Bicknell's Thrush at Point Pelee v2

Black Vulture easily seen above Pelee on Saturday. Note the white primaries on the Black Vulture

This weekend, I had planned on going to Carden Alvar for a day of amazing birding. But on Friday night, before I was about to leave, my son looked at me with his big brown eyes and said "Daddy, will you take me to Paint Peldy toomordo (spelling was intential for effect)?"  ... How could I say no?

So Saturday morning, on the way to Pelee, my friend Rick texted me to tell me a Bicknell's Thrush had been found by Alan Wormington near the tip of Pelee.

As the Tram arrived at the visitor center, Todd Pepper pointed out a Black Vulture in a kettle of Turkey Vultures. I believe that was also found earlier by Alan Wormington as well!

Upon arriving at the tip, the bird was found quickly along west beach because Jeremy Hatt and Jeremy Bensette were with the bird.  The photo above represents my best look at the bird, which sat there for about 45 seconds, then it flew away.

Was my May 20th Blog Posting a Premonition?
On May 20th, blog readers may recall I commented on the excellent variety of Thrushes at Point Pelee. I had noted that pretty well 6/7 of the Eastern breeding Thrushes, save for Bicknells was in the park:

"Some nice Thrush species were seen as well. On Saturday, Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Robins, Wood Thrush, Gray cheeked Thrush were all seen. In fact, I think all the Eastern Thrush Species were in the park with the exception of Bicknells! Along the Tilden Woods Footpath, I heard my first singing Wood Thrush for the season."

Jeremy Bensette mentioned to me that this is the first sighting for Point Pelee, bringing the park's total very close to 400 species... So this is a MEGA rarity for both Point Pelee and perhaps Ontario!

Bicknell's Field Study
I did not see this bird long enough, nor am I an experienced enough birder to really confidently give a good study of the field marks that identify this bird. It seems that the closest two species of birds to a Bicknells Thrush would be a Gray cheeked Thrush and perhaps a Hermit Thrush. Both of these birds may have several subspecies that make this identification a very tricky ID.  Even David Sibley states: "Voice (and primarily song) is still the most reliable way to distinguish these species. In areas where they are expected, it may be reasonable to identify small and reddish birds as Bicknell’s Thrush after careful and lengthy study, even without hearing them sing, but I don’t think sight observations or photos alone would ever be acceptable evidence of a bird out of range, for example, in Ohio, or Alaska, or the UK." (Sibley).  But, I think if anyone in the province of Ontario is qualified to ID an eastern thrush - which was well off its migratory route (Bicknell's Thrush breeds in Quebec, NB and the Maritime Provinces), its Alan Wormington. It afforded great looks at close range to its finders, but sadly when I arrived, there were so many people walking around on Saturday morning, it was skulking in the shrubs along with tip's west side path. If anyone wants to comment on the field marks... please feel free to do so!

Also, at one point, Jeremy Hatt, Jeremy Bensette were looking at the bird while I was taking this photo and the bird deficated. Jeremy Hatt joked that if we had a ziplock bag, that the excriment could be sent away, perhaps for DNA analysis! As chance would have it, I had put my son's sunscreen and bug-spray into a spankin new ziplock bag that morning and it was in my backpack holder! I'm not saying to collected the sample but it wasn't me! I will keep you informed on any results that that test may deliver!

Bicknell's Thrush - Diagnostic Photo?

Lots of Cedar Waxwings at Point Pelee on Saturday affording nice views!!!

Good Birding!
Dwaynejava


Sources:
Sibley David ,  Bicknell’s Thrush Catharus bicknelli, November 18th, 2010, WEB June 1, 2014,
http://www.sibleyguides.com/bird-info/bicknells-thrush/

Life list Summary
346 - Pacific Loon
347- Bicknell's Thrush


PS: If I go to Carden Alvar soon, I could get three potential species bringing me to 350!
Whip-Poor-Will, Sedge Wren and Golden Winged Warbler!

Nice looks at Yellow & Black billed Cuckoos

Birded Pelee again today (Saturday), really hoping to see more variety in warblers but left the park disappointed. As I left Pelee, I thought about going to Rondeau, but I realized I had a conscientious objection with paying $17 to walk around a park and bird. But much to my chagrin, upon arriving at home, I read the the daily report from Rondeau (which is about 1 hour north of Point Pelee) describing the warbler concentration as: "Warblers were dripping from the trees" ... Should of went there! Also, other birding reports today from Ontario have small municipal parks in Toronto (Colonel Samuel Smith Park?) with seemingly better numbers than I've been experiencing at Pelee.

