And now, of course, I already want to go back to Pelee and hunt for all the things I missed yesterday. I did my best yesterday not to 'chase' birds that other people had seen (because inevitably I wouldn't find them, and end up frustrated) but rather just enjoy the day and appreciate what I saw. And that strategy worked very well for me at the time.
But now, of course, I'm looking at other people's records and seeing Hooded Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Mourning Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Eastern Bluebird... and I would dearly love to give it another shot. Fifty-odd species is really not that fantastic a tally for that park during migration, I'm sure there's birds I walked right past because I was too focused on something else.
Definitely going for two days, next time.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
A Trip Long Overdue
So I finally made it to Point Pelee National Park during migration. I had originally planned to go on Saturday, but Saturday was cold and rainy so I decided to take Monday off instead. Given how busy it still was on a weekday, the weather was probably a blessing in disguise; I can't imagine what kind of crowd would have been there on the weekend.
Overall: A++, would bird again. I think I'd go for two days next time, though, give me a chance to revisit the best trails, get an earlier start (with opportunity for napping in the afternoon), and maybe hit up Hillman Marsh as well.
My day's highlights included: 5 new lifer species (for a grand total of 250), a nest of fluffy owl chicks, a near-deafening dawn chorus, and a lot of really good looks at really pretty birds. A full tally follows, with my new ones bolded.
Canada Goose
Blue-winged Teal
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
American Coot
Short-billed Dowitcher
Ring-billed Gull
Black Tern
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-pewee
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
Overall: A++, would bird again. I think I'd go for two days next time, though, give me a chance to revisit the best trails, get an earlier start (with opportunity for napping in the afternoon), and maybe hit up Hillman Marsh as well.
My day's highlights included: 5 new lifer species (for a grand total of 250), a nest of fluffy owl chicks, a near-deafening dawn chorus, and a lot of really good looks at really pretty birds. A full tally follows, with my new ones bolded.
Canada Goose
Blue-winged Teal
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
American Coot
Short-billed Dowitcher
Ring-billed Gull
Black Tern
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-pewee
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Where Did June Go?
How time flies... here it is almost July already. I'm going to be back lamenting about fall warblers again before you know it.
A couple of weeks ago I went to visit an old friend who just bought a house near Peterborough. Her property is lovely, it has a big chunk of wetland running through the center of it and some isolated areas of rocky meadow beyond that. It had also never really been birded before, so you can imagine me rubbing my greedy little hands together in anticipation as I drove there for the weekend. In the wetland we found a nesting pair of Sandhill Cranes, which was actually a new one for me. Also the expected array of Swamp Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Elsewhere on the property we heard Veery, Alder Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush, Eastern Meadowlark, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler... etc. Lots and lots of birds, many of them either confirmed or probable nesters. The highlight of the trek, though, was a Prairie Warbler singing from that isolated meadow area I mentioned. I didn't get eyes on it, sadly, but its song was a dead match for the recording on my field guide app. Rare species for the area, woo!
Last weekend I participated in the Bruce Trail's 50km challenge (as part of a relay team; I am not in good enough shape yet to try all 50km by myself). My leg of the trail went through a large area of open habitat - hayfield, probably? But as-yet unmown while I was there. So it was grassland bird central up there: Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and both Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows. I don't often get to hear all of those species practically all at once, over such a large area, so it was a treat.
Well, to be honest, the entire Dufferin Hi-Lands section of trail is a treat, that is a lovely part of the province and I can't wait to go back for my own end-to-end hike of it this year. I don't usually mix birding and hiking on more than a superficial level, because I'm usually trying to keep a pace and don't want to break momentum to dig out my binoculars. But I may have to at least keep a log of what I hear while on the trail next time, I'm curious as to just how many species I can get.
A couple of weeks ago I went to visit an old friend who just bought a house near Peterborough. Her property is lovely, it has a big chunk of wetland running through the center of it and some isolated areas of rocky meadow beyond that. It had also never really been birded before, so you can imagine me rubbing my greedy little hands together in anticipation as I drove there for the weekend. In the wetland we found a nesting pair of Sandhill Cranes, which was actually a new one for me. Also the expected array of Swamp Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Elsewhere on the property we heard Veery, Alder Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush, Eastern Meadowlark, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler... etc. Lots and lots of birds, many of them either confirmed or probable nesters. The highlight of the trek, though, was a Prairie Warbler singing from that isolated meadow area I mentioned. I didn't get eyes on it, sadly, but its song was a dead match for the recording on my field guide app. Rare species for the area, woo!
Last weekend I participated in the Bruce Trail's 50km challenge (as part of a relay team; I am not in good enough shape yet to try all 50km by myself). My leg of the trail went through a large area of open habitat - hayfield, probably? But as-yet unmown while I was there. So it was grassland bird central up there: Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and both Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows. I don't often get to hear all of those species practically all at once, over such a large area, so it was a treat.
