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OFO Bird Finding Guide # 7

A Birder's Guide to Second Marsh Wildlife Area,McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve, and Surroundings

Jim Richards

IntroductionLocated on the north shore of LakeOntario east of Toronto, theRegional Municipality of Durhamoffers many prime birding locationsfor both residents and visitors alike.These range from the forestedtownships in the north, and LakeScugog (with extensive wetlands atthe south end), through the openrolling meadows and woodlotsalong the Oak Ridges Moraine, tothe creek valleys and dynamicwaterfront.

A jewel along the lakeshore (insoutheast Oshawa) is composed ofthree separately owned but physi­cally abutting sites: the SecondMarsh Wildlife Area (123 ha, Cityof Oshawa), McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve (41 ha, GeneralMotors of Canada Limited) andDarlington Provincial Park (208 ha,Ontario Parks). With cattail marsh,swamp, barrier beaches, openmeadows, ponds and mixed forest,this area offers much for bothwildlife and birders.

With the rapid loss of wetlands,fragmentation of forests and wood­lots and loss of open meadows,especially along the waterfront in

the heavily urbanized areas, thosefew "pockets" or remnants of primehabitat that remain serve to con­centrate birds and other wildlife.Having several distinct habitatstogether forming an area over 372ha (920 acres) and open to the pub­lic seven days a week year-round isunique within the Greater TorontoArea (GTA).

The official list of Ontario birdsas determined by the Ontario BirdRecords Committee (Dobos 1998)is 472 species. The unofficial list ofbirds for the Regional Municipalityof Durham currently stands at 349species. Within this site guide area,276 species have been reliablyrecorded, and of these, there is evi­dence of breeding for 98 species(see Appendix 1).

Getting ThereAs shown on Map 1, exit Highway401 at the Harmony Road ramp(Exit # 419). Entering from the westbrings you out to the intersection ofBloor Street and Farewell Street.From here, you proceed south onFarewell as described below.Entering from the east brings youout to the intersection of Bloor

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Street and Harmony Road. Youmust turn left at this stoplight,crossing back over the 401 and turnleft at the next light (intersection ofBloor Street and Farewell Street).Go south on Farewell Street to thenext stoplight (Col. Sam Drive onyour left, Wentworth Street on yourright.). Turn left (east) on Col. SamDrive. At a point about 0.5 km eastyou will reach a crossing for theWaterfront Trail, and the mainentrance to the Second MarshWildlife Area on your right. On­street· parking is allowed here. Onthe left side of the road you will seea viewing platform for HarmonyPond. These areas are shown onMap 2. Likewise, farther east at asmall water-pumping station onyour right, the start of the

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

Marshland Trail allows access to theSecond Marsh Wildlife Area and atwo-tier viewing deck within theGhost Road Bush. This entrancealso is designated on the site map(Map 2). Limited on-street parkingis allowed here. Please be carefulnot to block the paved serviceentrance. Follow Col. Sam Drive tothe General Motors of CanadaLimited (GMC) complex. The firstparking lot on your right allowsaccess to both the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve and the SecondMarsh Wildlife Area, via theMarshland Trail. A raised viewingdeck is located here. The east park­ing lot (east side of office) allowsaccess to the main trail (BeatonPath) of the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve and the Dogwood

Trail for the visually impaired.Buses should park in the "Visitors"lot, directly north of the office.

General InformationBirders need not be reminded aboutgood birding ethics but perhaps aword of caution is necessary here toalert visitors to particular circum­stances involving dogs. WithinDarlington Provincial Park, dogsmust be on a leash, and no dogs areallowed on the beaches.There are nodogs allowed anywhere within theMcLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve(except for certified guide dogs onthe Dogwood Trail). Within theSecond Marsh Wildlife Area, dogson a leash are allowed on the mainpaved trail only; dogs are notallowed along the woodland trailthrough the Ghost Road Bush.

Parking for vehicles is availableat all three sites, and for pedestriansand cyclists, all three are linked viathe Provincial Waterfront Trail.Washroom facilities are only avail­able at Darlington Provincial Parkalong with telephone access.Emergency telephone access isavailable at the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve in the GMCCorporate Headquarters.

While high-quality binocularsare a prerequisite for a good birdingexperience, a scope would be mostbeneficial for shorebirds and off­shore waterfowl in DarlingtonProvincial Park as well as for view­ing waterbirds in Second Marsh, dueto the proximity of viewing plat-

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forms and the extensive wetlands.Mosquitoes can be a slight prob­

lem within the Ghost Road Bushand along the Marshland Trail dur­ing May and June; be prepared. Notunlike any other outdoor activity,proper clothing and footwear willmake your visit more comfortable.

