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| The southern-most Racoon in Canada? This is how I feel when I have to get up early! |
This morning I joined the excellent Ojibway Birders Group (OBG?) led by Paul Pratt. The morning consisted of a great group of people, keen birders along with fantastic weather .... mix these things together and you're having a great morning. My morning started out late, I did not meet the group at the 8:00am meeting time, but luckily I met up with them later at the tip of Point Pelee. At the tip, Tom Preney kindly pointed out the controversial Yellow-legged Gull / Herring Gull and I was able to snap a photo of it ... check it out ... (outrageous, isn't it?). Along with great birds today, I saw Rick, Kelly, Sil, and Fitcetera (Karen) at Point Pelee... Great People!
Is this a Yellow Legged Gull? A new lifer?
After hanging out near the tip, we had moved northward towards the tram loop when we noticed a Scarlet Tanager. We followed it southward back towards the tip. One group member likened our reversal in direction as "reverse migration" LOL!!!
At one point, Paul, our group leader mentioned Indigo Buntings and Prothonotary Warblers near the tip... I thought he was joking but no... This P.W. was foraging along branches and in the undergrowth. One usually expects this bird near a bug-infested slough.
Red eyed Vireos are a beautiful bird, very common, but rarely seen. On any summertime walk, if you hear this song:
"Here I am.... (pause) Where are you?.... Here I am....Where are you?". This bird is often a victim of cowbird parasitism. Read more here.... Red Eyed Vireos were very numerous today.
Today was a wonderful day at PPNP, and there were some nice birds out, but one had to work. There wasn't a great density but overall a nice mix for the later end of the migration season. The OBG (Ojibway Birding Group) later went into the visitor center, where the park interpreter Sarah generously doled out "100 Species" pins to some of the OBG members that had a "+100 Big Day" earlier in the week. I just couldn't take one... I've never even come close to 100 species in a day... I'm just not there yet. My senses aren't sharp enough yet. Every Empidonax Flycatcher is a least flycatcher to me.... Every Gull is a Ring-billed... I'm just not there yet! :^)
Northern Parula had been heard on several occasions throughout May but not seen until today. I actually had several views but this one was the best. He was just perched on a branch, not moving, about 7m up in the air... not bad... but he was in the shade.
Good birding!
Dwaynejava
