2012 Year List - 305

This post is a bit late but I got it up before 2014 so that's something.

Many thanks to all who made my 2012 Big Year possible. There were countless people across Ontario who either alerted me to birds I still needed for the year, encouraged me along the way, inspired me w/ their own Big Years, gave me tips and advice for where I should visit and in what month to reach my goal of 300, or simply listened to me gripe about the birds I was missing without punching me in the face. Thanks to each and every one of you.

I have to especially thank 3 people:

Mark Field, who was my traveling partner, co-conspirator, and confidant throughout the year...well, until I left Toronto and only got to 305 while he made it 311 and moved 1 place ahead of me in the eBird final standings...but who's keeping track? But seriously, the year would have sucked without you, Mark.

Matt Timpf (Mr. Canada Big Year 2013!), who helped me find many of my early year birds and continuously boosted my confidence along the way, which is actually quite a feat considering my confidence is usually somewhere between 0.01 and flatline...beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

And Marianne, who always texted or called me to see how my year was going while I was away and eventually helped me get to 305 once I returned to Leamington even though I was ready to call it a day when I hit 300 (so happy you were there to share the experience of me reaching my goal with Red Phalarope).

Here is my final list for 2012 in Ontario, more or less in chronological order (unfortunately I did not keep track of when I saw each individual species on a specific day so the numbers do not always correspond with the exact order in which I saw each species, but rather in taxonomic order on the date I first saw them):

January 1 - family farm, Staples

1. Red-tailed Hawk
2. Ring-billed Gull

January 2 - train from Chatham to Toronto (story here)

3. Tundra Swan
4. Wild Turkey
5. Rock Pigeon
6. American Kestrel
7. American Crow
8. Horned Lark
9. European Starling
10. House Sparrow

January 10 - Concession 1 - Puslinch

11. Canada Goose
12. Mourning Dove
13. Red-bellied Woodpecker
14. Hairy Woodpecker
15. Blue Jay
16. Black-capped Chickadee
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
18. Mountain Bluebird (lifer)
19. Dark-eyed Junco
20. House Finch
21. American Goldfinch
22. American Robin

January 10 - Mounstberg Conservation Area, Hamilton

23. Rough-legged Hawk
24. Downy Woodpecker
25. American Tree Sparrow
26. Northern Cardinal
27. Pine Siskin

January 10 - Marilynn Bell Park, Toronto

28. Mute Swan
29. Gadwall
30. American Wigeon
31. American Black Duck
32. Mallard
33. Redhead
34. Bufflehead
35. Common Merganser
36. Red-breasted Merganser
37. Herring Gull

January 25 - High Park, Toronto

38. Northern Pintail
39. Cooper's Hawk
40. Red-breasted Nuthatch
41. Gray Catbird
42. Common Grackle

January 25 - Sunnyside Beach, Toronto

43. Greater Scaup
44. Long-tailed Duck
45. Common Goldeneye
46. Ruddy Duck
47. American Coot
48. Glaucous Gull
49. Great Black-backed Gull

January 31 - Point Pelee National Park

50. Northern Harrier
51. Sharp-shinned Hawk
52. Bald Eagle
53. Bonaparte's Gull
54. Eastern Screech-Owl
55. Northern Shrike

February 1 - Onion Fields, Leamington (story here)

56. Great Horned Owl
57. Snowy Owl
58. Long-eared Owl
59. Red-winged Blackbird
60. Rusty Blackbird
61. Brown-headed Cowbird

February 2 - family farm, Staples

62. Ring-necked Pheasant

February 7 - Thunder Bay

63. Common Raven
64. Brown Creeper
65. Harris's Sparrow
66. Common Redpoll
67. Pine Grosbeak (lifer)
68. Golden Eagle
69. Pileated Woodpecker
70. Red Crossbill (lifer)

February 8 - Longlac

71. Spotted Towhee
72. White-winged Crossbill
73. Evening Grosbeak (lifer)
74. Hoary Redpoll (lifer)


February 8 - Beardmore

75. Common Redpoll

February 8 - Everard Road, Thunder Bay

76. Ruffed Grouse

February 9 - Rocky Bay

77. Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (lifer)
78. Purple Finch

February 9 - Wishart Conservation Area, Thunder Bay

79. American Three-toed Woodpecker (lifer)

February 14 - Whitby Harbour

80. Trumpeter Swan
81. Hooded Merganser
82. Northern Mockingbird

February 15 - Adam Beck, Niagara

83. Thayer's Gull
84. Iceland Gull

February 15 - Fort Erie

85. Canvasback
86. White-winged Scoter
87. Fish Crow (Ontario lifer)
88. American Pipit

February 15 - Niagara Falls - upper falls

89. Lesser Black-backed Gull

February 15 - Queenston Heights overlook, Niagara

90. Double-crested Cormorant
91. Black Vulture
92. Turkey Vulture
93. Little Gull
94. Tufted Titmouse

February 15 - LaSalle Marina, Burlington

95. Lesser Scaup
96. King Eider

February 16 - Whitby Harbour

97. Greater White-fronted Goose (story here)

February 16 - Oshawa Second Marsh

98. Northern Saw-whet Owl

February 16 - Professor's Lake, Brampton

99. Wood Duck
100. Merlin

February 17 - Toronto

101. Peregrine Falcon

February 23 - Spencer Smith Park, Burlington

102. Surf Scoter

February 23 - 10th Road East, Stoney Creek

103. Short-eared Owl

February 28 - Elgin County

104. Eastern Bluebird

February 28 - Port Burwell

105. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
106. Field Sparrow
107. Song Sparrow

