Ok, ok...it's not as bad as 'fml' but seriously, nausea, go to heck in a handbasket! I woke up today feeling like a used diaper. Hearing wind howling in my window and rain pouring down in horizontal sheets, I groaned, turned back over and promptly fell back asleep. My on-the-brink-of-vomitting stomach told me that to go to the park for a full day would be a death sentence so I decided to continue fighting this stupid bug with lots of sleep while hoping that nothing would show up on my second day off. That's when things started to go wrong.
The rain cleared and it turned into a beautiful day. I was halfway through watching She's the Man for the zillionth time (Channing Tatum was just walking across the screen with only a towel on), when my phone rang. It was Marianne. I groggily answered the phone and heard only this: "Can you hear me?....breaking up....Townsend Warb...."
I knew it would happen. The day that I can't go to the park due to being sick, something was bound to show up. The fact that it was an uber-mega-rarity only made the whole thing that much worse. These things happen every year. Last year it was Mother's day and I was at a family reunion when the call came in for a Lark Bunting. I got that bird, thankfully, but had to come home to a grumbling, guilt-mongering family. Apparently it's not nice to walk out on the family for a bird. I still don't get their reasoning. It happened with Northern Wheatear, too. The bird shows up the day I have to catch my Greyhound back to Toronto. I got that bird, too, but I cannot and will not go into the details of what I had to do for that one. Let's just say it was the definition of poor judgement by moral/ethical standards...totally worth it though!
So, back to the story at hand. After flying into a fit of blind rage and smashing a window with my mom's antique rocking chair and shaking my fists in the air screaming "How dare you, irony!", I calmed down enough to call Marianne back and got one more piece of information this time amongst the static: Townsend's Warbler, Tilden Trail. The dark expression on my face and grinding teeth must have screamed murder as my Mom placed her hand on my shoulder and slowly and quietly told me she would drive me to see the bird if I wasn't feeling well enough to drive. I started a texting war with birders who were already there asking if the bird was reliable, any further details, etc.
I went through every bad scenario I could think of on the drive there:
- The visitor center parking lot is full and I have to hike from White Pine to get there, arrive shaking, moments away from death, and hearing the words: "You just missed it! Unfortunately, it was eaten by a Cooper's Hawk. There's the bloody mess right over there!"
- Getting out of the car and rushing to see the bird and getting trampled by a stampede of birders, leaving me twitching in the mud with a broken shin bone piercing through the skin and having to crawl the rest of the way using only my fingernails, and a kind old lady saying, "Oops! It was just a leaf. False alarm."
- And my personal favourite scenario: Arriving on the scene to a large group of happy people using an oversized novelty pen to blissfully check off Townsend's Warbler off their May lists and saying, "Oh, if you were here only 5 minutes ago, it came right out in the open and actually landed on each of our hands and sang us that nice tune from Cheers."
Ok, so none of these scenarios came to pass (I just wanted to be prepared!) and I was actually quite relieved to find out that arriving an hour after the bird was reported made little difference. Only 3 people, the original finders, actually got the bird. Now I hear that there are also disputes over the bird's identity, but I won't get into that here. And lo and behold, it actually worked out in the end. Besides exhausting my body further and having to come home and sleep for another 3 hours after looking for the bird, I actually heard the Kentucky Warbler that was being reported on the same trail. That takes me to 177.
Alright, enough of this...it's time for more sleep.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
May 13, 2009 - Day 11 - The nausea bug
Grrrr. It's so frustrating to get sick during May migration. Wednesday morning started off poorly and sort of just fell to pieces from there. I woke up well before my alarm to get ready to leave and noticed that it took an absurd amount of energy to drag myself out of bed. Uh oh. I poured some cereal and took a bite. Uh oh # 2. My stomach flip-flopped and I immediately stopped eating. Now, of course, being May, I ignored the signals telling me to go back to bed thinking it would go away as soon as I got out onto the trails but it wasn't meant to be. By 11:00am, after a slow morning at the tip, I broke out into the sweats. Uh oh # 3. I realized I needed sleep...fast...and that if I kept pushing myself, I was going to leave something on the trails that no one but soil decomposers would appreciate. Also, it's not normal for someone my age to have to take bench-sitting breaks just to keep going. Final uh oh before deciding to leave.
Therefore, there's hardly a thing to post for the day...and since it's now Thursday as I post this and I still feel like sh@t, I think I'll leave it at that :D
Therefore, there's hardly a thing to post for the day...and since it's now Thursday as I post this and I still feel like sh@t, I think I'll leave it at that :D
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12, 2009 - Day 10 - Gas is expensive!!
What a great day. 10 full hours, 6 new species added to my May list, and the best company a birder could ask for. I joined a Toronto group made up of various members of the Toronto Ornithological Club and we had an awesome day together. Unfortunately, I'm too tired to actually write anything substantial today and I promise it will be a boring post...I just don't have the energy to put much thought into it!
The first good bird of the day was a beautiful Summer Tanager at the tip. It was actually one of the nicest I've seen, with bright red in the tail and a nice mix of orange-green throughout the rest of its body. I missed Clay-coloured Sparrow again but that's perfectly ok. There were other good birds to find. Bay-breasted Warbler was my first new bird on Woodland Trail. Then a Sharp-shinned Hawk flying over the same location. Later, the group had an Osprey over Tilden Trail. Following that, I got a Red-headed Woodpecker at a nesting hole across from Pelee Wings Nature Store. Finally, Hillman Marsh was excellent in the evening and I added Whimbrel and Black-billed Cuckoo to my May list from this location.
