Weekend Washout (partly!)

Common Buckeye

This weekend was forecast to be a total washout. Half right. Sunday turned out to be sunny for the most part. (In other words, the weather forecast was wrong, again!).

I saw that strong SW winds were forecast for Sunday, so I opted to go to Point Pelee and stand at the Tip. I arrived there in cpmpany with Alan Wormington and Mike Tate. Not much was moving really, but the highlight was an immature Pomarine Jaeger. It actually was fairly close allowing good scope views. It was heading due south and continued out of sight. The white on the underwings, pale head, heavy body and fairly slow wing flaps made the ID.

I have only seen two or three Pomarine Jaegers ever before, and ceratainly none at Point Pelee. That made the trip worthwhile I guess. A few Bonaparte's Gulls, Common Terns, Caspian Terns, and one immature Black Tern moved by. Two Osprey headed out over the lake to Pelee Island. Several hummingbirds were trying to fly off the Tip. Shorebirds included Sanderlings.

I gave my camera a rest this weekend. I could not use it Saturday as it rained all day, and Sunday did not look much better. I should have brought it to Point Pelee, but I was fooled by the inaccurate weather forecast. In the afternoon I checked West Beach trail for butterflies. Not much was flying, but I did come across a very obliging male Horace's Duskywing. I was able to kneel right beside it to look at its features. I also spotted another Gray Hairstreak. They are plentiful this year! At least half dozen Common Buckeye were seen today.

Gray Hairstreak at Point Pelee




Horace's Duskywing at Point Pelee

I went to Rondeau on Saturday and noted a few warblers (in the rain). The most interesting thing was watching the lake of south point trail. There were hundreds of birds flying by--mostly east to west. Most seemed to be terns, and there were a lot of Caspian for a change. There were many "bonies" as well.

Some birds were moving east. One appeared to be an immature Little Gull. Nothing unusual for the hour I stood there.

Still lots of of shorebirds at Blenheim, but I did not stay long there as heavy rain came in. Needless to say, I got soaked to the bone!

Photos with this post are from previous outings.