February 28 - Norfolk County

108. Northern Flicker

February 28 - Long Point area

109. Ring-necked Duck
110. Sandhill Crane
111. Swamp Sparrow
112. Great Blue Heron
113. Belted Kingfisher

March 7 - Leamington

114. Eastern Meadowlark
115. Killdeer

March 10 - Point Pelee National Park

116. Northern Shoveler
117. Green-winged Teal
118. Eastern Phoebe
119. Hermit Thrush
120. Yellow-rumped Warbler
121. Eastern Towhee
122. Fox Sparrow

March 10 - Onion Fields, Leamington

123. Ross's Goose (lifer)

March 17 - Long Point area

124. Horned Grebe
125. Golden-crowned Kinglet
126. Tree Swallow
127. Pied-billed Grebe
128. American Woodcock

March 18 - Long Point area

129. Winter Wren
130. White-throated Sparrow

March 18 - Townsend Sewage Lagoons

131. Snow Goose

March 22 - Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto

132. Red-necked Grebe

March 22 - Rattray March, Mississauga

133. Carolina Wren

March 22 - High Park, Toronto

134. Virginia Rail

March 26 - Prince Edward Park

135. Bohemian Waxwing (lifer)
136. Cedar Waxwing

March 26 - Russel Road, Bourget

137. Cackling Goose

March 26 - Ottawa area

138. Wilson's Snipe

March 27 - Algonquin Provincial Park

139. Spruce Grouse (lifer)
140. Black-backed Woodpecker (lifer)
141. Boreal Chickadee

March 27 - Carden Alvar

142. Loggerhead Shrike

March 27 - Townsend Sewage Lagoon

143. Eurasian Wigeon
144. Greater Yellowlegs

March 31 - High Park, Toronto

145. Black-crowned Night-Heron
146. Chipping Sparrow

April 6 - Leslie Street Spit, Toronto

147. Great Egret
148. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
149. Barn Swallow
150. Pine Warbler

April 7 - Norfolk County

151. Common Loon
152. Vesper Sparrow
153. Savannah Sparrow
154. Lesser Yellowlegs

April 7 - Long Point area

155. Purple Martin
156. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
157. Forster's Tern

April 7 - Cootes Paradise, Hamilton

158. Caspian Tern

April 7 - Peterborough

159. Osprey

April 14 - Gairloch Gardens, Oakville

160. Harlequin Duck

April 16 - Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto

161. Blue-winged Teal
162. Northern Rough-winged Swallow

April 17 - Everard Road, Thunder Bay

163. Sharp-tailed Grouse (lifer)

April 17 - Hurkett Cove Conservation Area, Thunder Bay

164. American White Pelican

April 17 - Thunder Bay

165. Lapland Longspur

April 22 - Rondeau Provincial Park

166. Chimney Swift
167. White-eyed Vireo
168. House Wren
169. Brown Thrasher
170. Blackburnian Warbler
171. Yellow-throated Warbler

April 22 - Blenheim Sewage Lagoons

172. Sora
173. Pectoral Sandpiper
174. Dunlin

April 27 - High Park, Toronto

175. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
176. Nashville Warbler
177. Palm Warbler

April 28 - Wasaga Beach Provincial Park

178. Piping Plover

April 28 - Bruce Peninsula

179. Western Tanager (lifer)
180. Brewer's Blackbird (lifer)

April 30 - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto

181. Cerulean Warbler

May 5 - Toronto Islands

182. Spotted Sandpiper
183. Common Tern
184. Great Crested Flycatcher
185. Eastern Kingbird
186. Blue-headed Vireo
187. Warbling Vireo
188. Bank Swallow
189. Cliff Swallow
190. Northern Waterthrush
191. Black-and-white Warbler
192. Cape May Warbler
193. Northern Parula
194. Magnolia Warbler
195. Yellow Warbler
196. Chestnut-sided Warbler
197. Black-throated Blue Warbler
198. Black-throated Green Warbler
199. White-crowned Sparrow
200. Orchard Oriole
201. Baltimore Oriole