Seasoned birders will be awareof such things as what birds arefound in certain habitats, what is thebest time of year to expect certainspecies, what is the best time of day(early morning and evening) andwhat your ID skill level will allow.In areas like the Second Marsh,water levels also play an importantrole. Low levels, exposing mudflats,will produce more shorebirds inspring and fall, whereas high levelsgenerally produce more waterfowl.For the novice, it is suggested that agood knowledge of habitat require­ments can be gained by reading anyof the great life histories now avail­able and a study of migration chartsand other data will be of primeimportance. For example, superbarticles in OFO News by RonPittaway on the fall migration ofshorebirds (Pittaway 1999a), andthe fall raptor migration (Pittaway1999b) should be consulted. Ratherthan a continuous repeat of infor­mation contained in these recentarticles, there will be few datesgiven within the text of this siteguide pertaining to fall migration.In fact, given the wealth of pub­lished knowledge now available forbird movements, frequency and

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abundance in Ontario, this siteguide will concentrate more on get­ting you to where the birds shouldbe at particular times of the year.This guide does not pretend todetail specific dates when birdsmight be observed and as such,terms like "early, mid and late" inconjunction with a particular monthor season will be used.

The composite area checklistcontained herein (276 species) ispreliminary in nature. If you areaware of additional species or dis­cover a new "area" species, pleaseinform the author. An annotatedlist complete with bar graphs is inpreparation and will be publishedin due time. Not unlike the breed­ing birds, certain species are not tobe expected every year; in fact,some species on the current check­list have only been observed once.

BREEDING BIRDSA few species that are recorded asbreeding in this area do so sporadi­cally or in low numbers. Not allbreeding birds listed on the areachecklist should be expected to nesthere every year, although they mayappear as migrants or summervagrants. This would include speciessuch as: Pied-billed Grebe, Black­crowned Night-Heron, AmericanWigeon, Hooded Merganser, Sharp­shinned Hawk, Ring-necked Phea­sant, American Coot, CommonSnipe, Little Gull, Yellow-billedCuckoo, Eastern Screech-Owl, Red­headed Woodpecker, Alder Fly-

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

catcher, Sedge Wren, Eastern Blue­bird, Northern Mockingbird, andBrewer's Blackbird. A total of 98species has been known to nest with­in the site guide area. There followsa brief discussion about some of the"specialty" species found within thearea.

Least Bittern: One or two pairs ofthis increasingly uncommon speciesnest annually at Second Marsh.Birds feeding in the marsh are usu­ally encountered at the north endor along the east side.

Black-crowned Night-Heron: Firstnested in Second Marsh in 1977(Richards 1978). Nest-building evi­dence has been found since thattime but no active nests have beenreported. Adults are encounteredhere throughout the breeding sea­son, roosting in willows at thesoutheast end of the Marsh and inan area in the northwest corner.

Cooper's Hawk: A pair nests regu­larly in Darlington Provincial Parknear the main (paved) roadway.Adults searching for food are fre­quently encountered in the GhostRoad Bush during the spring andsummer.

Little Gull: The first reported nest­ing of this species in North Americaoccurred in Second Marsh in 1962,when G.A. Scott found three nests,but none was successful (Scott1963). The second nesting occurred

there as well, in 1963, when Scottfound one nest; it too was unsuc­cessful (Tozer and Richards 1974).There has been no evidence ofbreeding here since. These nestsand subsequent nestings in nearbyCranberry Marsh (Whitby) in 1971and 1972 have been summarized byRichards (1973) and Tozer andRichards (1974).

Common Tern: This tern nested fre­quently, but in low numbers, inSecond Marsh well into the 1960s.Physical alteration of the Marshcoupled with a widespread declineof this species throughout theprovince resulted in a decline inDurham Region over the next 30years. Artificial habitat islands con­structed withi~ Second Marsh aspart of the Environment Canadarestoration project resulted in areturn of this species in the mid-90s.Now, between 35 and 75 pairs nestannually, the largest concentrationin the Region.

Black Tern: Another species of con­cern, the Black Tern's traditionalbreeding areas are no longer pro­ducing results. Once very commonin Second Marsh, between 15 and20 pairs now occupy the area.

Sedge Wren: A rare breedingspecies in Durham, at least one pairis usually present on the east side ofSecond Marsh within the weedyfields of the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve. Scott found a nest

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with six eggs in 1962, and Richardslocated a nest with six eggs in 1997.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Found inwidely scattered sites throughoutDurham, this area seems to beheavily favoured by the species.Perhaps more than 15 pairs inhabitthe Ghost Road Bush, with addi­tional pairs found in the willowsnorth of Col. Sam Drive in theHarmony Pond area and along theCool Hollow Trail in McLaughlinBay Wildlife Reserve.

