Carden and Kirkfield areas - Lots of Birds Posted on June 10, 2008 at 12:12:47 PM by Norm Murr
Good Morning
Yesterday I joined Ian Cannell, Irwin Batalla and Bud Rowe for another great trip to the Kirkfield area and we found most of the sought after species before Bud and Irwin had to leave and drive back to Kingston so I am sorry :>)) Bud and Irwin for some of the birds listed below that we all missed together.
After Bud and Irwin left Ian and I returned to Wylie Road and then drove west along Alvar Road and through Dalrymple and onto some of the roads just south of Kirkfield and below are a quick count from my records of some of the high lights from the 97 species we did find.
Common Loon, D-C Cormorant, 4 American Bitterns, Least Bittern, Wood Duck, 10 Osprey including 6 active nests, Cooper's Hawk, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, 8 Virginia Rails, Sora, Common Moorhen, Sandhill Crane, 24 Upland Sandpipers, many Wilson's Snipe, 4 Black-billed Cuckoos, Common Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, 5 Woodpecker species including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Pileated Woodpecker, E. Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Alder, Willow, Least and Great Crested Flycatchers, tons of Eastern Kingbirds, Cliff Swallow, Common Raven, House, Sedge and Marsh Wrens, 27 Eastern Bluebirds, Veery, Wood Thrush, many Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbird, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, Cedar waxwing, 7 Loggerhead Shrikes ( we found these Shrikes in 4 different locations including one on each side of the road about 200 yards south of Bluebird box #10 on Wylie Road ), 12 Warbler species including 4 Golden-winged Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Pine Warbler and Canada Warbler, Indigo Bunting, 10 Sparrow species including many Eastern Towhees, 4 Clay-colored Sparrows, Field, Vesper, Swamp, White-throated, many Savannah and 34 Grasshopper Sparrows, Baltimore Oriole, many, many Eastern Meadowlarks and Bobolinks and a nice male Purple Finch right in front of us on the road.
Another great trip up there and again with great company. We didn't see a Bear but we did see Snapping and Painted Turtles, Green Frog and Grey Tree Frogs, Beaver, Deer, and Varying Hare ( Snowshoe Rabbit ) and for those that love Wildflowers, Butterflies, Dragonflies or just the outdoors then the Kirkfield area is a great place to spend a day ( or longer ) in June.
Even though we did not find that the biting insects were much of a problem yesterday be sure to go prepared for them.
Directions:-
CARDEN ALVAR INCLUDING WYLIE ROAD / THE SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT ROAD
Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow.
From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Rd, turn right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Rd (a T intersection). Birding can be good on this road as well, either way.
The Sedge Wren Marsh is about 5 ½ km up Wylie Road, you can’t miss it as it has the only bridge along the road. Park just to the south of and overlooking the bridge and walk the road. Birding is good all along the road and I find that the best birding happens when you park and walk both ways a km or 2 from your auto.
This is a narrow road with little traffic but be sure to park in such a way as to not block the road as you don’t want to rile up the locals. This is all private property but there really is no need to leave the road.
Other roads to check in the area are Shrike, Curl’s, Dalrymple, and Eldon Station Roads.
PS
You may also want to drive down Rockview Rd just west of Kirkfield on your right along County Rd 48. Past the dump road (on your right) you will come to a wet wood lot that straddles the road. This is a great place for N. Waterthrush. We heard and saw 7 there on May 5/01 and May 4/02. Also along here you should find Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Continue south to Eldon Station Rd (the next road) turn right (west) and drive to Prospect Rd. Turn right (north) and drive up to a large marsh. Here you should find many Marsh Wrens along with Sora and Virginia Rail, A. Bittern and Green Heron and watch for Osprey, N. Harrier and T. Vulture. If you continue north on this road you will come upon another small marsh and pond just short of County Rd 48. Of coarse most of the roads in this and the Wylie Rd area can be very productive.