Well, to be honest, the entire Dufferin Hi-Lands section of trail is a treat, that is a lovely part of the province and I can't wait to go back for my own end-to-end hike of it this year. I don't usually mix birding and hiking on more than a superficial level, because I'm usually trying to keep a pace and don't want to break momentum to dig out my binoculars. But I may have to at least keep a log of what I hear while on the trail next time, I'm curious as to just how many species I can get.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Close To Home
It never ceases to amaze me just how many birds I get right here in the middle of suburbia. I suppose I have the advantage of being in an established neighbourhood with lots of mature trees, and also right next to a park (even though that's mostly grass).
Still, I've tallied 35 species just in and around my yard. Which, considering that I can walk across my entire yard in three good-sized steps, isn't bad. Of those, Canada Goose and Red-tailed Hawk were just fly-overs (usually, anyway; a Red-tailed did land briefly in the tree just behind the house, and let me tell you those things are big up close). The species which are our usual customers are no surprise: Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, both Nuthatches.... etc, etc.
It's the rest that make it really interesting. I love my resident featherheads, but it's always fun when something new shows up. I had an Orange-crowned Warbler make a very brief visit, just once. Then there was The Year Of The Pine Siskin and The Year Of The Redpoll (separate events), in which we were nearly eaten out of house and home by winter flocks. There have been the occasional White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Purple Finch drop by during migration. And just this week, I heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling from somewhere in the subdivision; I figure it must have gotten lost on its way to the forest or something.
You really can find the most unexpected birds in the most unexpected places. :D
Still, I've tallied 35 species just in and around my yard. Which, considering that I can walk across my entire yard in three good-sized steps, isn't bad. Of those, Canada Goose and Red-tailed Hawk were just fly-overs (usually, anyway; a Red-tailed did land briefly in the tree just behind the house, and let me tell you those things are big up close). The species which are our usual customers are no surprise: Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, both Nuthatches.... etc, etc.
It's the rest that make it really interesting. I love my resident featherheads, but it's always fun when something new shows up. I had an Orange-crowned Warbler make a very brief visit, just once. Then there was The Year Of The Pine Siskin and The Year Of The Redpoll (separate events), in which we were nearly eaten out of house and home by winter flocks. There have been the occasional White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Purple Finch drop by during migration. And just this week, I heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling from somewhere in the subdivision; I figure it must have gotten lost on its way to the forest or something.
You really can find the most unexpected birds in the most unexpected places. :D
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Surprise!
Hunh! Apparently that Cape May Warbler I saw on my lunchtime walk was a lifer for me. I could have sworn I'd seen one before, but my eBird list doesn't lie.
Lucky #231.
Lucky #231.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Here We Go Again
The Grand River is quite low at the moment, so Riverside Park here in Guelph has some lovely mud flats which seem to be attracting shorebirds. I managed a short visit out there this morning to see who was around.
I really wanted one of these to be a Yellowlegs, but I'm pretty sure all four that I saw were Solitary Sandpipers. I honestly can't tell whether the legs are pure yellow or greenish-yellow, but they all had a really prominent white eye-ring, and that dark leading edge at the front of the wing.
Small peeps, which I think are all Least Sandpipers. They seem pretty dark overall, even on the throat, mostly with a cleanly-delineated line between dark breast and white belly (reminiscent of a Pectoral Sandpiper, really, though these are way too small for that). Noticeably smaller than the Semipalmated Plovers that they were with.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were flying over the water, and hanging around the concrete wing-walls near the bridge. Wonder if they will nest there?
These pigeons caught my interest, because those are definitely not the average coloration. Wonder if they're escapees from someone's coop?
And finally, there's one late Bufflehead lady still hanging around. Silly bird, don't you know you're supposed to have moved on by now?
I really wanted one of these to be a Yellowlegs, but I'm pretty sure all four that I saw were Solitary Sandpipers. I honestly can't tell whether the legs are pure yellow or greenish-yellow, but they all had a really prominent white eye-ring, and that dark leading edge at the front of the wing.
Small peeps, which I think are all Least Sandpipers. They seem pretty dark overall, even on the throat, mostly with a cleanly-delineated line between dark breast and white belly (reminiscent of a Pectoral Sandpiper, really, though these are way too small for that). Noticeably smaller than the Semipalmated Plovers that they were with.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were flying over the water, and hanging around the concrete wing-walls near the bridge. Wonder if they will nest there?
These pigeons caught my interest, because those are definitely not the average coloration. Wonder if they're escapees from someone's coop?
And finally, there's one late Bufflehead lady still hanging around. Silly bird, don't you know you're supposed to have moved on by now?
Friday, April 17, 2015
Adventures!
Looks like I'm going to be back in the Presqu'ile area this weekend, once again on my way to a family event. It's not quite the right part of the season for copious shorebirds yet, I think, but looking at the eBird records there are a few interesting things swimming and flapping about. And those records are from a few days ago, even; this time of year, when it comes to migrant birds, a lot can happen in a few days. I have high hopes of seeing something new.
Now, the true debate: do I bring my scope, or not? On one hand, lugging around the extra weight all weekend. On the other, actually being able to see things swimming further out on the water. Decisions, decisions....
Now, the true debate: do I bring my scope, or not? On one hand, lugging around the extra weight all weekend. On the other, actually being able to see things swimming further out on the water. Decisions, decisions....
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