Brewer's Blackbird: Usually a rareseasonal vagrant in Durham, it didbreed in 1968 when two active nestswere found by Richards and Peck(1968) only a few metres apart inboth Darlington Provincial Parkand what is now the McLaughlinBay Wildlife Reserve. There hasbeen no breeding evidence sincethat time.

BIRDING AREASSecond Marsh Wildlife AreaPedestrians and cyclists can enterthe main trail off Farewell Street(see Map 2, Point "B"). Visitorswith vehicles can park on Col. SamDrive, and enter at Point "1\:'. Thepaved trail is 1.25 km in length. Partof the extensive (Provincial)Waterfront Trail, it is known as theEd Kroll Memorial Walkway.

Prior to entering the trail sys­tem, you may wish to access theviewing platform immediatelyacross (north) from the Second

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Figure 2: Common Moorhen at nest. Photo by 1.M. Richards.

Figure 3: Sora near nest. Photo by 1.M. Richards.

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Marsh Wildlife Area sign on Col.Sam Drive. If the water is high andthe vegetation low, you can seeHarmony Pond from here. Thisshallow basin is an ideal locationfor viewing waterfowl, herons andshorebirds, especially in the spring.

A series of three groves ofspruce trees on the north edge ofthe Ghost Road Bush along Col.Sam Drive just east of the bridge isalmost a sure bet for winteringNorthern Saw-whet Owls. They aregenerally found from mid-Octoberonwards, but can become rare bylate December.

After entering at Point "N', thevisitor passes a sign on the right list­ing all partners in the communityeffort to rehabilitate Second Marsh,provide signage and construct walk­ing trails. Just past this feature, a low,seasonally wet area known as Scott'sPond (on your left) usually harbourssuch species as Virginia Rail andcommon waterbirds such as Mallard,Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovel­er and Great Blue Heron, along withexpected species like Red-wingedBlackbird, Common Yellowthroat,and Swamp Sparrow.

A little farther along the trail,you will encounter a snake hiber­naculum. Just past here is a steelbridge which crosses the Harmony/Farewell Creek, but we will comeback to this in a moment. Here andelsewhere along the creek you mayhear and see Belted Kingfisher.

Continuing along the pavedtrail as it skirts the creek beside a

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row of willows (sometimes good forwarblers), you come to a viewingplatform on the left overlookingScattergood's Pond. Along with theopportunity to view Snapping andPainted Turtles basking on theraised mounds and logs, you canusually find a muskrat or two work­ing the pond. Waterfowl such asWood Duck are sometimes encoun­tered here in low numbers alongwith interesting species such asGreen Heron, Black-crownedNight-Heron, and Solitary Sand­piper. Great Horned Owls aresometimes found in the spruce andpine trees along the edge. A feedingstation located here and operatedduring the winter months byFriends of Second Marsh usuallyattracts Mourning Doves, NorthernCardinals, Blue Jays, Black-cappedChickadees, White-breasted andRed-breasted Nuthatches, Dark­eyed Juncos, American Goldfinchesand American Tree Sparrows.

Southward from here, the trailpasses along the edge of SecondMarsh but does not afford greatviewing. However, it is possible tosee waterfowl, gulls and terns flyingover the marsh. Various swallowspecies also can be seen along here.The paved trail takes a sharp turnto the right (near the end) and atthis point, a walking trail to the leftleads southward past a NoTrespassing sign. Please do notaccess this area. The trail is for use(by permission of the landowner)by Friends of Second Marsh for

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Ghost RoadBush

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planting and monitoring purposesonly. After the trail turns to theright (west) up the hill and back toFarewell Street, a commandingoverview of the marsh can be expe­rienced. Now back to the bridge!

A steel bridge leading east offthe paved trail takes you into theGhost Road Bush. This trail isknown as the Bob Mills Boardwalk(1340 m). The first section leadsthrough a low wet area dominatedby willow. Black-crowned Night­Herons can be seen here on occa­sion. Hairy Woodpecker, NorthernFlicker, Eastern Phoebe andBaltimore Oriole are found herealong with other songbirds.

Soon the trail enters the mainswamp, which is predominantlyRed Ash with aspen, poplar,hawthorn and other tree/shrubspecies. The boardwalk meandersthrough the woodland affordingaccess at trailside to numeroussmall ponds with habitat for Wood,Leopard, and Green Frogs as wellas American Toad. Over 375 speciesof vascular plants are found atSecond Marsh and many interestingand showy species can be discov­ered along the boardwalk such asJack-in-the-pulpit, White Trillium,Yellow Lady-Slipper, Blue Flag andseveral fern species. White-tailedDeer are sometimes encounteredalong the trail, especially near theeast end. The full range of wood­land bird species can be found hereat the right time of year and espe­cially during spring (early April to

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

late May) and fall (late August tomid-October) migration periods.Warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatch­ers, wrens, orioles, tanagers andgrosbeaks are found here in greatvariety and good numbers then, andseveral species remain throughoutthe summer to breed.