On a good note, I did see lots of non-warbler passerines. Indigo Buntings, Cedar Waxwings, Rose breasted Grosbecks, both Cuckoos  (black billed self discovered). Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos were seen and heard. Another highlight for the day was watching a Red-eyed Vireo preen for several minutes in Sparrow Field.  Regarding shorebirds, Semipalmated Plovers were seen in numbers at Hillman, but not much else has changed in the mix there.

Is it just me or are things slow this year? Where are the warblers this year? Wilson's Warbler was nice to see today, but, not as nice as a Canada, Cape May or Bay Breasted Warbler. Maybe it was early leaf-out, or I'm getting lazier, not looking up as much, or the ban on pishing!

 

Last year on the 15th of May, I had an incredible birding trip to Hillman Marsh. That may have been one of the best warbler viewing days in my short three years of birding. Click here to revisit that amazing day...

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

PS: St Lawrence Islands National Park is using some of my photography in their printed materials!
PSS: I took these sunrise shots with my latest lens, the Canon 10-22mm!

 

Owl Fledglings in East Windsor

A friendly birding couple that I've met through my blog invited me to their neighborhood to see some recently fledged Eastern Screech Owls. Almost like clockwork, they appeared at dusk and stayed within 100m of where we were initially standing (In the middle of a residential street). These three photos I've featured were about as good as I could get in poor dusk lighting and telephoto zooming. I did not attempt to use flash as I felt it may not be in the bird's best interest. Instead of flash, I increased ISO sensitivity to 3200 and used a tripod.

It was strange to see five Owls in a residential street, and seeing cars going by with blaring music, and hearing fireworks going off, and to hear the thumping base coming from the Detroit Electronic Music Festival... it was incredible that these guys could use their highly tuned hearing and vision to find food.

Earlier on  during Monday afternoon, I did a quick 1-hour kayak tour of Peche Island. It was not overly eventful. It was rather quiet actually. One common bird I noted and photographed was a flycatching Cedar Waxwing. The photo below was photographed from my Kayak.Very few other noteworthy birds were seen. No Kingfishers, one GB Heron, one male Wood duck. It was very quiet.

Birding is about so much more than birds. Its about geography, weather, history, environment, biology/ ecology, seasons, chance, optics/photography and finally, meeting great people! I must say that I've never found an Owl, just on my own. Its either been through the blogosphere, or the small personal birding network I've amassed over the last two years. Rick & Kevin from Leamington have been incredibly generous with their knowledge of Owls near Point Pelee, A local Pbase photographer had mentioned one or two at Ojibway and in this blog-postings' case, it was Kikipotamus and Syl who invited me to see these wonderful birds. Thanks guys!

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

Indigo Buntings at Ojibway

A recent twitter post from Ojibway Park indicated that Indigo Buntings were back on territory at the park, so I figured I would go and see if I could find some. As luck would have it, one of the first trees I inspected had several males chasing each other (possibly in an effort to set up breeding territory). I stood by quietly watching and noticing the birds would often perch on a nearby side tree out in the open. How awesome. I got 'smashing' views of these gorgeous birds with such little effort!

I walked away from these indigo beauties and then looked up into another large Oak in the Ojibway Prairie and again... stood by the tree in amazement. A non-birder may have just walked by this large tree, but to a birder, it was thriving with activity. A close inspection gave nice views of Cedar Waxwings, Orchard Orioles, Chestnut sided Warblers, Swallows, Eastern Kingbird and ... more Indigo Buntings! Not bad!

I also saw a fresh Black Swallowtail as well as a Six spotted Tiger Beetle, which is a pretty common bug you might notice on a nature path that always seems to stay 10 feet ahead of you as you walk.

The Tallgrass Prarie was a nice walk as well with songs of Wood Thrush, as well as many other birds filling the air. I had a brief view of a Canada Warbler... this bird has eluded me this year! Three brief views but no photos.

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

Ojibway Walk... One of the best this year

I walked two local areas today, The St Clair College Forest and Ojibway Park. I was intending on going to Point Pelee, but I just couldn't metally justify two hours of driving today.

I have read on Ebird recently that Carolina Wren and Red Eyed Vireo was at St Clair College, so I went a few times lately and yes... heard the song of the Red Eyed Vireo ("Here I am (pause) Where are you? (pause)"). The forest there is pretty impressive. It is lush and wild. There were about 4 unique mushrooms growing on the path that I've never seen before. There were bugs and spiders everywhere. Mosquitos galore. I had to carry a walking stick to break down all the spiderwebs that crossed the path. It was birdy as well.