The one big blunder for me was walking 2 field lengths to see a Hooded Merganser that was reported in a canal in the Onion Fields. Our scopes couldn't see through the heat waves so I decided to put some extra effort in and made my way all the way down to where the bird was swimming. I trudged along the (private?) property, excitedly looked out into the water, and identified the bird as a Mallard. My shoulders have never slumped so low.
I also added a few more books to my Birding library today including The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America (for taking into the field because the original Sibley's guide is just way too heavy for that!), A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of The Sparrows of the United States and Canada, which contains amazing plates illustrated by David Beadle, and finally, The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife, a steal at $20. It's a good thing it was a steal, too...because gas for the truck is expensive. I thought I would save money on this trip but that ain't happening!
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Chimney Swift
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 105
The first good bird of the day was a beautiful Summer Tanager at the tip. It was actually one of the nicest I've seen, with bright red in the tail and a nice mix of orange-green throughout the rest of its body. I missed Clay-coloured Sparrow again but that's perfectly ok. There were other good birds to find. Bay-breasted Warbler was my first new bird on Woodland Trail. Then a Sharp-shinned Hawk flying over the same location. Later, the group had an Osprey over Tilden Trail. Following that, I got a Red-headed Woodpecker at a nesting hole across from Pelee Wings Nature Store. Finally, Hillman Marsh was excellent in the evening and I added Whimbrel and Black-billed Cuckoo to my May list from this location.
The one big blunder for me was walking 2 field lengths to see a Hooded Merganser that was reported in a canal in the Onion Fields. Our scopes couldn't see through the heat waves so I decided to put some extra effort in and made my way all the way down to where the bird was swimming. I trudged along the (private?) property, excitedly looked out into the water, and identified the bird as a Mallard. My shoulders have never slumped so low.
I also added a few more books to my Birding library today including The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America (for taking into the field because the original Sibley's guide is just way too heavy for that!), A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of The Sparrows of the United States and Canada, which contains amazing plates illustrated by David Beadle, and finally, The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife, a steal at $20. It's a good thing it was a steal, too...because gas for the truck is expensive. I thought I would save money on this trip but that ain't happening!
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Chimney Swift
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 105
Monday, May 11, 2009
May 11, 2009 - Day 9 - A day of misses, but new opportunities on the horizon
Glossy Ibis, Mississippi Kite, Wilson's Phalarope, Yellow-breasted Chat, Leconte's Sparrow: this list of missed species just keeps on growing!! Perhaps it was the birding gods punishing me for sleeping in this morning. A very kind birder told me that sleeping in is allowed but it did two things to my day. First, eliminated hours of birding from my day where I could have checked off a few easy warbler species. Second, it totally threw off my day when I had to park at White Pine and walk to the Visitor Center from there completely out of the loop on what was being seen throughout the park. It's kind of amazing how quickly the park fills with birders as it is a Monday and the entire Visitors Center parking lot as well as all of West Beach were full. Looks like I'll be waking up even earlier the rest of the week!
Something good came out of the day, though, and that was shadowing a hike led by Marianne in the Woodland Trail. I've agreed to do hikes next year and if all goes well (and I'm able to book of time again!) I'll be a hike-leader for the park (fingers crossed). I was very nervous about it all at first but after I shadow a few more hikes I think I'll be quite confident to do them well. There is a certain joy that comes from showing beginner birders a species that I now take for granted and see them react as if it was the most beautiful bird they've ever seen. Leading hikes is a challenge I look forward to next year.
The two species I added to my list today were Least Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone, two of my favourite species of shorebirds that I knew I would see eventually. I have no doubt now that I'll reach 175. If I could get over 180 or even 185 I would be content. Hopefully I'll actually see some of these rarities that are starting to show up.
Day List
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 91
Something good came out of the day, though, and that was shadowing a hike led by Marianne in the Woodland Trail. I've agreed to do hikes next year and if all goes well (and I'm able to book of time again!) I'll be a hike-leader for the park (fingers crossed). I was very nervous about it all at first but after I shadow a few more hikes I think I'll be quite confident to do them well. There is a certain joy that comes from showing beginner birders a species that I now take for granted and see them react as if it was the most beautiful bird they've ever seen. Leading hikes is a challenge I look forward to next year.
The two species I added to my list today were Least Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone, two of my favourite species of shorebirds that I knew I would see eventually. I have no doubt now that I'll reach 175. If I could get over 180 or even 185 I would be content. Hopefully I'll actually see some of these rarities that are starting to show up.
Day List
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 91
May 10, 2009 - Day 8 - A suggestion to mom
If there is any person in the world who deserves a day to recognize their importance, it is our mothers. The sacrifices made, the patience, the pain endured, the love and care, the commitments...we appreciate the work that goes into being a mom. So moms must have a lot of pull then, right? Well, I have a request for moms out there. Can you all, like, come together and work out an agreement to get the month that Mother's Day falls into changed? I mean, it's right in the middle of prime birding season! Do we have to honour mothers during May? I suggest we change the month to June and merge it with Father's Day. This would also eliminate the confusion a child in a same-sex relationship must feel on these days. We could just have a joint Parent/Caretaker Day and everyone is happy!
