We like to go through Bancroft and Orillia, as this gives us the opportunity to bird along the route, especially at Carden Alvar.
Our first stop was at the Madawaska River bridge, where an outfitter has bluebird boxes. The bluebirds did not disappoint!
We made very brief stops at McArthur’s Mills and Egan Chutes, but the mosquitoes were the worst we have ever seen, so no bird photos.
We stopped again at Tory Hill where we observed a Snapping Turtle and a singing Common Yellowthroat.
Then it was on to Glamorgan Park in Gooderham. There was a Common Merganser swimming in the river and a Blackburnian Warbler singing in the trees, but it managed to stay out of sight.
So, we pressed on to the Carden Alvar where we parked on Wylie Road and had lunch beside the car while birding. We got all kinds of good sightings here, including cooperative Wilson’s Snipes. We met Hugh Currie (China trip) and his son from Toronto, and exchanged phone numbers in case any of us spotted a Loggerhead Shrike (we didn’t).
On Hugh’s advice, we drove up and down Shrike Road and were rewarded with an Upland Sandpiper.
Needless to say, time was getting on, so we made only one more stop for an ice cream treat in Orillia.
Friend Ken had suggested we check the Stayner Lagoons, but we simply had no time left. So, we went straight to Port Elgin to gas up on our almost empty tank. We drove to the park to register for the festival, but the registration was not open. After a quick look around, we returned to Port Elgin to check into the Travelodge, meet Colin & Hilda, and go out to dinner at Wendy’s.