Red Eyed Vireo

Finally, I photographed this Red Eyed Vireo. I just can't seem to get a decent photo of this bird. It resides in the tree tops and seldom comes into easy view. I've read that this species is abudant but in decline. Its a common host of the Brown Headed Cowbird. Other birds I saw at St Clair include:

St Clair College

Robin
Indigo Bunting
Tufted Titmouse
Red Eyed Vireo
American Goldfinch
House Wren
Black Capped Chickadee
Grey Catbird
Downy Woodpecker
Ruby Throated Humingbird

Then I went to Ojibway and for some reason, had an **incredible** birding walk. It was just one of those days that I saw the whole gammut of birds that graces this wonderful place. Furthermore, I saw a Red Headed Woodpecker pair! I saw two birds going from tree to tree, they were large and had white/black bottoms. I was thinking they were Yellow Billed Cuckoos. But no, they were Red Headed Woodpeckers! INCREDIBLE!

I saw Indigo Bunting easily today, then Eastern Bluebirds easily as well. You have to look and listen for them but they are very present in the Ojibway Prarie area. I saw Downy, Red Bellied Woodpeckers as well. Eastern Towhee were singing "You Are.... cheap cheap cheap" (I think it says that because my lens does not have a red ring around it (Canon L lens). Regarding butterfly watching, I saw GSF, Comma, and Common Buckeye butterflies as well, for the second time in my life (and the first time outside of Point Pelee). At one point I observed two Silver Spotted Skippers mating. I saw Eastern Wood Pewees, Tufted Titmouse... it really was incredible today.

Ojibway Park

Red headed Woodpecker
Red bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird (I saw many today somehow in various molts)
Indigo Bunting
House Wren
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
Eastern Towhee
Cedar Waxwing
Tufted Titmouse
Eastern Wood Pewee
American Goldfinch
Robin
Northern Cardinal
Grey Catbird

Overall, it was an Incredible Walk today. Besides the Red Headed Woodpecker, there are no major discoveries, but it was really nice how just one after another they made their appearance.

Out of focus Towhee

I walked the forest after I walked the prarie, and really did not see much today on the path I took. I was hoping to see a Carolina Wren, but that didn't happen today.

Good birding,
Dwayne

Major Birding... nuff said!

I went a little overboard birding today. I covered several locations in Essex and Chatham-Kent. I will leave the birding/location lists below. One highlight was that I officially saw/heard/photographed a Marsh Wren (lifer). I swear I've heard this on many occasions, maybe even seen a brown bird disappear in a flash. But today, I finally got a Marsh Wren, even in its classic split leg pose on two seperate reeds.

St Clair NWA
Double Crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Least Bittern
Marsh Wren (lifer)
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Common Grackel
Red Winged Blackbird
Black Tern
Great Blue Heron
Barn Swallow
Song Sparrow
House Wren
Eastern Kingbird
American Goldfinch

Blenheim Lagoons
Great Egret
Lesser Yellowlegs

Erieau Marsh Trail
Bonaparts Gull
Least Flycatcher
Marsh Wren
Willow Flycatcher


Wheatley Docks/Muddy Creek
Great Blue Heron
Various Gulls

Hillman Marsh
Great Blue Heron (50+)
Great Egret
Eastern Kingbird
Indigo Bunting
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Cardinal
Caspian Tern
American Goldfinch

Just a final note, I stopped by Wheatley today and picked up a pound of fresh Yellow Perch Fillets. I fried them along with some onion rings and local corn. It was quite delicious. It was ironic though because I was looking at onion/corn/soya fields all afternoon and grumbling about the monoculture that we were left with from 150+ years of farming and urban sprawl with mimimal concern for the local ecology.

Good Birding!
Dwayne

PPNP with Ojibway Birders Group

I joined the Ojibway Park birding group today led by Paul Pratt. We mainly walked the tip this morning and walked back to the PPNP visitor center as our main pathway. Two interesting lifers I saw/ photographed today were the Common Loon and a Wilson's Warbler. The weather this morning was warm, but very cloudy and scattered showers. I hate to blame the weather for my mediocre photos but I'm going to! This Wilson's below is a lifer. I think I'll have to wait till next year to get a better shot.

 Paul heard this Wilson's as we were walking on the road back to the visitor center, then pished it into view!

One of the most common migrants today were Cedar Waxwings. They flew around in large flocks and our birding group often joked that every bird we saw today was a Cedar Waxwing.

The final photo above is a Red-Eyed Vireo.(Click the photo for a larger view). There were also some Warbling Vireos,
Indigo Buntings,
Canada,
Blackburnian,
Bay Breasted,
Scarlet Tanager
Summer Tanager
Both Orioles
Black Tern
as well as an assortment of Flycatchers.

It's really incredible how quickly May goes by when you are a birder! I'm sad that it's basically over, but any longer and my wife would start to get fed up. I often think that Pelee Wings, after the birding rush of May should stop selling optics, and start offering marriage counselling! (joke... my wife is cool with me birding).

Happy Birding,
Dwayne