Happy Friday?

Looking ahead to the weekend weather forecast, I decided to take Friday off work instead.  Quite frankly, crappy weather on weekends is happening far too often to be something natural.  Is there some un-natural force at work?  Our weather sure has been strange the last few months.
Headed down to Point Pelee today to catch some spring migrants.  The wind was brutal out of the east so it was difficult finding birds.  Every time I go to Pelee there is some extreme...too much snow, too much wind, too much rain, too few birds, etc.  If there is anyone who has bad luck, it is me.  Sorry for the rant, but give me a break!

I walked Woodland Trail and found a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Louisiana Waterthrush among some common birds. 

On to the Tip.  What Tip?

To get out of the wind, I headed back West Beach Trail somewhat out of the wind.  Hardly any birds, but lots of swallows (esp. Tree) were working  the shoreline.  Thousands of ducks were out on the lake, obviously to the lee of the wind.  I noticed a few Horned Grebes out there as well, but no other types.

I checked out West Beach Trail from Sleepy Hollow all the way up to NW Beach.  There were actually a few things to look at including a couple of pockets of Yellow-rumped Warblers.  With them were kinglets, chickadees, Phoebes, creepers, Gnatcatchers.  Other birds included a Winter Wren, Swamp Sparrow and Hermit Thrushes.
I came across a group of Chickadees.  Two of them were banded! I only got a poor photo of one of the banded birds.

Some sections south of NW Beach were quite nice.  I came across a few Eastern Comma butterflies and a couple of Green Darner dragonflies.

I had hoped to come across a Henslow's Sparrow today.  I haven't even seen a Chipping Sparrow yet this year.  Where are they?











Things can only get better (during the week of course).