Near the east end of the trail, atwo-tier viewing platform offers aspectacular panorama southwardover the marsh. Again, most of thelarge numbers of waterfowl arefound during spring and fall migra­tion periods, but numerous speciesof ducks along with Canada Geeseand a few Mute Swans breed in andaround the marsh and therefore arepresent during the summer. Manyheron species are found in themarsh, from Great Blue Heron andGreen Heron to seldom-seenspecies like Least Bittern and GreatEgret to the more spectacularvagrants like Snowy Egret, LittleBlue Heron and Tricolored Heronon rare occasions. AmericanWoodcock nest in the vicinity andWhite-tailed Deer frequent thearea. A small ponding of shallowwater right at the base of the tower(created by beavers) is a good placeto see Virginia Rail, and sometimesSora and Least Bittern.

Just north of the tower, but wellwithin view, a beaver pond (some­times active) provides a dynamichabitat for several species such asGreen Heron, Least Bittern,Green-winged Teal, NorthernShoveler, Wood Duck, Northern

Pintail and Hooded Merganser, andnumerous songbird species. Nestingboxes here and elsewhere through­out the marsh provide homes forWood Ducks, Hooded Mergansersand Eastern Screech-Owls.

The trail continues east past thetower for a short distance beforejoining the Marshland Trail on theMcLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve.In this section of the Ghost RoadBush, you are most likely to findBlue-gray Gnatcatchers; a few pairsnest in this area each year. A winterfeeder here serves to attract thesame species as the previous one, aswell as Common Redpolls andother erratic finches and any win­tering blackbirds and sparrows.Visitors can enter at Point "C" onMap 2 and walk directly to theBeaver Pond Tower.

Another location to enterSecond Marsh is provided at Point"D" off the GMC parking lot. Ashort trail takes you to a raisedviewing deck offering a good vistaof the marsh and ideal viewingopportunities (a scope is useful).From here, you can fully enjoy abetter look at most of the waterfowlsuch as Gadwall, American Wigeon,American Black Duck, Ring­necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, bothscaup species, Bufflehead and mer­gansers. As well, you can observeherons from this vantage point andthe nesting islands for CommonTerns. From here as well, you cansee Black Terns, grebes, CommonMoorhens and the abundant

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Double-crested Cormorants roost­ing on islands. It is from this viewingplatform that you can witnesssometimes massive flocks ofBonaparte's Gulls on migrationfrom mid-April through May.Usually mixed in with these noisyvisitors are upwards of 10 to 15Little Gulls. Marsh Wrens can beseen and heard from this location.Caspian Terns are more oftenencountered during August than atany other time.

In years when water levels arelow, especially from late Augustwell into October and sometimeslater, the exposed mudflats playhost to numerous species of shore­birds during migration, sometimesin spectacular numbers.

The quiet waters at the south­east corner of the marsh can beaccessed from the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve (Cool HollowTrail) and are worth a visit to seeSpotted Sandpipers, Black-crownedNight-Herons, Common Moorhens,herons and waterfowl. Visitors arediscouraged from walking fartherwest on the barrier beach duringthe breeding period (May to June)so as not to discourage frequentnesting attempts by herons andother species.

The gravel beaches here andsouthward on Beaton Point aresometimes good for shorebirds(especially in the fall). Species suchas Ruddy Turnstone, plovers and"peeps" can be numerous at times,and Great Black-backed Gulls can

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be quite common beginning in earlySeptember and continuing through­out the fall and winter.

McLaughlin Bay Wildlife ReserveOnce an active dairy farm, this 81ha property is now the home ofGeneral Motors of Canada Limited(Corporate Headquarters). About41 ha have been set aside as perma­nent open space to preserve thewaterfront, buffer and complementSecond Marsh, and offer the publicaccess to the lakefront. The Reserveis open seven days a week, free ofcharge. Over 38,000 trees andshrubs (mainly native; a few orna­mentals along the main trail) havebeen planted to provide wildlifehabitat. When fully grown, thetree/shrub zones will occupy about40% of the property, while theremainder will stay as wetland andopen meadow.