May 7 - Rattray March, Mississauga

202. Least Flycatcher

May 7 - Townsed Sewage Lagoon

203. Semipalmated Plover
204. Least Sandpiper

May 7 - Aylmer Sewage Lagoons

205. Bobolink

May 7 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

206. Black-bellied Plover
207. American Avocet
208. Short-billed Dowitcher
209. Common Yellowthroat

May 8 - Point Pelee National Park

210. Eastern Whip-poor-will
211. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
212. Red-headed Woodpecker
213. Eastern Wood-Pewee
214. Yellow-throated Vireo
215. Red-eyed Vireo
216. Sedge Wren
217. Veery
218. Swainson's Thrush
219. Wood Thrush
220. Ovenbird
221. Golden-winged Warbler
222. Tennessee Warbler
223. American Redstart
224. Bay-breasted Warbler
225. Wilson's Warbler
226. Lincoln's Sparrow
227. Scarlet Tanager
228. Indigo Bunting

May 9 - Point Pelee National Park

229. Black Tern
230. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
231. Marsh Wren
232. Prothonotary Warbler
233. Canada Warbler

May 10 - Point Pelee National Park

234. Broad-winged Hawk
235. Black-billed Cuckoo

May  10 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

236. Cattle Egret
237. Marbled Godwit
238. Ruddy Turnstone

May 10 - St. Clair National Wildlife Refuge

239. Common Gallinule

May 11 - Point Pelee National Park

240. Gray-cheeked Thrush
241. Worm-eating Warbler
242. Blackpoll Warbler

May 11 - St. Clair National Wildlife Refuge

243. American Bittern
244. Least Bittern
245. Green Heron
246. White-faced Ibis
247. Yellow-headed Blackbird

May 12 - Point Pelee National Park

248. Black Scoter

May 12 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

249. American Golden-Plover
250. Willow Flycatcher

May 13 - Point Pelee National Park

251. Red-throated Loon (lifer)

May 14 - Rondeau Provincial Park

252. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

May 14 - Blenheim Sewage Lagoons

253. Stilt Sandpiper

May 15 - Point Pelee National Park

254. Hooded Warbler

May 15 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

255. Semipalmated Sanpdiper

May 16 - Point Pelee National Park

256. Mourning Warbler

May 16 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

257. Clay-colored Sparrow

May 16 - Wheatley Provincial Park

258. Solitary Sandpiper

May 17 - Point Pelee National Park

259. Olive-sided Flycatcher
260. Philadelphia Vireo
261. Blue-winged Warbler
262. Orange-crowned Warbler
263. Connecticut Warbler

May 18 - Pelee Island

264. Yellow-breasted Chat

May 19 - Point Pelee National Park

265. California Gull (lifer)

May 19 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

266. Red-necked Phalarope

May 20 - Hillman Marsh, Leamington

267. White-rumped Sandpiper

May 21 - Backus Wood Conservation Area, Long Point area

268. Acadian Flycatcher
269. Louisiana Waterthrush

May 21 - East Quarter Line, Norfolk

270. Grasshopper Sparrow

May 21 - St. Williams Forest, Long Point area

271. Northern Goshawk

May 21 -Haldimand County

272. Snowy Egret
273. Laughing Gull

May 22 - Carden Alvar

274. Upland Sandpiper
275. Common Nighthawk

May 24 - Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Toronto

276. Whimbrel

May 26 - Carden Alvar

277. Alder Flycatcher

May 31 - Presqu'ile Provincial Park

278. Brant
279. Barred Owl

June 4 - Westover Tract, Flamborough

280. Prairie Warbler

June 6 - Parry Sound

281. Red-shoulder Hawk

June 8 - Rainy River District (story here and here)

282. Black-billed Magpie (lifer)
283. Le Conte's Sparrow

June 9 - Rainy River Sewage Lagoon

284. Wilson's Phalarope

June 9 - Rainy River District

285. Western Meadowlark

June 9 - Lake of the Woods - Windy Point, Rainy River District

286. Franklin's Gull (lifer)

June 11 - Rainy River District

287. Dickcissel

June 13 - Wawa Sewage Lagoons

288. Eared Grebe

July 3 - Rondeau Provincial Park area

289. Magnificent Frigatebird (lifer)

July 25 - Rock Point Provincial Park

290. Sanderling
291. Baird's Sandpiper

July 25 - Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Amherstburg

292. Little Blue Heron

July 26 - Walpole Island

293. King Rail

August 12 - Blenheim Sewage Lagoons

294. Long-billed Dowitcher (story here)

August 25 - Onion Fields, Leamington

295. Buff-breasted Sandpiper

August 29 - Presqu'ile Provincial Park

296. Thick-billed Kingbird (lifer)

August 31 - Little Piskwamish Point, James Bay (story here)

297. Red Knot

September 1 - Little Piskwamish Point, James Bay

298. Hudsonian Godwit

September 2 - Little Piskwamish Point, James Bay

299. Nelson's Sparrow

September 23 - Point Pelee National Park

300. Red Phalarope (story here)

October 30 - Point Edward Lighthouse, Sarnia (story here)

301. Black-legged Kittiwake
302. Sabine's Gull (lifer)

November 1 - Pelee Days Inn / Sturgeon Creek, Leamington

303. Snow Bunting (story here)

November 24 - Point Pelee National Park

304. Cave Swallow (lifer) (story here)

December 31 - Point Pelee National Park

305. Purple Sandpiper (story here)

Jan. 5/6 - Pelee and Surrounding Area Owling

Whenever you decide to sleep in instead of going to the Tip, you always risk missing a rarity. Well, that's exactly what happened last week when an Eared Grebe and a Black-legged Kittiwake were seen at the southernmost point of mainland Canada on one of my days staying home (I'm also at home this morning so let's see what happens down there.....). Fortunately, I got to the Tip on both Saturday and Sunday morning and although I didn't get anything really rare, I wasn't disappointed.


