Brechin

My Impressions of the Carden Alvar By Mike Pickup of Port Elgin. (Reprinted from Prairie Smoke) Index

The day the Bruce Birding Club decided on a trip to the Carden Alvar for their June birding trip, I knew this was one trip that I would not miss.

I had heard of the Carden Alvar, but knew little of this area and had no idea what to expect for our pending outing. Dave Schaus our leader for the day, had done at least a couple of scouting trips and had a well planned out itinerary that would take us on a tour and show off the natural history and birding for the area. As we traveled from Southampton to Orillia we met up with others, and finally to Tim Horton's at the corner of Hwy #12 and Memorial Ave. where we all gathered.

We were now ready for a truly fantastic day of birding. I had heard that the Carden Plain or "Alvar" (an Estonian word that describes a basically flat limestone plain, covered with scattered vegetation that endures very extreme wet and dry conditions) had been designated as an IBA (Important Bird Area) for Ontario. Alvars, I had read are an endangered community, that occur, only in certain areas of the world. One being the Great Lakes Basin and the other the southern parts of Sweden. Therefore, living in Ontario this was a place I just had to see for myself.

This area east of Orillia is the last stronghold for the Loggerhead Shrike and for grassland birds in Ontario. If I was to see only a few birds, then the Loggerhead Shrike was at the top of my list, along with Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow. Leaving Orillia at 9:00am our morning stops included Dalrymple Lake, Cameron Ranch, Canal Lake, Prospect Rd., Eldon Station Rd., Rockview Rd. and lunch at the Kirkfield Lift Lock and ice cream at the restaurant. The afternoon took us to McNamee Rd., Wylie Rd. and Windmill Ranch, other stops along Wylie Rd., Sedge Wren Marsh, Alvar Rd., Lake Dalrymple and back along County Rd's. #6 and #46 to Orillia with a stop at "The Bird House" nature store and supper at Weber's restaurant on Front St. at approximately 5:30pm. Thanks again to Dave and his wife Jean who planned this trip to give us all a very good look at the area. We recorded a total of 71 species, for the day, with good views of the Loggerhead Shrike, at the designated spot on Wylie Rd., Upland Sandpipers whistling their calls to attract the females (as all males are wont to do), the Grasshopper Sparrow that posed on the fence post for us, American Bittern that gave us a fly past and the calling Least Bittern at the swamp on Prospect Rd. Other birds of note were the Marsh and Sedge Wrens that called at various spots along our travels and the Caspian, Common and Black Terns at Dalrymple lake.

During the afternoon we met a couple who were birding in the area as well. Stopping to talk, as I am not afraid to do, I had a wonderful chat with David Homer and his wife Bonnie. While talking with them and finding out that they lived in this fantastic part of the country, they shared information with us on where to look for certain birds. Their knowledge of the area is of great importance to all, who hold the conservation of sensitive areas close to their heart.

The Carden Plain, needs to be protected and the efforts of all are to be commended. The Cameron Ranch and Windmill Ranch are significant plant and birding areas we cannot do without and I will support the continuing efforts for their protection. Habitats for Loggerhead Shrikes and Upland Sandpipers keep declining so we need to keep protecting. The last Loggerhead Shrike I have seen locally was back in the early 80's near Arkwright, Ontario.

My lasting impressions are of the wafting, mauve flowers waving in the breeze, Long-Plumed Purple Avens or Prairie Smoke as they are more commonly known. It is one sight I will not forget, as I had never even seen or heard of them before. Listening to the whistled calls of the Upland Sandpiper, and watching the Loggerhead Shrike forage over the fields on Wylie Rd. and the many Osprey nests also give one an image that will be forever on my mind.

The Carden Alvar to me is a special place where one can escape the everyday humdrum of life. This will be a place that I will come to each year from now on, as it has become one of my favourite birding spots in Ontario to visit.