The main entrance to theReserve (see Map 3, Point "E") isoff the east parking lot. This trail(Beaton Path) is of granular surface,suitable for wheelchairs. A guide­rope starting here takes visitors tothe Dogwood Pond (on your left)which was designed for the visuallyimpaired. This pond is a good placeto see Midland Painted Turtles,Green Frogs and a variety of marshand water birds, as well as plants.Common Snipe are sometimesfound in the wet area south of thepond in spring. Just prior to reach­ing the entrance to the DogwoodTrail, another short trail on your

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

right will take you to the SecondMarsh viewing platform. Anotheroption is to park in the west parkinglot and to take the trail to the plat­form (access Point "D").

Just past the Dogwood Trailentrance, an old roadway will takeyou over to Darlington ProvincialPark. As well, you can access thearea by driving past the GMC office,taking a gravel roadway to a smallparking lot (access Point "F").

Farther along the 832m BeatonPath, you will come to Jim's Pond(on your right). Waterfowl andshorebirds (Pectoral Sandpiper,Solitary Sandpiper, and yellowlegs)use this pond for feeding duringmigration and ducks use the shal­low waters here for brood rearing.Herons frequent the pond, andterns (Black and Common) are fre­quently seen here along with swal­lows feeding overhead. A pair ofAmerican Kestrels has nested in abox on a dead tree on the south sideof the pond for several years, andPurple Martins often utilize anapartment house nearby. SedgeWrens have been known to nest inthis area. Visitors are advised tostay on the trails as several song­birds nest in the grassy meadows,along with many waterfowl such asMallard, Gadwall and teal. As well,species such as Northern Shoveler,American Wigeon and NorthernPintail favour certain areas, espe­cially near Jim's Pond. These samemeadows, overgrown with thistle,goldenrods and asters, play host to

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Figure 4: Common Tern on nest. Photo by I.M. Richards.

Figure 5: Little Gull at nest. Photo by I.M. Richards.

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migrating Monarchs in late Augustand throughout September

Farther up the trail, you willcome to an area known as the"Hilltop" (a drumlin). In additionto a good view of Jim's Pond,Second Marsh and McLaughlinBay, along with a chorus of HouseWrens, Baltimore Orioles, andother common songbirds, picnictables provided here make this anideal setting for lunch.

From the Hilltop, you candescend eastward on the BayviewTrail, then take either the OshawaTrail or the Bayside Trail to skirtMcLaughlin Bay. This is a good ideaif rafts of waterfowl are present inthe Bay. Otherwise, stay on theBeaton Path. It is a loop trail and itwill bring you back to Jim's Pond.Another option is a trail on yourright (just past the loop) which isthe terminus of the Marshland Trail.This trail will be described later.

Continuing on the BeatonPath, you will soon come to a spurtrail on your left that will take youalong the edge of a future forestzone. Trees of many varieties,including some Carolinian speciessuch as Redbud, Hackberry, TulipTree, and Magnolia have beenestablished here. This is a good areato see and hear numerous song­birds; it can be great during migra­tion periods for warblers, flycatch­ers, thrushes and sparrows.

Another option at this gentle"fork" is to continue along the trailbetween the willows and Silver

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

Maples through an area known as"Cool Hollow". Again, this areacan be dynamic for songbirds, espe­cially during spring migration (earlyto mid-May). Soon, the trail breaksout on the Lake Ontario shore. Youcan access the southeast portion ofSecond Marsh by staying to theright, or go straight ahead to thebeach. Staying on the trail as itturns to the left (it soon becomesthe Oshawa Trail) will bring youback to Jim's Pond area. If you wishto access the beach and follow it toyour left (out Beaton Point), youcan walk over to Darlington Pro­vincial Park (Beaton Point becomesMcLaughlin Point once inside thePark boundaries). Please do notaccess the barrier beach frontingSecond Marsh in May and June asNight-Herons and other speciescontinue attempts to nest here andmust not be disturbed.

The waters off BeatonPoint/McLaughlin Point (andDarlington Park) can be especiallyproductive (spring and fall) for cer­tain types of waterfowl such asCommon Goldeneye, Oldsquaw,Redhead, scoters and mergansers. Aswell, these waters should be checkedfor loons and grebes. The beacheshere act like magnets for certainshorebirds (spring and fall) likeRuddy Turnstone, Black-bellied andAmerican Golden-Plover, Sander­ling, and Dunlin. Other species likeLeast and Semipalmated Sandpiperand Spotted Sandpiper are alsofound here, and it is the most likely

location for rarities such as PurpleSandpiper and phalaropes.

