2 Green‐winged Teal and a Cliff Swallow.
The group total was 78 species.
24 August 2008 Palgrave, Tottenham Sod Farms, Schomberg Lagoons
Leader: Dave Milsom.
23 OFO birders enjoyed a very warm day and saw 76 bird species in the Palgrave, Beeton, Schomberg area. First stop at Patterson Siderpad resulted in 7 Meadowlarks on the south side. 3 flew up from the exact spot where the Western Meadowlark had been seen to go to ground on many occasions this summer.
At Palgrave Conservation Area best finds were Yellow‐throated, Warbling & Red‐eyed Vireos, Common Yellowthroat, Chestnut‐sided, Blackburnian, Bay‐breasted, Black‐throated Green, Nashville Warblers, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse and many Purple Finches. At Beeton sod farms in the 15th Sideroad and 10th Line area were 4 Baird’s Sandpipers, many Horned Larks, Killdeer, American Golden and Black‐bellied Plovers. On 7th Line in Bond Head at the golf club reservoir were Spotted & Least Sandpiper, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Vesper, Savannah and Song Sparrows. At Schomberg Sewage Lagoons were Least, Semipalmated, Spotted, Solitary Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Mallard & American Black Ducks, Bonaparte’s Gulls and Cliff Swallows.
Reported by Dave Milsom
26 August 2007 Palgrave, Tottenham Sod Farms, Schomberg Lagoons
Leader: Dave Milsom.
40 OFO members and friends enjoyed a beautiful day with some decent birding just north of Toronto. 73 species were tallied including 12 shorebirds. At Palgrave the summer drought had left the marsh dry so only a few birds were recorded. Best were Yellow‐bellied Flycatcher, Blackburnian, Black‐throated Green and Black and White warblers, plus 2 flocks of Turkeys.
At the sod farms in the Beeton/Tottenham area, a mixed flock of Black‐bellied and Golden Plovers (immatures & adults) were found on the 10th Line near 15th Sideroad. At Holland Landing Lagoons were several Pectoral Sandpipers, both juvenile and adult Solitary Sandpipers, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, both Yellowlegs, and a juvenile Short‐billed Dowitcher, as well as Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers and Spotted Sandpipers.
Reported by Dave Milsom.
21 August 2005 Palgrave, Tottenham, Schomberg
Leader: Dave Milsom.
We met at 8 a.m. on Patterson Sideroad just off County Road 50 in Palgrave to visit Palgrave Conservation Area, Tottenham area sod farms and the Schomberg sewage lagoons. We were looking for early fall migrants and shorebirds. Twenty-four birders attended today's OFO trip on a beautiful sunny day. At Palgrave, nine species of warbler, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, a flock of Wild Turkeys, were found. At Shomberg best shorebird of the 8 species was a Baird's Sandpiper. Tottenham sod farms proved to be disappointing until we stopped at the very last field at 4. 10 pm. This was on 10th Line, over the railroad tracks, just west of the Tottenham/Alliston Rd. Here Norm Murr spotted a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, seen well by all present. Also on this field were many Killdeer and two more Baird's Sandpipers. Total bird species for the day was a respectable 74. Also, butterfly enthusiasts were excited by the 14 species seen, plus 6 sp. of dragonfly.
Reported by Dave Milsom
22 August 2004 Palgrave, Tottenham, Schomberg
Leader: Dave Milsom.
Today's OFO outing began with about 50 birders in the Palgrave Conservation Area. Highlights included an immature Northern Goshawk, Wild Turkey with five young, adult Broad-winged Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, 10 warbler species, Purple Finch.
On the Tottenham sod fields an adult Golden Plover, juvenile Baird's and Pectoral Sandpipers, and about 15 adult Black-bellied Plovers were seen with many Killdeer and Horned Larks. At the Schomberg Lagoons were 2 juvenile Baird's, one Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpipers, plus an immature Merlin. Altogether, 77 species were seen, as well as several dragonflies, butterflies and spiders. Non-bird highlights were a Purple Fringed Orchid and a dead Woodland Jumping Mouse which is rare.
Reported by Dave Milsom
24 August 2003 Palgrave, Tottenham, Schomberg
Leader: Dave Milsom.
On a beautiful day, 24 birders spent the morning walking through the Palgrave Conservation Area, and the afternoon at Schomberg Sewage Lagoons and the Tottenham sod farms. No Buff-breasted Sandpiper but many interesting birds in our total of 69. At Palgrave, early arrivers saw Wild Turkey. The entire group had good looks at Black-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, Pileated Woodpecker, Osprey, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Great-crested Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting and many Red-eyed Vireos and Red-breasted Nuthatches. At Schomberg, excellent observations were made of Baird's, Spotted, Semipalmated, Least and Pectoral Sandpipers as well as large numbers of Lesser Yellowlegs. The Tottenham sod fields produced good numbers of Horned Larks, Killdeer, American Golden-Plovers and Black-bellied Plovers. Additionally, 11 species of butterfly and 11 species of dragonfly were noted.
Reported by Dave Milsom
25 August 2002 Palgrave, Tottenham, Schomberg
Leader: Dave Milsom.
A beautiful sunny day rewarded 25 OFO participants with an enjoyable day's birding. Fifteen species of butterflies, 8 dragonfly species., and many wildflowers were also identified by our expert team of naturalists! At Palgrave, many Eastern Kingbirds, American Robins and Cedar Waxwings were found along with Purple Finch and eight species of warblers. The Tottenham sod farms proved to be very disappointing but Schomberg Lagoons, although quite high, yielded several shorebirds, including Short-billed Dowitchers. Altogether, 62 bird species were counted.
Reported by Dave Milsom
25 August 2001 Palgrave, Tottenham, Schomberg
Led by Dave Milsom.
OFO's field trip to Palgrave Conservation Area, Tottenham/Alliston Sod Farms, and Schomberg Sewage Lagoons for early fall migrants, was attended by 25 participants, on a beautiful, sunny day. Eleven species of warblers at Palgrave and ten species of shorebird, were the highlights. Excellent views were obtained of all the shorebirds, including Solitary and White-rumped Sandpipers, American Golden Plover, and hundreds of Killdeer! We saw American Golden Plovers and many Killdeer at the sod farms. The sewage lagoons were good for the other shorebirds.
The warblers were much more elusive in the dense foliage as they fed voraciously prior to their long migration south. The day's tally included 70 bird species, 10 butterfly, and 8 dragonfly species.