Mother's Day did screw up my day of birding but hopefully it's clear that I am being silly. I had a great Mother's Day celebration and I was still able to fit in a trip to Pelee in the morning, Kopegaron Woods in the afternoon, Hillman Marsh in the evening, and went back to Pelee at night to watch the American Woodcock displays again with my friend, Sara (and I sitll made it to over 100 species!). While on the subject of night birding, I obviously listened hard again for Whip-poor-wills but to no avail. I give up on this species. It's just too exhausting to stay so late in the park and then have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and head straight back.
The only new addition to my May list for the day was a Summer Tanager, but it was a great experience as the bird landed within feet of where I was standing. It's SO nice sometimes to get lucky like this rather than embarking on a wild goose chase for an hour only to be disappointed when the bird doesn't stay in the same location. It was a decent morning (although there were a lot of people).
After a brunch with family, I went to Kopegaron with my brother and the highlight there was an Orange-crowned Warbler. Still no Hairy Woodpecker though. Then I missed Wilson's Phalarope at Hillman Marsh (missing birds seems to be a big trend for me in the last few days!). As much as I complain though, I love being out in the beautiful weather enjoying the birds and birders.
Finishing off the day with the Woodcock displays was a great decision. These birds are a spectacle. The male almost looks like an insect as it launches from the ground, twittering and whistling while ascending higher and higher until it's almost out of eyesight and then plunges to the ground in an awesome display, maneouvering back and forth and impressing the onlooking female. An earlier group was actually lucky enough to witness a pair copulating (hmm, I wonder if I should put lucky in quotation marks?).
Day List
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Blue-winged Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101 - Oddly enough, this is the third day this May that I've got 101 species!!
Mother's Day did screw up my day of birding but hopefully it's clear that I am being silly. I had a great Mother's Day celebration and I was still able to fit in a trip to Pelee in the morning, Kopegaron Woods in the afternoon, Hillman Marsh in the evening, and went back to Pelee at night to watch the American Woodcock displays again with my friend, Sara (and I sitll made it to over 100 species!). While on the subject of night birding, I obviously listened hard again for Whip-poor-wills but to no avail. I give up on this species. It's just too exhausting to stay so late in the park and then have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning and head straight back.
The only new addition to my May list for the day was a Summer Tanager, but it was a great experience as the bird landed within feet of where I was standing. It's SO nice sometimes to get lucky like this rather than embarking on a wild goose chase for an hour only to be disappointed when the bird doesn't stay in the same location. It was a decent morning (although there were a lot of people).
After a brunch with family, I went to Kopegaron with my brother and the highlight there was an Orange-crowned Warbler. Still no Hairy Woodpecker though. Then I missed Wilson's Phalarope at Hillman Marsh (missing birds seems to be a big trend for me in the last few days!). As much as I complain though, I love being out in the beautiful weather enjoying the birds and birders.
Finishing off the day with the Woodcock displays was a great decision. These birds are a spectacle. The male almost looks like an insect as it launches from the ground, twittering and whistling while ascending higher and higher until it's almost out of eyesight and then plunges to the ground in an awesome display, maneouvering back and forth and impressing the onlooking female. An earlier group was actually lucky enough to witness a pair copulating (hmm, I wonder if I should put lucky in quotation marks?).
Day List
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Blue-winged Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101 - Oddly enough, this is the third day this May that I've got 101 species!!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
May 9, 2009 - Day 7 - Cliff Swallow...CHECK!
That's right, I didn't see a Cliff Swallow until my 7th day in the park. Of course, like any common birds you have trouble finding for the first few days, after you see one, you see a ton. I had a couple at the Pelee marsh, then at Hillman, and lastly a single bird flying over Wheatley Park in the evening. I have a feeling I actually have seen Cliff Swallow already, I just wasn't paying close enough attention.
Another common bird that I finally got out of the way was Common Loon; a flyby at the tip. Today was just a slow day for me, though. A lot of people showed up and it was the first day they had to close the visitor center parking lot. This was nice as I was able to see a lot of birders from the Toronto Ornithological Club and others who only get to come on weekends. However, there just weren't many birds to chase/find. There were isolated pockets of passerines but between them, the trails were deadzones. I did, however, help Dave Milsom's group get on an Orange-crowned Warbler (my first for the spring).
A huge miss today was an adult California Gull that flew by the tip seen by Kevin McLuaghlin and co. This would have been a lifer and makes me wish I would have stayed longer to watch the reverse migration. You win some, you lose some.
At around 2pm, I gave up and went to visit my Grandma. A slight rain came through so I was pretty stoked with my decision to leave the park for a while. After supper and an hour nap, I headed to Hillman around 7pm and wasn't disappointed. It was probably the best night I've had so far for shorebirds. Somewhat surprising was a complete lack of Black-bellied Plover but there were Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, and Lesser Yellowlegs. A Cooper's Hawk flying over was an added treat.