On the 5th, I met Kory and Sarah Renaud and stood in the cold until my toes had had enough. There have been a number of interesting gulls at the Tip lately w/ hybrids, rarities, and winter visitors settling on the peninsula. Waterfowl are also present in huge numbers. On the morning of the 5th, we looked northeast and saw a swarm of ducks fly up from the water. It looked like a cloud of distant midges there were so many! We estimated 50,000 ducks in the group (likely a mix of mergansers, scaups, and scoters).

When I first arrived by myself at the Tip my heart started racing when a shorebird flew from the east beach. I thought, 'What a great way to start my 2013 year list for Essex County! Purple Sandpiper! Ya!' Unfortunately, it turned out to be a Killdeer, which is still a nice bird for this time of year, but I was hopeful for a species that I might miss out on during the rest of the year. Later in the morning, a juvenile Great Blue Heron flew out onto the Tip and rested there briefly before taking flight southwest. Each morning, there are a couple or few American Pipits feeding w/ European Starlings on the beach as well as an assortment of sparrows (Savannah Sparrows on Dec. 31, 2012, Song Sparrow Jan. 5). Later in the morning I saw my first Yellow-rumped Warblers for the year.

After the Tip, we headed to the Onion Fields to try for Snowy Owl and Long-eared Owl. Kory knew of a good spot for Long-eareds that I hadn't been checking and it did not disappoint. I ended up seeing 2 of them in flight and one perched. Great looks.

Jan. 6, Marianne and I started our day out at the Tip as well. See her blog post for the morning here: http://peleechickadee.blogspot.ca/2013/01/mystery-gull-time.html

Similar morning to the day before but a juvenile Glaucous Gull right on the beach in front of us was one of the highlights (I love this gull species). I also spotted a mystery gull, which I first tried to ID as a GBBG x HERG but something didn't feel right. The bird was HUGE and didn't seem as dark-mantled as the other hybrids of this type we've had at the Tip recently (although I'm sure there's much variation in these hybrids). It was essentially equal in size to the surrounding Great Black-backed Gulls and the Glaucous Gull. That got us wondering if it could be a GBBG x GLGU hybrid. I'll pose the same question as Marianne on here blog. Anyone have any ideas?!

Here are a couple of my own iScoped photos (quality is not great...my scope has fogged in the inside....EEEEEAAAGHHHHH!!! @#$*!!) but it at least gives an idea of the size/shape/mantle colour.

 W/ Glaucous Gull (bottom right):

This afternoon I'm going to try for Short-eared Owl again south of Essex and see if I can find a Northern Shrike out there as well. Yesterday afternoon, I found a Red-headed Woodpecker, which I was quite pleased w/ (have never had one in the winter). It was a transition bird from juvenile to adult plumage. Kory came to see it as well and we ended up hearing a second bird in the same woodlot.

Point Pelee Saturday, October 27

Hoping to see a Cave Swallow during the 2012 invasion, I spent Friday driving around the Onion Fields with my mum to try to see any that might be hunkered down in the rain or flying by Wheatley Harbour. We found very few birds (not even a Snow Bunting).

So, on Saturday, Marianne and I decided to try a different approach and park ourselves at the Tip of Point Pelee to see if any flew by in the late morning. I had a wedding in Cambridge to go to later in the day so my time was limited to the morning, which was rainy/cloudy the entire time. However, it was decent down there despite this, with many Common Loon flybys, a couple Bald Eagles and Red-shouldered Hawks overhead, lots of Bonaparte's Gulls, and a single American White Pelican that flew in over the rough waters on the lake and landed on the sandy spit off the Tip.

American White Pelican Instagram

American White Pelican #nofilter

Not a single swallow went by in the morning so we made our way up to Sparrow Field. Not a bad day for passerines with many Song, Swamp, White-crowned, and Chipping Sparrows, w/ singles of White-throated, Fox, and American Tree Sparrow. We also had a Gray Catbird and later had a Northern Saw-whet Owl pointed out to us by a group led by Paul Pratt.

Shy Northern Saw-whet Owl

Pelee Birding Circle - still no Snow Bunting!

Originally I had planned to get out birding early today but after waking up very early to do chores around the farm I went back to sleep for a bit and didn't get out until 11am. Oh well.

