Late September Birding in Amherstburg

 

Not much happening birdwise for me this last week. I got out to Holiday Beach this past Friday (after work) and saw some expected seasonal raptors (Coopers, Sharp-shinned, Kestrels, Osprey etc).  A few passerines seen include a Black throated Blue warbler, a Catbird, Carolina Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Wilsons, American Redstart, Magnolia as well as Hundreds of Blue Jays flying over the Holiday Beach Observation Tower. I found it harder to see passerines this year at the hawk tower because an Owl decoy was placed on top of the tower in an effort to get raptors to dive in towards the decoy.

I've wanted to go out to Ridgetown and Blenhiem Lagoons to see some shorebirds, but I've been really busy. Almost a hiatus-like busy-ness. I'm taking another night course at the U of Windsor, as well as working full time and spending time with the family.

A Red Phalarope was seen at Pelee Sunday, but I missed the Ontbirds report... it went to my junk mail folder... I would have easily chased that lifer.  But, it wasn't to be. I might try to see them closer to the east coast in the summer some time in the future. 

Common Buckey, Grey Hairstreak and even this Summer Azure still hanging out at Holiday Beach

Mid to late September is a great time to watch thousands of Blue Jays migrate along Lake Erie's North shore.

I'm looking forward to October. I am really hoping to see Nothern Saw-whet Owls as well as American Pipits which have both eluded me in my first three years of birding. Purple Sandpiper would be nice to see as well. Any winter finches would be a nice addition to my life list as well.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Hawkfest Birding at Holiday Beach & Pelee

Saturday morning, the family and I headed out to the hawk festival at Holiday Beach.  A few Kestrels flew overhead as we arrived and some kettles of Turkey Vultures and Broad wings (at stratospheric levels) were seen. The Canadian Peregrine Foundation had some captive raptors on display including this Barn Owl above. I find it kinda sad to see any captive bird and was almost reluctant to post this gorgeous bird (he looks so sad!). This weekend was not too great for Hawkwatching. The winds were southerly and little was moving. I guess on Tuesday this week, a huge cold front will push lots of raptors south.

While leaving Holiday Beach, I walked along the scrubby area parallel to the beach with my son and saw a few warblers: Blackpoll, Blackburnian and Nashville Warblers were seen briefly. Nuthatches were heard but not seen. A few flycatchers were around but I did not really have time to really ID them. I think one was an Eastern Pewee, and the other (see below) may be another Olive sided?!?

Audubon Magazine recently had an article which listed out the ten best Hawk-watching places in North America, and Holiday Beach was third in the list!  Pretty cool. See the article here: http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/audubon-guide-hawk-watching

Another Olive sided Flycatcher?

Blackburnian Warbler... Non Cooperative...

Sachem on New England Aster Behind Pelee Inn

Point Pelee Tour with the Family 

A large tree in Sparrow Field always has Hackberry butterflies on it. It may be leaking sap.

Point Pelee was quiet bird-wise until my wife and two sons visited the tip. While leaving the beach and getting onto the west path back to the tram loop, I noticed many birds in the first few trees at the tip of Point Pelee. The trees were crawling with Red-breasted Nuthatches (10+?), Yellow rumped Warblers (6) and Blue grey Gnatcatchers (4).  A single southernmost-Sanderling was trying to avoid tourists walking the beach at the tip of Pelee... the only shorebird. Hundreds of gulls  (some black-backed) and Cormorants were on the three islands that extended out from the tip of Pelee.

Checkered Skipper on Short's Aster

Good birding,
Dwaynejava


PS: A little buzz in Windsor lately about a birding film being shot at various parts of Essex including Ojibway Park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ2cWzqjnaA&feature=related
http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Cavanagh+soaring+Birder/7246574/story.html
http://www.ctvwindsor.ca/tag/the-birder/

Praying Mantis. On my son's play-house!

After Work Avocet at Hillman Marsh

After work today, I stopped by Hillman Marsh in hopes of getting a look at some shorebirds at a location I had never even heard of... Couture Dyke in the Northeast corner of Hillman Marsh. Josh Vandermeulen had found an American Avocet (along with a Yellow crowned night Heron) three days ago, and posted its presence on Ontbirds. Oddly enough, Josh was walking the dyke when I arrived on site, and I joined him on the long walk out to the Avocet's location.