I expect quite a few similar days in the week to come as it starts to get harder and harder to add birds to my May list. It's coming along nicely though at 168 (I will definitely reach my target of 175). Hopefully a nice rarity will show up sometime this week and cause some real excitement.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 97
Another common bird that I finally got out of the way was Common Loon; a flyby at the tip. Today was just a slow day for me, though. A lot of people showed up and it was the first day they had to close the visitor center parking lot. This was nice as I was able to see a lot of birders from the Toronto Ornithological Club and others who only get to come on weekends. However, there just weren't many birds to chase/find. There were isolated pockets of passerines but between them, the trails were deadzones. I did, however, help Dave Milsom's group get on an Orange-crowned Warbler (my first for the spring).
A huge miss today was an adult California Gull that flew by the tip seen by Kevin McLuaghlin and co. This would have been a lifer and makes me wish I would have stayed longer to watch the reverse migration. You win some, you lose some.
At around 2pm, I gave up and went to visit my Grandma. A slight rain came through so I was pretty stoked with my decision to leave the park for a while. After supper and an hour nap, I headed to Hillman around 7pm and wasn't disappointed. It was probably the best night I've had so far for shorebirds. Somewhat surprising was a complete lack of Black-bellied Plover but there were Willet, Dunlin, Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, and Lesser Yellowlegs. A Cooper's Hawk flying over was an added treat.
I expect quite a few similar days in the week to come as it starts to get harder and harder to add birds to my May list. It's coming along nicely though at 168 (I will definitely reach my target of 175). Hopefully a nice rarity will show up sometime this week and cause some real excitement.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 97
Friday, May 08, 2009
May 8, 2009 - Day 6 - Add one to every day list!
Before I get to how my day of birding was, I just realized while looking through my daily lists that I have failed to check off Ruddy Duck every single day of the week! This means that I can add one more species to each of my day lists. Looks like I've got some editing to do. This happened last year as well. I went through my list not once, twice, but thrice before realizing I was missing a species on my May list. This error brought me to 175 species instead of 174 and I was a happy man. As of today, I am at 161 and have little doubt that I will meet last year's tally.
Now on to today. The park was much busier with birds today, probably due to the south winds bringing in more species. One of the highlights was a reverse migration at the tip that is always a welcome challenge. I love picking out species in the sky as it proves to be a test of skills but there's also a good chance that a rarity will pop up amongst the common birds flying off the tip. Reverse migrants from today included blackbirds, orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, various warblers, Eastern Bluebird, an Eastern Meadowlark, and a lot of Blue Jays.
Woodland and Tilden trail continue to be the most-birded areas of the park and today was not a let-down. I finally heard the Louisiana Waterthrush on Tilden Trail (a species I was starting to worry I would miss). Then on Woodland Trail, I had great looks at one of my favourite warblers, the Cerulean Warbler (the bird that inspired the name of my blog). A female Summer Tanager at the tip went unseen by me. I looked hard for a Chat reported on the Redbud trail but to no avail. I also missed a Mississippi Kite flying over the visitor center parking lot (an annual occurrence). However, an afternoon trip to Kopegaron Woods was surprisingly helpful as I got Tennessee Warbler and White-breasted Nuthatch there. The small conservation area was actually quite busy with warblers. I went there on a mission to see Hairy Woodpecker but that failed so I might have to go to Wheatley Park one afternoon to get this species.
I also went to the Shorebird Cell but it was pretty slow this afternoon. There was a White-tailed Deer that bound across the cell and through the water that scared all the birds up, which was interesting. That was then followed by 2 dogs chasing geese and their goslings through the water in the cell!! I'm looking forward to next week when more species of shorebirds arrive.
I'm feeling slightly brainless right now and I think I'm going to take a nap as I plan to do a much longer day tomorrow. I'm likely forgetting to write down other interesting experiences from today but I think I'll just stop here.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 92
Now on to today. The park was much busier with birds today, probably due to the south winds bringing in more species. One of the highlights was a reverse migration at the tip that is always a welcome challenge. I love picking out species in the sky as it proves to be a test of skills but there's also a good chance that a rarity will pop up amongst the common birds flying off the tip. Reverse migrants from today included blackbirds, orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, various warblers, Eastern Bluebird, an Eastern Meadowlark, and a lot of Blue Jays.
Woodland and Tilden trail continue to be the most-birded areas of the park and today was not a let-down. I finally heard the Louisiana Waterthrush on Tilden Trail (a species I was starting to worry I would miss). Then on Woodland Trail, I had great looks at one of my favourite warblers, the Cerulean Warbler (the bird that inspired the name of my blog). A female Summer Tanager at the tip went unseen by me. I looked hard for a Chat reported on the Redbud trail but to no avail. I also missed a Mississippi Kite flying over the visitor center parking lot (an annual occurrence). However, an afternoon trip to Kopegaron Woods was surprisingly helpful as I got Tennessee Warbler and White-breasted Nuthatch there. The small conservation area was actually quite busy with warblers. I went there on a mission to see Hairy Woodpecker but that failed so I might have to go to Wheatley Park one afternoon to get this species.
I also went to the Shorebird Cell but it was pretty slow this afternoon. There was a White-tailed Deer that bound across the cell and through the water that scared all the birds up, which was interesting. That was then followed by 2 dogs chasing geese and their goslings through the water in the cell!! I'm looking forward to next week when more species of shorebirds arrive.