I started the day behind Pelee Days Inn. Not much changed overnight though there seemed to be less of everything. Fewer Lesser Yellowlegs, only 2 Least Sandpipers found out of the group of 6 that's been hanging out, and definitely fewer Canada Geese. Still a few Pectorals around and Killdeer but I didn't see any Semipalmated Plover this time around. American Golden-Plover outnumbered Black-bellied there today.

Next was lunch. Anyone visiting the Pelee area MUST go to Birdies Perch, located right across from Pelee Wings Nature Shop. They make the best darn vegetarian wrap you could ask for, called the Green Goddess. I've had about 20 of them since moving back to Essex County. The restaurant is currently rated #1 on Trip Advisor: Birdies Perch Trip Advisor.Unfortunately, I believe it's closing at the end of October so we'll have to wait until next spring to enjoy it again but they are going to do wonderful during the month of May. I'm excited to see what business is like there when so many birders are around.

The Onion Fields didn't produce anything of note for me this afternoon unfortunately but things picked up when I visited Hillman Marsh. I had got a text from Marianne saying she had more Snow Buntings flying over her house so I thought Hillman might give me a good clear open sky to see/hear one flying by. No such luck but I did get migrating raptors including 2 Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harrier, Sharpies, Turkey Vultures, and a single American Kestrel. A few Tree Swallows are still around the area and I had a late Nashville Warbler near the visitor centre.

Another highlight along the edge of the Shorebird Cell was a large # of Common Checkered Skipper. My count got up to 67 being as accurate as possible. I didn't continue along the trail past the Shorebird Cell so there may have been more. They were flying up from the ground every few steps I took. I saw more Checkered Skippers today than the combined total in my whole life. I also had a single Gray Hairstreak along this trail, Orange Sulphurs, Common Buckeyes, and one Monarch.

I finished up the day at Wheatley Harbour (after driving around the fields adjacent to Hillman trying to flush up a Snow Bunting from the side of the road...). Not much going on there besides a good number of migrating Bonaparte's Gulls, 7 Great Black-backed Gulls, and a Palm Warbler. I tried for the Nelson's Sparrow reported by Andrew Keaveney a few days ago but couldn't pish out anything interesting from the bushes at the harbour's edge.

Tomorrow, I plan to grab a lawn chair and park my keester on our back porch and wait for a Snow Bunting to fly over to get to 301. I just want that species out of the way!

And on that note, my Big Year has definitely slowed down after hitting 300. I can't do the same level of chasing I was doing earlier in the year to reach my goal so I'm relying on local rarities to bump my # up at this point. I'd love to go to Ottawa to get Barrow's Goldeneye, Western Grebe, and Tufted Duck but that's so implausible right now it's laughable.

A Day at Pelee and Surrounding Area

Today, Marianne and I did a tour of the Point Pelee Birding Circle almost from one end to the other. We started at the Tip at 8am to try for jaegers, gulls, and anything else that might fly by (was it too much to ask for a Cave Swallow before November?). Shortly after we arrived at the Tip, we were joined by Kory Renaud who was at 249 for his Essex County Big Year and hoping to get his 250th bird.

There were a decent number of Bonaparte's migrating by and lots of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls flying around at the Tip and we examined everything closely for a late Sabine's Gull or a jaeger flying through but no luck this morning. Lots of Red-breasted Merganser are at the Tip now and an assortment of ducks are flying by. We saw Gadwall, Mallard, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Surf Scoter, and Ruddy Duck.

A few raptors were turning back over the Tip including Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, and 2 Peregrine Falcons. One of the falcons, a juvenile, had caught a Blue Jay and was actually eating it mid-flight!

In the shorebird department, we saw the most southern Least Sandpiper in mainland Canada struggling against the wind, walking on a 45 degree angle. When we first arrived, we also had a single Sanderling on the sandbar island off the Tip. A single Killdeer flew over.

One of the highlights was a gull that we first thought could have been the Vega Gull but after examining it closer, realized it was a hybrid of some kind. It appeared slightly larger and definitely taller (long-legged) than surrounding Herring Gulls with a dark grey mantle. Its legs were the same pink colour of a Great Black-backed Gull and the bill was larger than surrounding Herring Gulls. From our distance, the eye appeared dark and Marianne and Kory noted that its head appeared quite flat. I'm leaning toward Great Black-backed X Herring Gull due to bill size and leg colour.

Here's an iScoped photo (centre bird):

Once we moved on from the gull and started scanning the lake again, our best bird of the morning flew by, a Red-throated Loon. I spotted the approaching loon flying in from the east and noted that its head was held quite low in flight so I wanted to get Marianne and Kory on the bird. Once it got closer, Marianne noted the low head as well and upturned bill. This was Kory's 250th Essex County bird for the year and it was great to share that experience w/ him!

Other birds of note at the Tip were 3 Chimney Swifts, 9 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, 32 Tree Swallows, and 1 Barn Swallow (possibly my last for the year?).

