Birding Peche Island

 I did a quick two-hour kayak trip to Peche Island today. It was exciting to get out there for the first time in many months. It was birdy. No lifers or un-expected species but a nice listing of birds. Some firsts for the year etc.

 Wood Ducks were seen as well as Hooded Mergansers and Mallards. Many Canada Geese were around as well as some swans.

First Belted Kingfisher of the year. Two were seen. Many Northern Flickers were heard. Two Bald Eagles were seen, as well as a Sharp Shinned Hawk. Turkey Vultures glided overhead as well.

My first non-wintering Warbler of the year. This Yellow-Rumped Warbler was a welcome sight. I had a hard time pish-ing him into view from a thicket of branches.

Only one or two Yellow Bellied Sapsucker were seen. It was amazing how many trees were tapped for sap though. Its funny how much more observant I am this year than last. Last year I saw 4 YBSS all year. This year, I must be close to twenty just in the last week! This bird is a keystone species making life better for many other species. For example, I have read once that the sap-wells give food for Ruby throated Hummingbirds. Even today, I saw an Eastern Comma butterfly feeding off the sap, as well as many flies and insects. Incredible. (See this article about how pileated woodpeckers are keystone species as well)

 This Eastern Comma butterfly was enjoying the sap-tapped tree. The Yellow Bellied Sapsucker got a really nice flow from this tree. Drops of sap were pouring out.

 Tree Swallows were everywhere.

Bonapartes Gulls were flying by the Windsor Shoreline at Kayak Cove as I was leaving. About 50 flew right by me. I took several photos and even saw a juvenile BGs with the classic "M" pattern on its wings and back. Almost easily confused with the Black Legged Kittiwake we saw earlier in Jan this year, minus the black bar across the back of its neck.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Point Pelee Birding in Early April

I got out of work early today, so I figured I would go to Point Pelee and see whats happening bird-wise. In short: Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe & Brown Creeper were abundant!

My first stop was  ERCA's Hillman Marsh. When I arrived at mid-afternoon the weather was pretty cold, windy and not very good for birding. I noticed the wetland cell had 10+ Great Blue Herons, as well as many common seasonal ducks.

The shorebird cell had thousands of Canada Geese. A few Tree Swallows were flying around. A Greater Yellowlegs was found as well as about 15 Dunlin (let me know if I've mis-identified these shorebirds).

 Dunlin?

The onion fields. The soil is so rich, so black. You almost want to get out of your car and pick up some soil in your hands. There is an interesting historical connection with these fields and the natural history of the area. I would like to learn more about it. My understanding is that Point Pelee's marsh extended to Hillman marsh but was dyked and drained to create fertile farming fields. I've seen similar onion fields bordering St Clair NWA and Rondeau (at Erieau).

At Point Pelee, I first walked Shuster Trail. I heard Winter Wrens and saw BCCs as well as a few Cardinals. After Shuster Trail, I walked Tildens Trail. Birds seen include: Golden crowned Kinglets (4), Brown Creepers(4), and Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers (6) were pretty easily seen. I heard an Eastern Towhee but was unable to find it.

 

 Habitat for prothonotary Warblers. Lets hope they hang out a little this spring. Last Spring they did not stay very long at Point Pelee or Rondeau.

Later I walked Woodland Nature Trail and saw more of the same birds. Several more Yellow bellied Sapsuckers (6), Golden Crowned Kinglets (3), Brown Creepers(4) as well as a plethora of blackbirds and Robins. I did not see a Hermit Thrush today. I did not see any early Warblers today either, although I was not really looking for them.

Yet another YBSS. I saw many but did not get great photos of them.

The trail on the west beach side of the tip had many Flickers (4) and Wild Turkey (5). There was a male Turkey showing off his feathers to impress the ladies. Many Eastern Phoebes were around... really they were almost everywhere. I also saw Red breasted Mergansers were seen off west beach.

Some misses today were Hermit Thrushes, Scoters, Common Loons and Grebes. I wonder what this weekends warm front will bring in?

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

PS: I met the park interpreter Sara today after my walk and she informed me that they new marsh boardwalk will be ready around mid-April (next week). I hope to find some marsh birds in mid to late April.