I'm feeling slightly brainless right now and I think I'm going to take a nap as I plan to do a much longer day tomorrow. I'm likely forgetting to write down other interesting experiences from today but I think I'll just stop here.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 92
May 7, 2009 - Day 5 - The longest day
Yesterday was epic. So epic, in fact, that by the time I got home, I was too tired to write my daily post. I left my house at 6:15am and didn't get home until 10:00pm. If it sounds like I'm bragging at all, well, I kind of am. I mean, that's like, a 14 hour day! And guess what? It was awesome.
The day started with Marianne and I making the great decision to bypass the tip area (which was rumoured to be completely dead) and heading to Sanctuary. It was quite birdy in the trail and we picked up three really good species: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bobolink (my nemesis bird from last year...I never did get it!), and Sedge Wren.
Incredibly, I almost left for home at 3pm due to the rain that lasted for two hours but instead of quitting early, I decided to go for an early supper in Wheatley (3 pieces of greasy pizza) and then head back out to do some evening birding. It's a good thing I did, because I added a number of species to my May list that I may not get any other days during my trip home.
I got really lucky on County Road 21. On my way to Hillman after supper, I heard Vesper Sparrows in the fields adjacent to the road and I also picked up a Kestrel at this location. Oh, and that Snow Goose I was waiting for the other day? Got it at 6pm. At this point, I also almost got my dad's truck stuck in the ditch. Ron Tozer and Mike Tate met me at the location of the Snow Goose to tick it off their May lists. While they played things safe and turned their vehicles around in the closest laneway on the road, I had the brilliant idea of doing a 3-point turn (it sadly turned into a 4-point turn) to get my truck going the other way. Next thing I know, my back tires are squeeling in the grass off the road and I'm not moving. I had this horrible image of Ron and Mike having to push my truck while I stepped on the gas (red-faced with embarrassment) but fortunately, I was finally able to turn the front wheels enough to get myself out. They rightfully made fun of me for this adventure.
Next up was a late evening stop at the Pelee Marsh. It's a necessary part of a lister's trip to Pelee if you want to get those few extra ticks. It was beautiful to walk the boardwalk at this time of night with the sun setting in the west and flock of Sandhill Cranes flying past the moon in the east. Here, our large group picked up Black Tern and Marsh Wren. We then made a stop at Delaurier to get American Woodcock and American Bittern. A final trip in the moonlight to the Visitor Center parking lot was in vain. Not a single Whip-poor-will or Nighthawk was calling. Not even a Chuck-will's-widow.....what? I can be hopeful!
All in all, an exhausting, but fully satisfying day.
Day list:
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Dunlin
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Golden-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 110 - my highest for the trip so far
The day started with Marianne and I making the great decision to bypass the tip area (which was rumoured to be completely dead) and heading to Sanctuary. It was quite birdy in the trail and we picked up three really good species: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bobolink (my nemesis bird from last year...I never did get it!), and Sedge Wren.
Incredibly, I almost left for home at 3pm due to the rain that lasted for two hours but instead of quitting early, I decided to go for an early supper in Wheatley (3 pieces of greasy pizza) and then head back out to do some evening birding. It's a good thing I did, because I added a number of species to my May list that I may not get any other days during my trip home.
I got really lucky on County Road 21. On my way to Hillman after supper, I heard Vesper Sparrows in the fields adjacent to the road and I also picked up a Kestrel at this location. Oh, and that Snow Goose I was waiting for the other day? Got it at 6pm. At this point, I also almost got my dad's truck stuck in the ditch. Ron Tozer and Mike Tate met me at the location of the Snow Goose to tick it off their May lists. While they played things safe and turned their vehicles around in the closest laneway on the road, I had the brilliant idea of doing a 3-point turn (it sadly turned into a 4-point turn) to get my truck going the other way. Next thing I know, my back tires are squeeling in the grass off the road and I'm not moving. I had this horrible image of Ron and Mike having to push my truck while I stepped on the gas (red-faced with embarrassment) but fortunately, I was finally able to turn the front wheels enough to get myself out. They rightfully made fun of me for this adventure.
Next up was a late evening stop at the Pelee Marsh. It's a necessary part of a lister's trip to Pelee if you want to get those few extra ticks. It was beautiful to walk the boardwalk at this time of night with the sun setting in the west and flock of Sandhill Cranes flying past the moon in the east. Here, our large group picked up Black Tern and Marsh Wren. We then made a stop at Delaurier to get American Woodcock and American Bittern. A final trip in the moonlight to the Visitor Center parking lot was in vain. Not a single Whip-poor-will or Nighthawk was calling. Not even a Chuck-will's-widow.....what? I can be hopeful!
All in all, an exhausting, but fully satisfying day.
Day list:
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Dunlin
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Black Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Golden-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 110 - my highest for the trip so far
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
May 6, 2009 - Day 4 - Keep on birdin'
Sometimes I feel like I lead two separate lives. There is the Toronto Jeremy who spends most of his time downtown, whether it be in coffee shops, bars, theatres, or friends' places, oftentimes chatting about world issues or complaining about the conservative party. Then there is the Pelee-during-May Jeremy, snacking on trail mix and sitting in his dad's Ford 150, pulled over at the side of county road 21, waiting patiently in the rain for a Snow Goose that has been returning every evening sometime after 5:30pm.
