Six Gull Day

Eastern Towhee

It was a disappointing day overall, but a Franklin's Gull was a highlight. As usual, the weather was crappy for a weekend and the sun did not come out. I guess we will have to get used to it. It is hopeless!
I went to Point Pelee, and it was almost a fruitless effort to find a warbler or much else. Where are they?? I did hear a Northern Waterthrush in Tilden's Woods. Mike Tate, Bob Cermak et al were looking at it when I came along. I never did actually see it.
On Shuster Trail, I finally saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler. It had to be the worst looking Yellow-rumped I have ever seen. It was drab and dull and scruffy-looking. Better than none at all I guess!
Lots of ducks, including Surf Scoters were on the lake. A female Long-tailed Duck flew by the west side at one point.
Probably the highlight of the day was gulls. Many hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls were off the east side of the Tip area. We did not see anything unusual though. Some Common Terns were around as well.
At one point during the morning, I got a call that a Franklin's Gull was near Erie Beach. After an uneventful morning at Point Pelee, I decided to head along the Lake to Erieau. Eventually I did find the Franklin's Gull in a field, with the help of Jim Burk who was working there.
At Blenheim Lagoons, the crazy Wilson's Phalarope was still there. Shorebirds included about 135 Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dunlin, Lesser Yellowlegs, and a few Spotted Sandpipers.
Up the road near the landfill, I luckily stopped to look at a small group of gulls in a field. One turned out to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Although not a big rarity, it pays to stop and look at everything.

Great Egret at Hillman Marsh

Tree Swallows at Blenheim S. L.

Muskrat