No New Material

Its been a boring week.  This is a depressing time of year, at least on weekdays as I go to work in the dark, and the day is almost ending when I come home.  The chickadees seem to be the last birds of the day at the feeder now.  I have three or four right now, not surprisingly.  Some years I get none!
I knew something was up when I had a couple pass through the yard in August.  Signs of a mass movement to come?
I was going through some old photos in the archives to pass some time.  Brings back some memories of good times, such at the stay at the Tip of Long Point one summer.  The above photo of the moon I digiscoped.  Four of us stayed at the Tip station for four nights during July when the banding was in hiatus.
It was an experience I could not pass up, even though I had just started work with a new employer.

Long Point Tip at Dawn

Came across a photo of a Franklin's Gull taken at Erieau in fall 2007.  I was surprised none showed up as a result of that brutal wind last week.  In the past, strong westerlies sometimes bring in some Franklin's Gulls.

 Two years ago, while at Point Pelee Tip in early November, we (Alan Wormington, Kevin McLaughlin, myself) saw a flock of 22 fly past the Tip.  It was an excellent day with lots of birds including Cave Swallows (and two other swallow species), etc.  There is still time for some to show!
Speaking of Cave Swallow, here is another from 2007 at Erieau. A Cave with a Barn!

One has to go to Lake of the Woods near Rainy River to see hundreds of Franklin's Gulls in the breeding season.  This second photo (scanned from a slide) shows some on a trip there in July 1996.  That was an incredible trip that will never be equalled!  (Baird's Sparrow [just happened to be there when it was found by John Lamey!], Great Gray Owl, Piping Plover, Gray Jays, WW Crossbills, etc...).

Franklin's Gulls at Windy Point

Looks good for birding this weekend......I hope....