May alters my life so drastically for the 2 precious weeks I book off, it almost feels like an alternate universe. It has become an annual ritual to drop everything in my life during this wonderful time of the year and do what I love: birdwatch. Whereas a week ago, I was worried about finances, relationships, and work, now my only concerns are what birds I might miss, when the next big rarity will show up, and the best way to check off 175 species on my May list.
I can't stress it enough. I love Point Pelee, I love birdwatching, and I love the people I get to share my passion with during the best time of the year.
My 4rth day in the park was one of socializing. I had a great walk through Tilden Woods with Sarah Rupert, which was as much a birding walk as a time to catch up. The birds came first and we got some goodies, but we also let out our inner geeks with talk of Lost, Buffy, Indiana Jones, and of course, Star Wars. Unfortunately, I seem to have a slight Tilden Woods curse right now. I can't seem to get a lot of the birds being reported there including Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Sedge Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, and just today, a Golden-winged Warbler that flew away while we tried to look for it!
I did pick up quite a few new birds for my May list throughout the day though, including Willet, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, American Black Duck, Broad-winged Hawk, a female Merlin at Sparrow Field, Red-eyed Vireo, and a few others. I currently stand at 140 species, which feels pretty good but I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Around 3pm, I actually decided to leave for home but a seasoned veteran, Jerry Ball, chastised me for giving up so early. It struck me that, yes, I only have two weeks of this and then it's back to the city so I need to take full advantage while I'm here. So, Jerry and I went to Hillman Marsh, drove all through the Onion Fields, and ended up at Wheatley Harbour. Next thing I knew, Jerry helped me put in another 11 hour day, got me to 100 species, and added Black-crowned Night-Heron to my May list. I'll have to thank him tomorrow for keeping me going.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Malladr
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Little Gull - another single adult breeding at the Shorebird Cell
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101
May alters my life so drastically for the 2 precious weeks I book off, it almost feels like an alternate universe. It has become an annual ritual to drop everything in my life during this wonderful time of the year and do what I love: birdwatch. Whereas a week ago, I was worried about finances, relationships, and work, now my only concerns are what birds I might miss, when the next big rarity will show up, and the best way to check off 175 species on my May list.
I can't stress it enough. I love Point Pelee, I love birdwatching, and I love the people I get to share my passion with during the best time of the year.
My 4rth day in the park was one of socializing. I had a great walk through Tilden Woods with Sarah Rupert, which was as much a birding walk as a time to catch up. The birds came first and we got some goodies, but we also let out our inner geeks with talk of Lost, Buffy, Indiana Jones, and of course, Star Wars. Unfortunately, I seem to have a slight Tilden Woods curse right now. I can't seem to get a lot of the birds being reported there including Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Sedge Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, and just today, a Golden-winged Warbler that flew away while we tried to look for it!
I did pick up quite a few new birds for my May list throughout the day though, including Willet, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, American Black Duck, Broad-winged Hawk, a female Merlin at Sparrow Field, Red-eyed Vireo, and a few others. I currently stand at 140 species, which feels pretty good but I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Around 3pm, I actually decided to leave for home but a seasoned veteran, Jerry Ball, chastised me for giving up so early. It struck me that, yes, I only have two weeks of this and then it's back to the city so I need to take full advantage while I'm here. So, Jerry and I went to Hillman Marsh, drove all through the Onion Fields, and ended up at Wheatley Harbour. Next thing I knew, Jerry helped me put in another 11 hour day, got me to 100 species, and added Black-crowned Night-Heron to my May list. I'll have to thank him tomorrow for keeping me going.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Malladr
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Little Gull - another single adult breeding at the Shorebird Cell
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
May 5, 2009 - Day 3 - LIFER!!! Western Meadowlark
I am so happy right now. Happy it's May, happy I got a new species on my life list this afternoon, and happy that I still have 11 days of heavy birding to go. I missed you today though, Marianne!
I put in 11 hours total and it felt great. The park was incredibly slow for birds as there has still been very little movement since yesterday or the day before. Hopefully with rain Wednesday night and Thursday, along with predicted south winds, there will be an influx of migrants into the park and surrounding area.
Even slow days produce good birds, though. I birded most of the morning with Hugh Currie. Shortly after we arrived at the tip together, I spotted an adult breeding Little Gull land on the beach. The bird didn't stay long as it was harassed by other gulls. Beyond that, there wasn't much happening in the tip area. We later did the Woodland trail together and picked up a male Prothonotary Warbler. It was actually fighting a House Wren over one of the nest boxes in the vicinity. When we arrived, the House Wren was dragging itself through the water to the closest tree. That was a sight to see. Also on Woodland, we had a Northern Mockingbird fly over along with a Northern Harrier (both firsts for my trip).
I tried Tilden Trail as well with limited success. My target birds were Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Sandhill Crane. I only got one of the four: Worm-eating. I left the trail a wee bit frustrated but then I heard a report of a Western Meadowlark at the tip! Obviously I was on the next train to the tip.
The bird was found by Kevin McLaughlin and co. on the West Beach Birding Footpath near the transit loop at the tip. It was not a hard bird to find. Flushed as soon as I walked by the spot it was hiding, the bird flew to the top of a nearby tree and actually called out right in front of me, which was spectacular.
