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

Great Morning at Point Pelee (three lifers!)

Wow, what a great morning at Point Pelee! I showed up at about 8AM (on Easter Monday). The first thing I noticed was three giant turkeys crossing the road about 50m after the entrance. I stopped by the sanctuary pond lookout but only saw a few Canada Geese and Wood Ducks in the far distance. I stopped at a few west side beaches but did not see much. Finally, I arrived in the old homestead parkinglot and much to my surprise,  I saw several Northern Flickers just taking their time rummaging thought the grassy edges of the parking lots!

Then, I noticed a photographer off to the west end of the parking lot so I joined him. He was eyeing an Eastern Towhee and sure enough... Lifer! (click any of the photos to see a larger version of the image)

Major birds I saw today were Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Red Breasted Merganser (lifer), Eastern Pheobe, Eastern Towhee (lifer), I even photographed what I think might be a little gull (lifer)..... Overall, a great day! Perfect temperature, great sunlight.

I need not mention the bazzillion Grackels, Starlings and Robins.

Wow, is this a Little Gull in this photo above? (actually... probably a Bonaparte's Gull)

Happy Birding, April and May seem like they are going to be wonderful months for birding!

Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur, Coopers Hawk and a few other Winter holdouts...

Lifer! Horned Lark and others...

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Horned Lark hanging out with a Lapland Longspur - Thanks Paul & the Ojibway group for the great afternoon!



I went with a birding group today that is hosted by the Ojibway park naturalists. This week's destination was Holiday Beach.  Even though the weather and light outside was cloudy and cold, it turned out to be a pretty good walk.

As we left the park, the group leader suggested we stop by a farmers field where a farmer had a feeder. Many Horned larks were hanging out, and even a Lapland Longspur!

 

 

At Holiday Beach, I was greeted by the group of four birders who pointed out a raptor in the distance ... An adult Bald Eagle. They joked that we may as well go home now. As we entered the park we saw three woodpeckers: A skylarking Downy, a Red Bellied and Norther Flicker Perched in distant trees. We had several distant run ins with the Northern Flicker.  At one point, Paul, our group leader Pished a Cardinal, Brown Creeper and White Breasted Nuthatch into our views. 

 

 We noticed flotillas of Canada Geese on the water. The photo below shows Fermi in the background.

Soon before we left, a second pishing session attracted a Golden Crowned Kinglet, a White Throated Sparrow and some Black Capped Chickadees. Finally, as we left, a Yellow Rumped Warbler saw us off as we were leaving. A typical winter turnout with a nice mix of birds! The Horned Lark was a lifer. The Lapland Longspur and Coopers Hawk are technically not lifers, but they are better photos then my original ones. Sharp-Shinned and Coopers Hawks are very similar in appearance so I have had a definite ID on a Coopers until today. The photo above is probably a female coopers hawk, because it was huge!

Happy Birding!

Dwayne