The Marshland Trail (1710 m)actually starts at the water pumpingstation on Col. Sam Drive (see Map3, access Point "C"). Here, it skirtsthe edge of the Ghost Road Bushand offers good birding for speciessuch as Baltimore Oriole, Rose­breasted Grosbeak, Great CrestedFlycatcher, Cedar Waxwing andother songbirds. A short trail off tothe right will take you to the BeaverPond and the viewing platform. AYellow-breasted Chat was foundhere in 1999, and NorthernMockingbirds have been observedalong here. Continuing southward,as it winds its way along the edge ofthe marsh, it passes through habitatfor Eastern Meadowlark andBobolink. Some of this habitat (out­side of the Reserve, near Col. SamDrive) will be lost in the future tooffice buildings. Farther south, youwill come to another observationdeck with a good overview of theeast side of Second Marsh (see pre­vious section for details). A shorttrail just south of here takes youback to the GMC parking lot.Continuing south along this mowngrass trail, you should hear some ofthe many Marsh Wrens found atSecond Marsh and see species suchas Common Yellowthroat, Alderand Willow Flycatcher. ResidentCoyotes are sometimes encoun­tered along here in early morningand evening. The trail ends nearCool Hollow, described above.

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Hawk migration in the fall(early September to late October)can sometimes be spectacular, withlarge numbers and numerousspecies observed. Usually, by mid­September, many species such asMerlin, American Kestrel, Sharp­shinned, Cooper's and Broad­winged Hawk are present. A goodknowledge of weather conditions isimportant to ensure a successfulwatch. Species such as PeregrineFalcon, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture,Northern Goshawk, Red-shoul­dered Hawk and Osprey are alsofound here, along with others suchas Red-tailed Hawk and NorthernHarrier (which also breed here).Beginning in mid-September andcontinuing for about a month,waves of migrating Blue Jays areoften encountered flying westwardalong the waterfront and inland.

Winter birding on the Reserveis generally unproductive unlessthere is sufficient open water in themarshes for gulls and waterfowl.Species such as Snowy Owl, Red­tailed and Rough-legged Hawk,Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspurand American Pipit sometimes arepresent in the open meadows.

Darlington Provincial ParkLocated immediately east of theMcLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve,this 208 ha forested zone offers yetanother great birding opportunityalong the waterfront. The mixedforest provides good habitat formany species of birds and other

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wildlife. A wooded creek valley(Robinson Creek) is ideal for war­blers, migrant songbirds and resi­dent Great Horned Owls. Theextensive, open shoreline, especial­ly along McLaughlin Point, asand/gravel barrier beach separat­ing Lake Ontario from McLaughlinBay, is renowned for shorebirds,especially in the fall. The offshorewaters are excellent for divingducks and other waterfowl.Waterfowl hunting is allowed herein season, so be prepared to timeyour visits accordingly.

There are 315 camping sites inthe Park and about 3.2 km of walk­ing trails. Trails here link to existingtrails in the McLaughlin BayWildlife Reserve where cyclists andpedestrians can enter, and to theeast via the Provincial WaterfrontTrail. Vehicle entry is from CourticeRoad off Highway 401(Exit # 425).

No attempt is being made hereto detail birding opportunities with-

in the Park. It is deserving perhapsof its own site guide.

Additional Birding InformationThe standard reference (long out-of­print) to the birds of Oshawa, andDurham Region, is Birds of theOshawa-Lake Scugog Region,Ontario (Tozer and Richards 1974).More recent information is con­tained in the five issues of DurhamRegion Natural History Report, pro­duced annually from 1989 to 1993 byM. Bain and B. Henshaw. In addi­tion, B. Henshaw authored variousbreeding bird monitoring reports forFriends of Second Marsh, from 1995to 1999. Current birding informationis available on the Durham RegionBirding Hotline at (905) 576-2738.Lastly, a 76-page booklet, SecondMarsh Wildlife Area/McLaughlinBay Wildlife Reserve: A Visitor'sGuide, is available from Friends ofSecond Marsh ($5.00).

Other Information SourcesThe City of Oshawa web site www.city.oshawa.on.calco_res/nat_env.htmlcontains a section on local hiking trails and parks in addition to informa­tion dealing with the Second Marsh Wildlife Area. Likewise, theMunicipality of Clarington web site www.municipality.clarington.on.calhasa section of interest.

Friends of Second Marsh have a major web site www.secondmarsh.comcontaining much information about the history of the marsh, natural ecol­ogy and about the programs and projects of the organization (in prep.).

General Motors of Canada Limited carries a major page on theMcLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve within their corporate site.www.gmcanada.com (in prep.).

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The Darlington Provincial Park web site www.ontarioparks.onldarl.htmlhas information about natural history and camping opportunities.

The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority web site www.speedline.calclocal home contains much information about natural history inaddition to information about camping.