Some Good Reading

The Essex County Field Naturalists put together a great publication, and the most recent one includes an Annual Point Pelee Bird Report for 2010.
http://www.ojibway.ca/egret-03-11.pdf (See page 32 for a reference to yours truly)


Point Pelee's May Calendar (right-click, open in New Window)
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/on/pelee/ne/ne5/~/media/pn-np/on/Pelee/pdf/FoB_Calendar2011_en.ashx

Did you know Point Pelee and Ojibway Park are on twitter?

http://twitter.com/#!/PointPeleeNP
http://twitter.com/#!/OjibwayPark

Birding the Ojibway Prarie Reserve in Early Spring

I should keep a list for just my moms house!

Just a quick walk after work today... about 1 hour had some decent birds. No big surprises but a good mix in my humble opinion. I also found a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker at Mom's House!!!  I noticed the gestalt on this woodpecker had a 'twist-dabbing' motion in the pecking technique.  How exciting to see this wonderful woodpecker... at Mom's house of all places!

Ojibway Prairie reserve was good today as well. I walked from 4-4:45 and saw many great birds!


Birds Seen at Ojibway:
Hermit Thrush
Field Sparrow
Eastern Bluebirds (6+)
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Red winged Blackbird
Red bellied Woodpecker
Red tailed Hawk
Blue Jay
Robins
White breasted Nuthatch
Ring billed Gulls Overhead

Hermit Thrush

 

Eastern Bluebirds were almost easily seen. I have not heard their 'depressed warble' for months!

Field Sparrow

 

Northern Flicker

Good Birding!
Dwaynejava

PS: Well, I've been trying to see/photograph an American Woodcock for the last week or so, and of course, the one night I had great looks at it, my camera had no memory card! Anyway, I have satisfactorily seen, observed, and will claim American Woodcock as a lifer bird... #234!

American Woodcock Timberdoodling

Birding Point Pelee and Hillman Marsh

 

I headed out to Point Pelee this morning with the intention of being home in 5 hours. 2 hours of commuting to and from Windsor and one hour each for Delaurier Trail & the tip of Point Pelee and one hour at Hillman. I was hoping to see some early spring migrants such as Eastern Meadowlarks or Eastern Bluebirds but no such luck today. I did see the great horned owls near the Park entrance (no big surprise .... it lives there).

I started at Delaurier Trail, which is one of my favorite paths to walk at Point Pelee. I just love walking on the wooden pathways that cross over the flooded sloughs and channels. It was generally quiet though when I walked it though. Ander's Footpath was a little quiet as well, with the exeption of an Eastern Phoebe and some common blackbirds. The tip of Point Pelee did not seem very birdy to me today either. Just a few gulls and common birds around. East beach had some nice looks at Red breasted Mergansers and distant flotillas of ducks that I did not have the time nor optics to scan :-).

Some birds seen out at Point Pelee today include:
Great Horned Owl
Eastern Phoebe
Swamp Sparrow
Common Merganser
Red Breasted Merganser
Common Grackles
Northern Flicker
... as well as the typical regulars one would normally see.

After Point Pelee, I then proceeded to Hillman Marsh for about an hour. I ran into an excellent birder, Richard C. who had a fantastic scope that gave breathtaking views at some of the great birds at Hillman Marsh. I would almost say Hillman Marsh was a little better bird-wise today than Point Pelee.

My first looks at male Green Winged Teals.  This was a target species for me today.

Only the second time I've seen Wilson's Snipe. Many (7-9) were around Hillman today.

Hillman Marsh Birds Include:

Wilson's Snipe (several... 7 at one point)
Greater Yellowlegs (one)
Green winged Teal
Gadwal
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
Mallards
American Coot
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring billed Gulls

Tree Swallows
Killdeer

One G-Yellowlegs, a Killdeer, and 7 Snipe in the background!

Lots of gulls (Bonapartes Gulls) on the Hillman Shorebird Cell

There are three Wilson's Snipe on the left and one on the right

Tree Swallows were flying over the shorebird cell at Hillman this morning

I hope to bird these areas every weekend from April to May this year. Good times!

Good birding!
Dwaynejava