We had a great outing that spring day. We started at my house in Speyside where we heard a Scarlet Tanager but did not see him, then saw a resident Indigo Bunting. We went to Town Line Road, seeing a Mallard on the pond, which is now very overgrown. Farther down we encountered a very large patch of Yellow Lady’s Slipper, a plant I have not seen in this area before. We also saw Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

We went over to the corner of Sixth Line and 15 Side Road where we had a wonderful time watching nesting Bluebirds, and we located 2 Porcupines and a Raccoon sleeping in three separate trees, and watched a Meadow Vole dash across the road. We also saw Eastern Kingbird, Indigo Bunting, Alder/Willow Flycatcher, Song Sparrow, Northern Flicker and Blue Jay.

We then went to Third Line south of 15 where we had fun watching a field full of Bobolinks, plus a few Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, a Savannah Sparrow, and Barn Swallows. At the Scotch Block Reservoir we saw a lone Painted Turtle, many Northern Orioles, Northern Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, American Redstart and Warbling Vireo. The only water birds were Canada Geese, but a Great Blue Heron did fly overhead, as did a Red-tailed Hawk.

Thanks to Valerie Dobson, Jim and Joan Hughes, and their sharp-eyed guest Christine Rumble for coming along!

by Fiona Reid
President, Halton/North Peel Naturalist Club