After checking out Delaurier and Ander's Footpath (siskins, kinglets, goldfinches, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Phoebes, Purple Finch, Chipping Sparrows, juncos, Red-breasted Nuthatch, creeper, and Blackpoll Warbler), we went for lunch and then decided to check out behind Pelee Days Inn.

Sturgeon Creek's waters are very low right now so there are lots of mudflats for small groups of shorebirds. The set of shorebirds was almost identical to the birds I had a couple evenings ago at the same location: 40 Dunlin, a handful of Lesser Yellowlegs, 6 Least Sandpipers, Killdeer, a good number of Black-bellied Plover w/ a single American Golden-Plover, a couple Pectoral Sandpipers, and 2 Semipalmated Plovers.

I also noticed 6 interesting Canada Geese that were in an obvious group separate from the rest of the ~200 geese in the creek. They were all noticeably buffier at the base of the black neck and shorter-necked than the rest of the flock. I know there is much variation across Canada Goose subspecies so I want to be careful about calling them anything but they were definitely staying together as a group in the larger overall flock and stood out as distinct birds.

 Here are the group of 6. The far left and right birds show the buffy base of neck w/ no white.

Comparing the two birds in the water, the goose on the left has a shorter neck, buffier front, smaller size, and slightly smaller bill.

We ended the day taking a quick drive around the Onion Fields and finishing up at the southeast end of Hillman Marsh. Not too much to note besides a Spotted Sandpiper found by Marianne on the beach at Hillman. Great day overall.

Pelee Area August 10

With the poor weather conditions, I decided against a trip to Blenheim Sewage Lagoons today even though I really wanted to look for Long-billed Dowitcher there. On a nicer day, I'll head over and see if I can find one amongst the many shorebirds that have been there in the last week.

Instead, I decided to birdwatch around the Pelee area including the Onion Fields, Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, Leamington Marina, and Pelee Days Inn/Sturgeon Creek.

I didn't have a lot of luck today, but a few interesting birds nonetheless. The Onion Fields produced a few shorebirds but still no Buff-breasted (later in the month I expect to get one before I head up to James Bay for the shorebird surveys). I ended up seeing 4 Semipalmated Plovers, a single Semipalmated Sandpiper, 9 Leasts, and a total of 31 Killdeer. Tons of blackbirds and starlings are present now and along Mersea Rd. 19, it sounds like gun-fire noises are being made periodically to keep them away from the crops.

At Pelee Days Inn, I unfortunately couldn't get a good view of any mudflats so I only had a quick view of a flyovers including peeps and yellowlegs; however, I did see a Green Heron in the harbour area, a nice addition to the day list.

Next stop was Leamington Harbour, where there was a Laughing Gull reported from the boat launch, but I didn't see it. I was birding from the Pelee Island ferry terminal so I wasn't at the right side of the Marina to get this one. I'll be trying for it tomorrow though. A long-staying Pied-billed Grebe was still in the area and I had a group of 4 Ruddy Turnstones at Seacliff Beach among the Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, and Herring Gulls.

I made a brief stop at Hillman Marsh before heading home and got another Pied-billed Grebe for the day as well as a 2nd Green Heron and a Black-crowned Night-Heron juvenile. I viewed all 3 from the bridge at the northwest end of the conservation area (Mersea Rd 2 and Mersea Rd 19).

Good numbers of Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons are in the vicinity. I had 34 Great Blue Herons: 1 in the Onion Fields, 7 at Sturgeon Creek, 1 at Leamington Marina, and 30 at Hillman Marsh, and 17 Great Egrets: 6 at Sturgeon Creek and 11 at Hillman Marsh. I didn't check Muddy Creek this evening but I'm sure there were a number of both of these species present.

Hillman, Onion Fields, and Leamington Marina

A hot day of birding and butterflying today around the Point Pelee area. I started at Hillman Marsh Conservation Area w/ a walk over to the Shorebird Cell. The Cell is planted w/ crops right now so nothing in the way of birds there but the lane around the Cell was good for butterflies. One of the first ones I saw was a Dainty Sulphur, a lifer for me as I continue to learn my butterfly identification and put more effort into finding uncommon species.

Dainty Sulphur at Hillman Marsh - I ended up seeing 4 in total.

Next up was a calling Willow Flycatcher where you would expect at the Shorebird Cell corner w/ the bench. Ridiculously, I completely forgot to keep an eye and ear out for Dickcissel so I didn't even end up getting this species today despite them being reported there recently. 

I was also able to take a photo of what I believe to be a Pearl Crescent (if anyone disagrees w/ this ID, please let me know. I had about 12 Northern Crescents in Hillman as well, all of which lacked the full black line across the above hindwing. This individual does have orange on its antenna clubs but my understanding is that female Pearl Crescents may have orange here as well). 

Pearl Crescent? - Hillman Marsh

Many Painted Ladies about and 1 Common Checkered Skipper were other highlights.