View Larger Map

While walking the dyke, I noticed a nice female Bronze Copper. I thought I was very lucky to see this butterfly again, but to my amazement, I saw 40 or more of these butterflies! They are abundant on the Hillman Marsh dykes! Viceroy, Monarch, Fiery Skippers, Eastern Tailed Blue, Grey Hairstreak, Checkered Skipper were all very present as well.

Every few steps, Leopard Frogs jumped out of our path as we walked the dyke.

Leopard Frog - Taken at Hillman (from kayak) on a previos date.

Last Weekend...
Other birds seen last weekend at Hillman include abundant shorebirds such as Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Green and Black crowned night Herons. Richard Carr pointed out a Sora foraging along a distant edge of reeds. Belted Kingfisher flew in from somewhere and perched very close giving nice looks as well.

Stilt Sandpipers

 

Foraging Sora. White balance in this photo is not very good... Sora about that.

 

Just driving around Essex Co this last week, I've seen hawks and falcons:

 

Juvi Red Shouldered Hawk?

Good birding!
Dwayne

Butterflies of Holiday Beach

Hackberry Emporers can be found in late August at Holiday Beach (Aug 19th, 2012)

After work tonight, I stopped by Holiday Beach to see if any passerines or raptors were around at Holiday Beach. This is my favorite spot to go birding at this time of year, and its much closer to home than Point Pelee.

While walking towards the hawk tower tonight, I realized it was very quiet. I went to take a photo with my camera and realized that my camera was dead, no batteries or response at all. So, when I had good looks at Tennessee Warbler and Black throated Green Warblers, I had to just enjoy them with my binoculars.

At the hawk tower, it was quiet as well. It was a cloudy, wind-less day and very little was moving. I spoke to the hawk counter about how amazing it was to see giant pumps pumping water into big creek from Lake Erie. Two giant tubes, perhaps two feet in diameter were pumping water into Big Creek in preparation for duck hunting season. Two Sharp shinned Hawks flew overhead, as well as a fly-by of an Adult and Juvenile Bald Eagle. A few Green Herons were in the pond below the tower, and as usual, the call of Carolina Wrens and Belted Kingfishers filled the air.

I walked along a power-line right-of-way tonight on the way back to my car and was amazed at some of the butterflies I saw. Giant Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Common Buckeye (20), Grey Hairstreak (12), Common Checkered Skipper (1), Fiery Skipper (4), Monarchs (4). At one point, I saw a breathtaking Question Mark butterfly on the sand, gently lit with the late afternoon sunlight. I reached for my camera in vain.

Then... I saw a butterfly that I've never seen before. It was a Bronze Copper! I realized I still had my cell phone, so I tried a few bino-scoped photos but they were awful. I gave up on Bino-scoping the butterfly and slowly approached it. Eventually, I was one foot away, kneeling in front of a goldenrod plant, with two Grey Hairstreak butterflies and a Bronze Copper! They were not bothered by my presence! All three butterflies were fresh, with bright crisp colours and patterns. How exciting. Some cell-phone photos below:

Grey Hairstreak... Wish it was a White-M...

Amazing life butterfly, Bronze Copper. Photo taken with my cell phone!

I'm brand new to butterfly watching, but I don't really know if many butterfly watchers are aware of this small area at Holiday Beach. There is lush Goldenrod everywhere and butterflies are everywhere. Holiday Beach is surround by a huge swamp, has grassy areas and carolinian forest, so this mix of habitat makes this a great magnet for butterflies. 


Since I had no camera tonight, I figure I will post some photos from September 1st. I was looking for birds that day and I had walked this same right-of-way along the shore of Holiday Beach. Butterflies were everywhere, and my camera was actually working at that point. Even though these photos below are a week late, I figure I will post them as well.

Monarchs are abundant at any park along the north shore of Lake Erie

Fresh Giant Swallowtail... Ignored me while it fed on Goldenrod nectar.

Female Fiery Skipper with webworm moth

Common Buckeye... Gorgeous and abundant at Holiday Beach

Snout

As a person newer to birding, I see how other birders have taken to butterfly watching during the summer and fall season. I think that if you're reading this blog you'll agree... that nature is the greatest show on earth!

Good birding (and butterfly watching)!
Dwaynejava

PS: I couldn't help but notice that my page-view counter clicked to over 50,000 page views today! Amazing! Thanks for reading Nerdy for Birdy :-)