I ended the day at Hillman, struggling to reach 100 species (arghh what a struggle!) for the day and finally achieving that goal just as I was leaving for home: a Great Egret next to the entrance to the marsh. All in all, a good day that added quite a few species to my growing (but growing enough) May list. Oh, and how could I forget?! My first Chestnut-sided Warbler for May! It is and always will be my favourite warbler.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover - a single bird among the hundreds of Black-bellied
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Dunlin
Little Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101!
I put in 11 hours total and it felt great. The park was incredibly slow for birds as there has still been very little movement since yesterday or the day before. Hopefully with rain Wednesday night and Thursday, along with predicted south winds, there will be an influx of migrants into the park and surrounding area.
Even slow days produce good birds, though. I birded most of the morning with Hugh Currie. Shortly after we arrived at the tip together, I spotted an adult breeding Little Gull land on the beach. The bird didn't stay long as it was harassed by other gulls. Beyond that, there wasn't much happening in the tip area. We later did the Woodland trail together and picked up a male Prothonotary Warbler. It was actually fighting a House Wren over one of the nest boxes in the vicinity. When we arrived, the House Wren was dragging itself through the water to the closest tree. That was a sight to see. Also on Woodland, we had a Northern Mockingbird fly over along with a Northern Harrier (both firsts for my trip).
I tried Tilden Trail as well with limited success. My target birds were Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Sandhill Crane. I only got one of the four: Worm-eating. I left the trail a wee bit frustrated but then I heard a report of a Western Meadowlark at the tip! Obviously I was on the next train to the tip.
The bird was found by Kevin McLaughlin and co. on the West Beach Birding Footpath near the transit loop at the tip. It was not a hard bird to find. Flushed as soon as I walked by the spot it was hiding, the bird flew to the top of a nearby tree and actually called out right in front of me, which was spectacular.
I ended the day at Hillman, struggling to reach 100 species (arghh what a struggle!) for the day and finally achieving that goal just as I was leaving for home: a Great Egret next to the entrance to the marsh. All in all, a good day that added quite a few species to my growing (but growing enough) May list. Oh, and how could I forget?! My first Chestnut-sided Warbler for May! It is and always will be my favourite warbler.
Day List:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover - a single bird among the hundreds of Black-bellied
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Dunlin
Little Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspain Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 101!
Monday, May 04, 2009
May 4, 2009 - Day 2 - Quality not quantity and the reasons for leaving early
Rarely will I be posting the day's news this early but the park was slow today. Now, of course, any day during spring migration has its highlights and it's always great to be out in that fresh Pelee air (we actually commented today in Ander's Field on how great the clover and various grasses smelled in the plains of the central region of the park). A day like today is a good day for catching up with friends, searching out specific species for your May list, and, in all honesty, taking it easy. No sense burning yourself out when 12-13 hour days are right around the corner (I'm aiming for 100+ species days in the week to come).
For these reasons, we called it a day a bit early. The plus side to this? Relaxing in Marianne's house after lunch (a great spinach salad and squash soup) while looking through her pictures from her trip to Florida (there was no limit to my jealosy, particularly while gawking at a picture that shows Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, White Ibises, Wood Storks, Little Blue Herons, and Great Egrets all wading in the same area!).
The day did start off well, though. Some new migrants came in that we got to see like Hooded Warbler (gave great views!), a beautiful Yellow-throated Vireo, an incredibly dull first-year female Pine Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a nice male Blue-winged Warbler as well. I missed the following: Scarlet Tanager, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, and Lesser Black-backed Gull, all of which would have been additions to my May list.
Later in the day, Marianne and I decided to check out the cemetery area and picked up a late Junco (might be my last one of the spring). We also got a Great-crested Flycatcher nearby, also new for my May list, which continues to grow slowly. Later, at the Delaurier house, we got our first Gray-cheeked Thrush and two sunning Five-lined Skinks, Ontario's only native lizard. One dissappointment was that we couldn't find the reported Great Horned Owl nest. I'm going to have to get better directions for this as I'd like to see the nest.
I'm sure I'm forgetting various highlights from the day but my brain is slightly fried while I type this. I'm also getting distracted by The Young and the Restless, which my mom is watching right behind me. Oh Phillis, what have you gotten yourself into now?!
The day's list (lacking due to no Hillman Marsh visit):
Canada Goose
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco yesssssss :D
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 79
For these reasons, we called it a day a bit early. The plus side to this? Relaxing in Marianne's house after lunch (a great spinach salad and squash soup) while looking through her pictures from her trip to Florida (there was no limit to my jealosy, particularly while gawking at a picture that shows Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, White Ibises, Wood Storks, Little Blue Herons, and Great Egrets all wading in the same area!).
The day did start off well, though. Some new migrants came in that we got to see like Hooded Warbler (gave great views!), a beautiful Yellow-throated Vireo, an incredibly dull first-year female Pine Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and a nice male Blue-winged Warbler as well. I missed the following: Scarlet Tanager, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, and Lesser Black-backed Gull, all of which would have been additions to my May list.
Later in the day, Marianne and I decided to check out the cemetery area and picked up a late Junco (might be my last one of the spring). We also got a Great-crested Flycatcher nearby, also new for my May list, which continues to grow slowly. Later, at the Delaurier house, we got our first Gray-cheeked Thrush and two sunning Five-lined Skinks, Ontario's only native lizard. One dissappointment was that we couldn't find the reported Great Horned Owl nest. I'm going to have to get better directions for this as I'd like to see the nest.