Butterfly list from Hillman:

Cabbage White

Silver-spotted Skipper-1

Painted Lady

Dainty Sulphur-4

Viceroy-3

Monarch-4

Red-spotted Purple-1

Common Checkered Skipper-1

Eastern Comma-1

Orange Sulphur

Buckeye-1

unidentified skipper-1

At the south end of Hillman near the lake I also found 12 Northern Crescent just at the parking lot and many more Cabbage Whites.

Next stop were the Onion Fields. As of today, there are some mudflats in the north end of the Pelee Marsh on the gravel turnoff at the end of Concession E. Shorebirds present here included 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Least Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Sandpiper and Killdeer. I was hoping for more shorebirds today and Pelee Days Inn did not disappoint. 

In Sturgeon Creek, there are some mudflats visible from the boardwalk at the back end of the Days Inn. Here I had a good number of Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, a single Wilson's Snipe that I flushed near the boardwalk, 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, and single Lesser Yellowlegs. 

I finished my day at the Leamington Marina where I added my first juvenile Bonaparte's Gull for the year, found both Common and Forster's Tern (juveniles of each species present), and added Northern Mockingbird and Pied-billed Grebe to my day list. 

Not a terrible morning but still hoping to run into a surprise year bird one of these days around the area!

3 (should have been 4) owl day

Decided to head out into the Onion Fields once again this afternoon after a text from Marianne that Bob Cermak had a reliable spot for a Long-eared Owl. Although I was in the middle of watching a small claims court show while eating pretzels (I can do what I want on my days off, thank you bery buch!), I thought...ah heck, I better not miss this one now when I've got the chance. So I hopped into the ol' Ford Windstar (Silver Bullet by nickname after speeding 130km/hr in it to get a Ruff once) and headed out (but was able to pick up a DVD copy of The Big Year along the way...multi-tasking).

Sure enough, after running into Bob and having him show me the tree the bird was in, as well as showing me the bird itself, I saw the bird! Long-eared 2012 - tick. They are such neat birds, described by me as having a permanent shocked expression. They're really just a miniature version of a Great Horned Owl if you had to simplify. We tried around for redpolls (possible Hoary redpoll had been reported the week before) but w/ no luck. However, I did get an interesting mixed flock of blackbirds and starlings. There were hundreds of Brown-headed Cowbirds, hundreds of European Starlings, a handful of Rusty Blackbirds and Common Grackles, and only a few Red-winged Blackbirds.

Later I met up w/ Sarah Rupert to go owling again in the fields for Snowy Owl. I had got a couple in 2011 when I was down for the holidays but I hadn't got one for my 2012 year list and I knew this was my best chance. So after a short drive, we ended up seeing a solitary bird next to Killdeer Rd. To finish off the night, we headed into Pelee with the sun falling fast and looked for Great Horned Owl. Sure enough, near the stump where the species nests each spring, we had a single bird (pretty much just its silhouette by that point). Didn't catch up to any Eastern Screech Owls today but seeing as I got two yesterday, I can't complain.

A decent afternoon. Wish I could stay in Pelee for longer but I return to Toronto tomorrow, where I'm sure some good birds will be showing up soon.

Once I get out a few more times and get enough species as to not be embarrassed by my current list, I'll put an update on here on my 2012 year list progress.

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

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 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

OFO II

Although the morning of Saturday's OFO weekend was great, the afternoon trips were equally interesting due to Steve Pike, a birding friend of mine, volunteering me as a leader because of an overflow of people during that shift. The trip was the same as the morning: checking out the hotspots around Pelee (Hillman, Pelee Days Inn, Wheatley Harbour, the Onion Fields). As soon as he introduced me to the group, my heart sank because my van had its seats taken out and my gas tank was on empty (oh, and I didn't have a scope!). Fortunately, I was able to get a ride and the afternoon went well considering I had no preparation. Highlights for that trip included a large number of Greater Yellowlegs at Hillman, another Bald Eagle, Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper at Pelee Days Inn, Purple Finch, Eastern Bluebird, and a good variety of sparrow species. Fortunately, I didn't have a large group with me and as we visited different areas, some people decided to stay so by the end, I only had 5 people.

Then, it was time for visiting friends and acquaintances that I haven't seen for over a year because of my move to Toronto. The OFO convention is a great place for networking and learning about volunteering and job opportunities. Young members should definitely take advantage as some of Ontario's top birders and naturalists are in attendance. The dinner and banquet this year was great as was the very interesting discussion of the birds of Cuba. This year included a time-capsule that will be reopened in another 25 years that included a variety of memorabilia. Special booths were also set up to commemorate 25 years of the organization, which is currently at an all-time high for members.

More posts to come on my weekend.

OFO Convention - 25th Anniversary

Well, the OFO weekend is over, I'm back in Toronto, and I'm reflecting on how great the weekend really was. I think Marianne summed up the weekend exceedingly well when she said, "Good food, good friends, and good birds." Really, what more could you ask for?

