Got It!

Rondeau's Townsend's Solitaire
(found by Donald and Patricia Pye last Sunday)

Birded the Rondeau area the last 24h.  Some decent birds around, but today we were in the right place at the right time.  While we were looking for the Yellow-throated Warbler, the Townsend's Solitaire was refound just a few doors south.  Thanks to Jon Pleizier for letting me know!  At times we had crippling views of this long overdue bird for Rondeau.  It is actually the first "park" record that I know of, and as I mentioned last weekend, it is the first record in the Rondeau area in 35 years!
This species has been on our minds for years, and what a pleasure to finally see it at Rondeau.

Later on, after the third attempt, we did see the co-operative Yellow-throated Warbler coming to McArthur's feeder. It likes the black oilers in the wicker feeder.  Many thanks to Ric and Anne McArthur for allowing birders to access the property.


Rondeau's Yellow-throated Warbler

And, more reports of Yellow-throated Warblers on Ontbirds today.  At least eight, maybe more have been found in Ontario this month.  Quite an invasion!









Today was a nice day, but still very few birds around.  I birded with Jim Burk all day today and Steve Charbonneau and Allen Woodliffe at various times.  We did a huge amount of walking, but saw few birds.  Only about 14 species of warblers.  Much of the concentration seemed to be along the lakeshore.  Early this morning we had an Orange-crowned that was very active.  Later this afternoon, we saw a stunning male Hooded Warbler on the Rondeau Rd. side of south point trail.
There were a lot of new-for-the-year birds including some warblers, Indigo Bunting, Red-headed Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo...  Where are the vireos?  I have only seen three individual vireos this year--two Blueheaded and the White-eyed.
Nine Sandhill Cranes on the east beach of south point trail were nice to see.  One pair was copulating.  No X-rated photo here!

Butterflies today included American Lady, Eastern Comma, Spring Azure and Mourning Cloak.

Mourning Cloak

American Painted Lady

Late yesterday (early evening) I checked Blenheim Lagoons and found the Eared Grebe again.  Also in pond 3 was a Wilson's Phalarope.  The sprinkler cells contained a number of shorebirds including a Marbled Godwit and 2 Long-billed Dowitchers among other things.

On another note, Steve Charbonneau had a Common Raven fly over his house yesterday afternoon.  Not a usual Rondeau bird!  One I have not recorded there!