The Ontario Field Ornithologists web page, with access to current birdinginformation, sightings, etc., is www.interlog.coml-ofo

The Ontario Birding web page, with reports and sightings sometimes per­taining to this area is www.web-net.comlbiclont/index.html

Environment Canada with several web pages of interest also has a sectiondealing with the restoration efforts at Oshawa Second Marsh and otherGreat Lakes wetland issues. Please check out the following:www.cciw.calgreen-Iane/wildlife/glwcap (Conservation Action Plan)www.cciw.calgreen-Iane/cuf (Great Lakes Cleanup Fund)glimr.cciw.caltmpllglimr/publication.cfm?ID=w123&lang=e (Habitat reha­bilitation)glimr.cciw.caltmpllglimr/publication.cfm?ID=098&Orig=Glimr&Lang=e(Great Lakes 2000)

AcknowledgementsI am indebted to Michael King forpreparation of the maps. Bill Crins,

Literature CitedDobos, R. 1998. Ontario Bird Records

Committee: 1998 Checklist of the Birds ofOntario. Ontario Birds 16: 132-144.

Pittaway, R. 1999a. Southbound shorebirds.OFO News 17(2): 1-7.

Pittaway, R.1999b. Fall hawkwatching. OFONews 17(3): 1-8.

Richards, J.M. 1973. Little Gull nestings.Ontario Naturalist 13(2): 38-41.

Richards, J.M. 1978. Black-crowned NightHeron (Nycticorax nycticorax) nesting inthe Regional Municipality of Durham,Ontario. Ontario Field Biologist 32(1):45-46.

Ron Pittaway and Ron Tozeroffered many helpful suggestions.

Richards, J.M. and G.K. Peck. 1968. Nestingof Brewer's Blackbird (Euphaguscyanocephalus) in Ontario and DurhamCounties. Ontario Field Biologist 22: 25-27.

Scott, G.A. 1963. First nesting of the LittleGull (Larus rninutus) in Ontario and inthe New World. Auk 80: 548-549.

Tozer, R.G. and J.M. Richards. 1974. Birds ofthe Oshawa-Lake Scugog Region,Ontario. Published by the authors.

Jim Richards, 14 Centre Street, Box 442, Orono, Ontario LOB 1MO

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Appendix 1

A Checklist of the Birds of Second Marsh,McLaughlin Bay and Darlington Park

This list comprises those species (276) that have been recorded within theSecond Marsh Wildlife Area, McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve andDarlington Provincial Park. Of these, 98 species (marked thus *) are knownto have bred here. Classification and nomenclature follow the AmericanOrnithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds (7th edition,1998) and its supplements.

- Red-throated Loon- Common Loon

- Pied-billed Grebe*- Horned Grebe- Red-necked Grebe- Eared Grebe

- Double-crested Cormorant

- American Bittern*- Least Bittern*- Great Blue Heron- Great Egret- Snowy Egret- Little Blue Heron- Tricolored Heron- Cattle Egret- Green Heron*- Black-crowned Night-Heron*

- Glossy Ibis

- Turkey Vulture

- Greater White-fronted Goose- Snow Goose- Canada Goose*-Brant- Mute Swan*- Trumpeter Swan- Tundra Swan-Wood Duck*-Gadwall*- Eurasian Wigeon- American Wigeon*- American Black Duck*- Mallard*- Blue-winged Teal*- Northern Shoveler*- Northern Pintail*- Green-winged Teal*- Canvasback- Redhead

- Ring-necked Duck- Greater Scaup- Lesser Scaup- King Eider- Common Eider- Harlequin Duck- Surf Scoter- White-Winged Scoter- Black Scoter-Oldsquaw- Bufflehead- Common Goldeneye- Hooded Merganser*- Common Merganser- Red-breasted Merganser- Ruddy Duck

-Osprey- Bald Eagle- Northern Harrier*- Sharp-shinned Hawk*- Cooper's Hawk*- Northern Goshawk- Red-shouldered Hawk- Broad-winged Hawk- Red-tailed Hawk*- Rough-legged Hawk- Golden Eagle- American Kestrel*- Merlin- Gyrfalcon- Peregrine Falcon

- Ring-necked Pheasant*- Ruffed Grouse*

- King Rail- Virginia Rail*- Sora*- Common Moorhen*- American Coot*

- Sandhill Crane

- Black-bellied Plover- American Golden-Plover- Semipalmated Plover- Piping Plover- Killdeer*

