Birding the Rain

Northern Waterthrush!

Quite a change from yesterday. Last night, looking at the forecast I could not believe what was predicted. It was so nice yesterday, but windy, cold and rainy today. One of the very rare occasions a weather forecast was correct!
I always say, the crappier the weather, the better the birding (usually). I birded with Jim Burk this morning and some decent birds (at least for the upcoming CBC) were seen.
We started at the maintenance yard in Rondeau Park. A couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers were there among other birds. In the campground were a couple more Yellow-rumps, creepers, nuthatches, chickadees, Golden-crowned Kinglets, etc.
One Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was in the usual campsite. For some reason it likes this spot and I see it there almost every week. Last May, I camped at this site, and there was a sapsucker in the same tree all the time!
Jim and I parted ways for a bit. I came across a flock of about 50 Tree Sparrows along the east side of the campground, but did not see anything else with them.
Rounding the north corner of the campground, I noticed a few birds fly into a tree. One turned out to be the female Evening Grosbeak that has continued to elude me up until now. Jim has had it the last few weekends in the campground. Evening Grosbeaks are certainly very rare at Rondeau, and we don't get them every year.
After some driving around, I checked out the Erieau harbour. A couple of Cormorants are still around. Among the gulls, a first cycle Glaucous was out on the Bay ice eating something.
Jim then joined me along the RR track trail and we noted a couple of Common Yellowthroats, many Swamp Sparrows, a Winter Wren and what sounded like a Marsh Wren out in the cattails.
At the viewing platform, we heard a metallic chip several times. Jim remarked that it sounded like a Northern Watherthrush. We then saw it several times, although it was hard to see in the tangles.

Interestingly, for the Rondeau Birding Area, I have seen Northern Waterthrush on extreme dates. We had a record early one at Rondeau Park on April 12, 1998, now this late one.

Fox and White-throated Sparrows were along the trail as well.
Due to the weather, photography was almost impossible. As well, I could not get a clear shot of the waterthrush. We only saw bits and pieces of it!

Common Yellowthroat