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!