- Greater Yellowlegs- Lesser Yellowlegs- Solitary Sandpiper-Willet- Spotted Sandpiper*- Upland Sandpiper-Whimbrel- Hudsonian Godwit- Ruddy Turnstone- Red Knot- Sanderling- Semipalmated Sandpiper- Western Sandpiper- Least Sandpiper- White-rumped Sandpiper- Baird's Sandpiper- Pectoral Sandpiper- Purple Sandpiper-Dunlin- Curlew Sandpiper- Stilt Sandpiper- Buff-breasted Sandpiper- Short-billed Dowitcher- Long-billed Dowitcher- Common Snipe*- American Woodcock*- Wilson's Phalarope- Red-necked Phalarope- Red Phalarope

- Long-tailed Jaeger- Laughing Gull- Franklin's Gull- Little Gull*- Black-headed Gull- Bonaparte's Gull- Ring-billed Gull- Herring Gull*

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1999

- Iceland Gull- Lesser Black-backed Gull- Glaucous Gull- Great Black-backed Gull- Caspian Tern- Common Tern*- Forster's Tern- Black Tern*

- Thick-billed Murre

- Rock Dove*- Mourning Dove*- Passenger Pigeon (extinct)

- Black-billed Cuckoo*- Yellow-billed Cuckoo*

- Eastern Screech-Owl*- Great Horned Owl*-Snowy Owl-Barred Owl- Long-eared Owl- Short-eared Owl-Boreal Owl- Northern Saw-whet Owl

- Common Nighthawk- Whip-poor-will

- Chimney Swift

- Ruby-throated Hummingbird

- Belted Kingfisher*

- Red-headed Woodpecker*- Red-bellied Woodpecker- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker- Downy Woodpecker*- Hairy Woodpecker*- Northern Flicker*- Pileated Woodpecker

- Olive-sided Flycatcher- Eastern Wood-Pewee*- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher- Alder Flycatcher*- Willow Flycatcher*- Least Flycatcher*- Eastern Phoebe*- Great Crested Flycatcher*- Western Kingbird- Eastern Kingbird*

- Loggerhead Shrike- Northern Shrike

- White-eyed Vireo- Yellow-throated Vireo- Blue-headed Vireo- Warbling Vireo*- Philadelphia Vireo- Red-eyed Vireo*

- Blue Jay*- American Crow*

- Horned Lark*

- Purple Martin*- Tree Swallow*- N. Rough-winged Swallow*- Bank Swallow*- Cliff Swallow- Barn Swallow*

- Black-capped Chickadee*

- Red-breasted Nuthatch- White-breasted Nuthatch*

- Brown Creeper

- House Wren*- Winter Wren- Sedge Wren*- Marsh Wren*

- Golden-crowned Kinglet- Ruby-crowned Kinglet

- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*

- Eastern Bluebird*-Veery*- Gray-cheeked Thrush- Swainson's Thrush- Hermit Thrush- Wood Thrush- American Robin*

- Gray Catbird*- Northern Mockingbird*- Brown Thrasher*

- European. Starling*

- American Pipit

- Cedar Waxwing*

- Golden-winged Warbler- Tennessee Warbler- Orange-crowned Warbler- Nashville Warbler- Northern Parula- Yellow Warbler*- Chestnut-sided Warbler- Magnolia Warbler- Cape May Warbler- Black-throated Blue Warbler- Yellow-rumped Warbler- Black-throated Green Warbler- Blackburnian Warbler- Pine Warbler- Prairie Warbler- Palm Warbler- Bay-breasted Warbler

151

- Blackpoll Warbler- Cerulean Warbler- Black-and-white Warbler- American Redstart*-Ovenbird- Northern Waterthrush- Connecticut Warbler- Mourning Warbler*- Common Yellowthroat*- Hooded Warbler- Wilson's Warbler- Canada Warbler- Yellow-breasted Chat

- Scarlet Tanager

- Eastern Towhee- American Tree Sparrow- Chipping Sparrow*- Clay-colored Sparrow- Field Sparrow- Vesper Sparrow- Savannah Sparrow*- Grasshopper Sparrow- Henslow's Sparrow- Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow- Fox Sparrow- Song Sparrow*- Lincoln's Sparrow- Swamp Sparrow*- White-throated Sparrow- White-crowned Sparrow- Dark-eyed Junco- Lapland Longspur- Snow Bunting

- Northern Cardinal*- Rose-breasted Grosbeak*- Indigo Bunting*

- Bobolink*- Red-winged Blackbird*- Eastern Meadowlark*- Rusty Blackbird- Brewer's Blackbird*- Common Grackle*- Brown-headed Cowbird*- Orchard Oriole- Baltimore Oriole*

- Pine Grosbeak- Purple Finch- House Finch*- Red Crossbill- White-winged Crossbill- Common Redpoll- Pine Siskin- American Goldfinch*- Evening Grosbeak

- House Sparrow*

VOLUME 17 NUMBER 3