American Pipits... Just by chance

Just a short posting tonight. I had gone out to look for Pipits once or twice this month on the advice that they sometimes hang out on compost piles at a landfill just north of Kingsville. After scoping the compost mounds for twenty minutes from the roadside berm, all I had seen was sky-blackening numbers of European Starlings and some doves in the area.  I left, dejected.

Then, while driving home, while still in the 'pleasent valley' area of Essex Co, I noticed four little sparrow-like birds perched on a power line on a gravel side road. I pulled over to see these buffy beauties! Lifer!!! #307! I took a few shots from my car, then walked out in a recently harvested soyabean field to get front lit shots. A nearby raptor flushed them, and I even got a chance to hear their tell-tale chirping flight calls.

American Pipits are also known as Buff-breasted Pipits or Water Pipits. They breed in the arctic north, and migrate to the Southern US for the Winter. My birding field guide lists them as 'common' in migration, but that has not been the case for me. Many birders have told me to listen for them flying over in flocks but, I'm old school, I prefer to see them perched or walking around on the ground. I guess they can be found along beaches, watery areas and fields. I had an impression that they could be seen in the Onion Fields or any birding hotspots along the north shore of Lake Erie.

This yellow rumped Palm Warbler was curious and bounced around in a leafless tree in nice sunlight.

Other birds seen in the area were some Yellow rumped Warblers, and a three separate American Kestrels. The Kestrel below had a huge insect, perhaps a Praying Mantis. Pretty cool!

I'm hoping to see Saw Whet Owls by the end of the month, it would be pretty cool to have three lifers in three blog postings. Any good advice to help me find one would be appreciated! ;^)

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

Lifer Summary: American Pipit #307

Three Days ... Three Lifers

Chimney Swift over a Chimney!

Were you expecting something more rare? :-p

Saturday: Chimney Swift (#298)

Don't laugh, but this spring, someone had posted to Ontbirds that Chimney Swifts had arrived, and I thought to myself, do I have those on my life list?... The answer is NO! This Saturday, a birding friend from Kingsville (after chuckling at my desire to see a Chimney Swift) said to go to Kingsville and look up! lol... Thanks Kory! Now that I have officially acknowledged them, its interesting to read a little about them. They are at risk in Ontario due to the change in design of Chimneys (open brick design vs covered natural gas style). Also, they spend all their time in the air, eating and even bathing by dipping into water in flight. You never see them perched (like you see tree swallows) because their feet are not designed to perch. They have small claws that allow them to hang against the inner wall of a tree or chimney. So thats it, they are either in the air or in a chimney... pretty cool!

Friday: Whimbrel (#297)

As you may have read already, I lifered Whimbrel on Friday after work this week by twitching this bird at Hillman Marsh. Click here to read more on this bird.

Ten or so Whimbrel at Hillman... Did you know that a group of shorebirds is sometimes called a contradiction of shorebirds? I read this on my IBird App and thought to myself,... only a group of Solitary Sandpipers should be called a contradiction!!!

Sunday: Lark Sparrow (#299)

This weekend, my wife and I decided we would make a day trip out to the Toledo Zoo. Toledo is about an hour south of the Windsor so it made for a good trip. But since we were going to be in Toledo, I figured I would try to sneak in a little pre-zoo birding walk at Oak Openings Metropark. Oak Openings is known for some cool breeding birds such as Summer Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Lark Sparrow, Blue Grosbeck, Pileated Woodpecker (see here for more).  Since the zoo trip was the days' focus, we only had about 30 or so minutes to bird this park, so I decided on the Girdham Road Sand Dunes area. Lark Sparrow was easily found (conspicuous), and I took a few photos of these beautiful birds and headed off to the zoo with the family.

Two Lark Sparrows, one banded and the other not.

This is an amazing sparrow. Very distinct plumage in the face, and a very nice song. I was really happy to see this bird today.

Regarding butterflies, I also saw an American Copper as well as many Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies during my brief walk at OOMP. I was hoping to see a Karner Blue Butterfly, but dipped. Here is a link to a Butterfly Checklist for Oak Openings in Ohio.

Oak Openings Habitat @ Girdham Road Dunes

Wild Lupine

I would really like to make it out to Carden Alvar for the OFO Field Trip in early June. I am going to try my best to make that happen. That amazing trip would probably give me a few lifers (Upland Sandpiper and Sedge Wren to name a few)... The logistics of getting there and back are killing me though... We'll see.... Virginia Rail or American Bittern would be really nice to see as well.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Life List Summary:
Chimney Swift #298
Lark Sparrow #299

Great Grey Owl Still in Kingsville

***Update: To my knowledge, the owl has not been seen in Kingsville since Jan 8, 2012***

Not satisfied with last night's views of the Great Grey Owl, I drove up to Kingsville again this morning and tried my luck at finding the owl again. As I was driving to yesterday's location, I noted a Snowy Owl on top of a telephone post. I pulled over and took some photos. Nobody was around and it dawned on me that I had discovered my first snowy owl! I've seen others, but they were pointed out to me by other birders.

Anyway, I quickly left, in hopes of finding the Great Grey Owl. I drove around for 30 or so minutes and then gave up. I had to go out this morning for breakfast with some friends so as I drove away, I noticed a mob of birders (& mobbing crows!) on Concession Rd 2 and knew something special was happening.

Check out this magnificent owl species below!

Incredible Camouflage!!!

Please treat owls ethically. Do not disturb them or play calls or use baits for them.  View them from a distance and respect their space as well as private property. Check out this excellent article (regarding owl ethics) from Ebird.org entitled: Got Snowies?

Good birding, and Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all that celebrate!
Dwaynejava

Almost forgot: My first self discovered Snowy Owl!

Got Lemmings?

Update:

See these great blogs for more amazing photos of this boreal beauty.

http://burgbirder.blogspot.com/2011/12/day-of-owls.html

http://kenburrell.blogspot.com/2011/12/twas-2-nights-before-xmas-and-i-was.html

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