Late Summer Kayaking at PPNP

SB Dowitchers were abundant today. Click image for full size view.

I went for a little kayak trip to Point Pelee's marsh again on Tuesday. Not much different than usual... In fact, it was pretty well the exact same list of birds from a trip that I took last year at about this time. Its amazing how cyclical nature can be.  I saw the Great Horned Owl that had hatched earlier this year near Sanctuary Pond. Closer to the marsh, there were numerous short billed dowitchers and a surprise black bellied plover.

Some species (rough estimates) seen on my 1-hour Point Pelee Marsh kayak trip:

Spotted Sandpiper 5

Semi-Plover: 20

Semi-Sandpiper 25
Lesser Yellowlegs 2

Short billed Dowitcher 40

Black bellied Plover 1

Black Terns 300-500

GB Herons 4

BCN Heron 1

Northern Harrier 1

Great Horned Owl 1 (Near Sanctuary)

Double Crested Cormorant 50+ (overhead)

 I guess its obvious at this point, but kayaking gives great looks at shorebirds at this time of year. 

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

PS: Two years ago at this time I photographed several Rudy Turnstones on East Beach at PPNP. I love this photo, but I it should have been dated: Aug 14th, 2009:

Kayaking Cedar Creek in Kingsville

Just a short posting about a quick paddle I took at Cedar Creek Conservation area.

I kayaked this gorgeous area about 6 times last summer, but did not have a blog at that point. I'm not sure if last summer was a 'bumper crop' of birds... but comparatively, today the place was barron! Not only did I see few species of birds, but few of the few that were present (if that makes sense). I did not even see/hear a Belted Kingfisher! (last summer, they lined the shoreline, one every 250m).

I did see:
Great Blue Heron (3)
Great Egret (1)
Spotted Sandpiper (1  ... Lifer! #176!)
Ring Billed Gull (1)
Red Winged Blackbird (many)
Mallard Ducks (4)

(Thats it?)

On a positive note, ERCA put in a gorgeous new Canoe/Kayak dock.

Good birding!
Dwayne

Kayaking Peche Island

(Photo Credit: http://www.walkervilletimes.com/images/map-peche-island.jpg)

I've kayaked Peche Island twice this May, and I figured I would blog some photos and thoughts about the trip. It's quite a nice little two hour trip if you have a kayak.

Birding wise, I would say my two trips did not really blow me away. I was expecting to see some Herons, possibly a Bald Eagle or Osprey... but no such luck. Ojibway's website even posted news of some Black Bellied Whistling Ducks but I did not see those either.

I did see Terns, Downy Woodpeckers, nesting Yellow Warblers, Red Winged Blackbirds, 10+ Perching Wood Ducks, a few Canada Geese, Mallard Ducks, Swans, and Northern Rough Winged Swallows (lifer). I also saw a Belted Kingfisher fly by in the distance.

Here are some photos from the first of the two trips:

My birding endeavors have slowed down, but I would still like to make it out to St Clair NWA to try to see some  Least or American Bitterns. But... I almost can't talk myself into going because of my first impression of the place when I visited it last summer. All I saw was 14' tall phramites. No observation deck... nothing to see or look at. Any thoughts on SCNWA?

Happy Birding!

16 Birding and Kayaking Hotspots in Windsor Ontario Detroit Michigan area

I think one of the main reasons that I started a Blog was to document my Birding and Kayaking travails in and around Windsor Ontario!

Finally, I have created a map of the hotspots that are just absolute Gems in our area. Below I provide a map with 16 or so locations (click the image to see a larger image). Lets list them out!

1- Ojibway Park in West Windsor - Birding and Nature loving. There are no kayaking opportunities here.
www.ojibway.ca
 
2- River Canard in Lasalle - Awesome Kayaking opportunity and as with most waterways, birding as well.
Click Here for Google Map
 
3- Lasalle Park on Malden Road - Has an awesome kayak launch and great waterways with islands in the Detroit River. This was one of my funnest kayaking outings last summer. Great water birds to see.
Click here for google Map
 
4-Amherstburg Kayakers Cove- A newly created kayak lauch near Texas Road. It was really cool to go, but the currents are suprisingly strong. I would recommend going against the current fir teh first half of your trip, then *go with the flow* on the way back.
Google Map
 
5- Big Creek Amherstburg - An incredibly huge and wild wetland. I tried to kayak this, you have to really love kayaking. There was *too much* vegitation by the time I tried to kayak this in 2009. I think it was *buggy* as well. Birding was incredible though. (Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Eagles, Waxwings).
Google Map
 
6- Cedar Creek - Hands down the most gorgeous waterway Ive kayaked. Incredible! Drop your kayak near the ERCA kayak drop near the bridge on Arner Town Line.(Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Eagles, Waxwings, ducks, swans, sandpipers, turtles, butterflies, incredible!). Google Map

7- Sturgeon Creek- On the way to Point Pelee, you cross a bridge. That is Sturgeon Creek. I have not yet birded or kayaked this ... YET.
8- Point Pelee - A yearly summer mecca for me. You can rent a canoe here and it is just heavenly. Birding is world class. Google Map for 7, 8,9,10
9- Hilmann Marsh - The *other half* of Point Pelee. Very nice to bird and kayak. I saw wood ducks, terns, herons, frogs, snakes, hawks and even Yellow Warbler easily here.
10- Wheatly Park - Never been there, but I will in the summer of 2010.
11- Rondeau Park - Birded this park in Sept 2009. Just beautiful. As good as Point Pelee and maybe better in some ways. I did not kayak this park.
12-  Pinery Park - Did not go yet. Google Map
13- St Clair Nature Wetland Reserve - Just birding here. Least terns and yellow headed blackbirds in breeding season. I went once and found it in utter disrepair. Someone cut the Phragmites!
14- Belle River - Never Kayaked it but heard it was really nice.

15- Peche Island - Next to Lilly Kazillies, there is a Kayakers Cove Launch. This is the closest and best kayaking you can do in Windsor. Kayaking is breathtaking once you go *into* Peche Island. Absolutely incredible. (Note: There is a new Ganatcho Trail Park with a waterway that had impressive birding... I only stumbled on this in the fall but saw Green Herons, GBH, and Great Egrets easily. Pretty impressive!)

16- Magee Marsh in Ohio is not shown here, but I would love to go in late March in 2010... I will go! Birding only as far as I know. I have read this is almost as good, if not better then Point Pelee in May. Google Map