Birded Pelee again today (Saturday), really hoping to see more variety in warblers but left the park disappointed. As I left Pelee, I thought about going to Rondeau, but I realized I had a conscientious objection with paying $17 to walk around a park and bird. But much to my chagrin, upon arriving at home, I read the the daily report from Rondeau (which is about 1 hour north of Point Pelee) describing the warbler concentration as:
"Warblers were dripping from the trees" ... Should of went there! Also, other birding reports today from Ontario have small municipal parks in Toronto (Colonel Samuel Smith Park?) with seemingly better numbers than I've been experiencing at Pelee.
On a good note, I did see lots of non-warbler passerines. Indigo Buntings, Cedar Waxwings, Rose breasted Grosbecks, both Cuckoos (black billed self discovered). Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos were seen and heard. Another highlight for the day was watching a Red-eyed Vireo preen for several minutes in Sparrow Field. Regarding shorebirds, Semipalmated Plovers were seen in numbers at Hillman, but not much else has changed in the mix there.
Is it just me or are things slow this year? Where are the warblers this year? Wilson's Warbler was nice to see today, but, not as nice as a Canada, Cape May or Bay Breasted Warbler. Maybe it was early leaf-out, or I'm getting lazier, not looking up as much, or the ban on pishing!
Last year on the 15th of May, I had an incredible birding trip to
Hillman Marsh. That may have been one of the best warbler viewing days in my short three years of birding.
Click here to revisit that amazing day...
Good Birding,
Dwaynejava
PS: St Lawrence Islands National Park is using some of my photography in their printed materials!
PSS: I took these sunrise shots with my latest lens, the Canon 10-22mm!
Well aren't you on an owl streak Dwayne! Beautiful shots of the boardwalk...I can see why they'd want to use them. Congrats!!
ReplyDeleteI've thought abot picking up the 10-22... very tempted indeed now-- those are great shots!
ReplyDeleteAlso nice pics of the cuckoos particularly--two birds I would very much like to photograph again.
$17 seems like a pretty good price for a day's entertainment, compared to a movie ticket for example...
I think the reports were a bit embellished from Rondeau! Many parts of the park have been "dead" this year. South Point trail has been good all week, but not really "dripping"!
ReplyDeleteMore people than I have ever seen at Rondeau on Mother's Day!
Thanks for the comments guys. Brian, the SLI-NP bought a photo of an Orchard Oriole, not these landscape shots :-). Stuart, I picked up the 10-22 off kijiji for half price, in mint condition, with the added lens hood! Blake, thanks for weighing in on those reports. BTW... I think one of my photos is on a trailhead sign for Southpoint Trail at Rondeau.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos; I love the Yellow-billed Cuckoo capture. I saw this bird for the first time last month, but my photo was not so nice:)
ReplyDeleteWill make my first visit to Pelee EVER this weekend, one day only though :) crossing fingers for some good sighting!
ReplyDelete