Shorebirding Point Pelee's Marsh

I've started a tradition over the last two or three years to kayak Point Pelee's Marsh in August. This is a nice way to witness the fall migration of shorebirds very close-up. I was hoping to see a rarity, such as a Phalarope or Avocet, but no such luck. Pretty much what I've seen in previous years was seen this week:

Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Semi Plover 4
Semi Sandpiper 6
Least Sandpiper 4
Black Bellied Plover 3
Killdeer 6
Short Billed Dowitcher 2

 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper. Its funny to think that as recent as last summer, I had some minor confusion with this species and Sanderling. Rest assured, I've ironed out the differences and will no longer be confused!

Pectoral Sandpiper

More Butterfly Watching

I've walked alot at Spring Garden (as mentioned in my last posting) but butterflies diversity has not really changed, or seems to be tapering off (between broods?). I did see a pair of Variegated Fritillaries though, which was exciting to see... I don't think any former butterfly counts for Ojibway had that species, so that's pretty significant to see so many there! Other butterflies there are Pecks, Fiery, Dainty Sulphur, Common Buckeye, Eastern Tailed Blue, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Least skippers, Crossline Skipper and Checkered Skipper.

Two Variegated Fritillaries, chasing each other in a whirlabout!

Its surprisingly difficult to photograph an Orange Sulphur in a dorsal perspective!

The photo below shows a pair of Skippers that I noticed at Wheatley Beach this week. When I was at the beach, I had noticed some Common Sootywings and a few skippers,  and figured I would ID the skippers when I got home. They turned out to be Sachem Skippers! Pretty rare... In my opinion at least! I would have taken more care in photographing them, but I figured I was looking at something common! Other butterflies included Common Sootywing and many Sulphurs.

Sachem Butterflies - Wheatley Beach. Note the huge stigma marking on the male.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Rough Blazingstar - Spring Garden Area

 

First time seeing a Walking Stick Insect in the wild... Crazy!

Great Horned Owl & Short Billed Dowitcher

I had a great day at Point Pelee National Park (PPNP) today! I met up with Rick from Leamington and he expertly showed me the location of two Great Horned Owls (along with Kevin, the Owl whisperer).

Rick and I later did some Butterflying on the west beach area, where we saw Giant Swallowtail, Yellow Sulpher, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent, Monarch and Common Buckeye (thanks to Blake for the heads up on the Buckeye). We also saw Snout butterflies while talking to a butterfly researcher at the researcher's lodge.

Later in the afternoon, I kayaked the PPNP marsh ... which was pretty quiet, but I did see some roosts of Terns, Black Terns, Short Billed Dowitcher (lifer), Least Sandpiper, Killdeer, G/L Yellowlegs, Sanderling. At one point, a young Black Crowned Night Heron flew from the reeds and landed on a nearby peat island.

Good day overall, but I think I need to invest in a wide brimmed hat! I think I'm aging myself with so much sun exposure lately.

Good Birding & Butterflying,
Dwayne

Birding Hillman Marsh

I'm dying to add American Bitterns and/or Least Bitterns to my life list... But these are really difficult birds to spot. I've been to St Clair NWA once last year, and for a few minutes this year, and I did not really see anything either time. I contacted someone from ebird.com that posts in the Essex county area and he liked Hillman Marsh as a place to possibly see them.

So last night, I went to Hillman Marsh to see what I could see in the Marsh area. I was hoping to also go to Point Pelee, but there was just not enough time. That's the funny thing about birding and being from Windsor. If you want to go birding in the Leamington area, St Clair, or Rondeau, you have at least 2 hours of driving time (round trip). And its a huge gamble because sometimes, you do not end up seeing much! I recall going to Point Pelee in March and thinking that I typically see more at Ojibway. Whats the point of going outside of peak migration times?


Upon arriving, I met a wildlife photographer, named Brad who pointed out a perched Kingfisher nearby.

I continued past the Hillman Marsh main entrance to the side road just past HMCA, with the famed bridge over a side marsh. I was hoping to surprise an American Bittern there but not this time.
I then went into the HMCA area and parked and walked a little. As I walked, I kept upsetting a Killdeer that made it very apparent that a human was walking around! I did get a chance to get a close up look at a Least Spotted Sandpiper (Juvies). I think these guys did not realize I was there on the muddy beach, because they came within 8' of me!  (Great link for southbound shorebird identification http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/southboundshorebirds.php )

I then did a quick walk on the wooden boardwalk on mainly saw Wood Duck Families scrambling to get away. I did see some flycatchers, (I'll say they were least flycatchers). I did not walk much farther than 25m each way on the dyke. From fhat location though, I did see some Common Moorhens and Black Crowned Night Herons, both mature and immature which hints that they might be breeding at HMCA.

A quick summarized list is:
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black Crowned Night Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Least Sandpiper
Killdeer
Common Moorhen
Wood Duck
Least Flycatcher

I would appreciate any advice on seeing Least/American Bitterns. Is it too late this summer to even bother seeing them?

Good Birding, Butterflying and Herping!