I'm sure I'm forgetting various highlights from the day but my brain is slightly fried while I type this. I'm also getting distracted by The Young and the Restless, which my mom is watching right behind me. Oh Phillis, what have you gotten yourself into now?!
The day's list (lacking due to no Hillman Marsh visit):
Canada Goose
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco yesssssss :D
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 79
Sunday, May 03, 2009
May 3, 2009 - DAY ONE
The alarm goes off at 4:45am. It's dark outside and there's a chill in the room as I get out from under the warmth of my comforter. It's day one and I'm more excited than any other day of the year. Two full weeks of extensive birding and days full of excitement, nervousness, exhaustion, and a great group of people sharing the same passion together.
Marianne and I arrived at Pelee just before the 6am train to the tip. Things weren't especially happening on my first day but since every migrant was new for me, I had a great time. The list has begun. I figure I'll go for 175 species to tie my record of last year...as always, I have my doubts but once I start to get close, I'll put in all the effort necessary to achieve the goal.
The weather was pretty gorgeous today but not many new migrants came through apparently. However, there were still some warbler pockets here and there, it was a 3-Scoter day, which was a nice touch, and of course, it provided a chance to visit with friends I haven't seen for a year in some cases.
Some highlights:
Last year, Marianne and I heard a Yellow Warbler who had an addition to its regular song. The standard bird will give a quick, high-pitched, bursting sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet!!!. This pompous male gave a sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet SWEET!!!. So this year, we're at the tip and I turn to Marianne and say, you know what I hope we hear this year? That extra-sweet Yellow Warbler. Within A SECOND (we're talking like right after I said it), we hear sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet SWEET!!!. We nearly died on the spot. The chances of this occurring are millions to one.
Some bird highlights include a female Prothonotary Warbler on the Woodland Trail, all three Scoter species, a large flock of Black-bellied Plovers in the Onion Fields and Shorebird Cell, a Philadelphia Warbler near the park entrance, and an unexpected surprise when Marianne dropped me off at home.
We pulled in and Marianne suddenly pointed and asked what happened to this House Sparrow. It was hanging by a string that it had wrapped around its leg and couldn't fly up to a branch or break free. Next thing we knew, a Common Grackle, an omnivorous species that is known to kill baby birds right in the nest, showed up and started to stab the sparrow with its beak!! I've never seen behaviour like this and it was so interesting to see a Grackle take on a dying sparrow like that. The Grackle eventually left when my Dad got sentimental and saved the sparrow, but nonetheless, it was really interesting behaviour.
Oh, and the other highlight? We got to over 100 species! Around 4:30, we were eating supper and realized we were at 85 birds for the day so we toughed it out and kept birding at Hillman Marsh to get to 100. Later that night, in Wheatley, I got a couple more birds for the day including Chimney Swift and a Red-tailed Hawk just outside of town.
The list:
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Philadelphia Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Chimney Swift
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Wood Thrush
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Brown Thrasher
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Northern Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 105
Marianne and I arrived at Pelee just before the 6am train to the tip. Things weren't especially happening on my first day but since every migrant was new for me, I had a great time. The list has begun. I figure I'll go for 175 species to tie my record of last year...as always, I have my doubts but once I start to get close, I'll put in all the effort necessary to achieve the goal.
The weather was pretty gorgeous today but not many new migrants came through apparently. However, there were still some warbler pockets here and there, it was a 3-Scoter day, which was a nice touch, and of course, it provided a chance to visit with friends I haven't seen for a year in some cases.
Some highlights:
Last year, Marianne and I heard a Yellow Warbler who had an addition to its regular song. The standard bird will give a quick, high-pitched, bursting sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet!!!. This pompous male gave a sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet SWEET!!!. So this year, we're at the tip and I turn to Marianne and say, you know what I hope we hear this year? That extra-sweet Yellow Warbler. Within A SECOND (we're talking like right after I said it), we hear sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet SWEET!!!. We nearly died on the spot. The chances of this occurring are millions to one.
Some bird highlights include a female Prothonotary Warbler on the Woodland Trail, all three Scoter species, a large flock of Black-bellied Plovers in the Onion Fields and Shorebird Cell, a Philadelphia Warbler near the park entrance, and an unexpected surprise when Marianne dropped me off at home.
We pulled in and Marianne suddenly pointed and asked what happened to this House Sparrow. It was hanging by a string that it had wrapped around its leg and couldn't fly up to a branch or break free. Next thing we knew, a Common Grackle, an omnivorous species that is known to kill baby birds right in the nest, showed up and started to stab the sparrow with its beak!! I've never seen behaviour like this and it was so interesting to see a Grackle take on a dying sparrow like that. The Grackle eventually left when my Dad got sentimental and saved the sparrow, but nonetheless, it was really interesting behaviour.
Oh, and the other highlight? We got to over 100 species! Around 4:30, we were eating supper and realized we were at 85 birds for the day so we toughed it out and kept birding at Hillman Marsh to get to 100. Later that night, in Wheatley, I got a couple more birds for the day including Chimney Swift and a Red-tailed Hawk just outside of town.
The list:
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Philadelphia Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Chimney Swift
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Wood Thrush
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Brown Thrasher
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Northern Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 105
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