And good birds there were. On Saturday morning, I joined Marianne's group. Marianne was the assigned leader for the hotspots within the Pelee birding circle, but outside of the park boundaries. This included places like Hillman Marsh, Wheatley Harbour, the Onion Fields, and Pelee Days Inn. We ended up only checking out the North Dyke past Concession E and the mudflats behind Pelee Days Inn (a highlight of the weekend) but this was O.K. because we got some great species in that time. Surf Scoter, Purple Finch, Eastern Bluebird, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-rumped Sandpiper, Peregrine Falcon, Virginia Rail, and Orange-crowned Warbler were among the highlights. Other interesting sightings include large numbers of migrating Double-crested Cormorants, a huge number of Swamp Sparrows along the reeds at the north end of Point Pelee, huge numbers of Turkey Vultures, 3 Bald Eagles, Stilt Sandpiper, a late Barn Swallow and Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a number of others (check out my weekend list below).

This is just a quick update for the weekend and I'll post more soon (including details of how I became a makeshift leader after being volunteered to do so completely unexpectedly!). I also plan to make a post on my number 1 bird of the weekend, Northern Wheatear. What an experience.

Here's my overall list for the weekend (not including other birders' sightings from Saturday and Sunday...those will probably be tallied and sent out soon):

Pied-billed Grebe (1 bird at the end of Concession E at the north end of Point Pelee marsh)
Double-crested Cormorants (huge numbers flying over Pelee marsh and elsewhere)
Great Blue Heron (a fair number at Pelee Days Inn and Hillman)
Great Egret (about a dozen birds at Hillman Marsh)
Canada Goose (a fair number of migrating birds, especially in the Onion Fields where hunters have placed decoys)
Wood Duck (1 heard on Concession E)
Green-winged Teal (a group of birds behind Pelee Days Inn)
Mallard
Surf Scoter (a group of 3 birds flying east over the Onion Fields)
- note: my list is very low on waterfowl mostly because we were never at the lake, therefore, I missed out on either Scaup species, Mergansers, Scoters, etc.
Turkey Vulture (huge movement of migrants; I counted 60 birds within a few minutes flying past the Roma Club parking lot where the convention was held. Later at home, I counted 280 birds fly over my backyard in a span of about 15 minutes)
Bald Eagle (a total of 3 birds for the weekend)
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk (a few birds migrating)
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel (only a single bird within the Pelee Circle, but a few birds on the hydro poles north of Leamington)
Peregrine Falcon (a single bird in the Onion Fields that may have been responsible for the lack of shorebirds in the vicinity)
Virginia Rail (a single bird at the north end of Pelee Marsh. Out of our group of 7, I think 4 people ended up seeing the bird. I had a decently long glance at it before trying to point out where I had seen it)
American Coot (I only saw one bird, but there may have been more behind Pelee Days Inn)
Semipalmated Plover (1 behind Pelee Days Inn)
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs (a good number of birds at Hillman Marsh; at least 20+)
Lesser Yellowlegs (fewer present than Greater in all areas)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (at least one behind Pelee Days Inn)
Least Sandpiper (unknown number behind Pelee Days Inn)
White-rumped Sandpiper (1 behind Pelee Days Inn)
Dunlin (the most abundant shorebird behind Pelee Days Inn)
Stilt Sandpiper (at least 1 bird present behind Pelee Days Inn)
Long-billed Dowitcher (unknown number behind Pelee Days Inn)
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1 heard at the end of Concession E)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (probably 2 separate birds at the Onion Fields)
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee (I actually heard this late migrant at the location of the Northern Wheatear in Shrewsbury near Rondeau Provincial Park)
Eastern Phoebe (at least 2 birds over the weekend)
Horned Lark (many in the Onion Fields)
Tree Swallow (large numbers in the Onion Fields. Interestingly enough, we initially mistook them for shorebirds because of their similar flight patterns and the birds were landing on the soil. However, closer inspection revealed a flock of swallows)
Barn Swallow (1 bird on Concession E)
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee (a few birds calling at Concession D)
Brown Creeper (1 bird at the east end of Concession E)
Winter Wren (1 bird at Concession D)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (a few birds)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (quite a few birds)
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Wheater (a lifer and by far the highlight of the weekend. I'm dedicating a full post to this species soon)
American Pipit (a few flyovers)
European Starling (enormous numbers in the fields north of the park. In one field, half of the soil was blackened by the flock and it was amazing to see the entire group of birds take flight)
Orange-crowned Warbler (4 birds in total)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (1 female)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (the most abundant warbler)
Palm Warbler (at least 3 birds)
Common Yellowthroat (a couple birds along Concession E)
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow (1 at north dyke)
Fox Sparrow (1 bird at Concession D)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (huge numbers of birds along Concession E; I wish I could have got a count)
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (a few birds)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Purple Finch (at least 3 birds at Concession D)
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Rough total for the weekend (I call it rough because I'm trying to remember everything from Saturday and it's already Tuesday): 71
More to come.