Sunday, December 23, 2012

Sunday at Pelee

(not a Mew Gull)

Point Pelee was on the agenda today as I had not been there for some time.  For once, since I cannot remember for a Sunday, the skies were clear and the sun was bright!  I met up at the Tip with Kory and Richard and a bit later Alan came along.
????

Lots of bonies were moving south today, but of course nothing with them.  The ~60,000 scaup were still around but spread out along both sides of the park.

Three Turkey Vultures have been hanging about the Tip area. Here are two.


As we walked back along the east side, I heard an American Pipit flyover.  That was the only flyover of the small bird variety!
As  drove by Sparrow Field, Alan mentioned a Red-shouldered Hawk that had just flown over.  I was heading to Shuster Trail.  While on the trail, the hawk flew over me then sat atop a tree for a few seconds before taking off.
(highly cropped!)

On Shuster there was not much except one Winter Wren, a White-throated Sparrow (heard only) and a Cardinal.
My next stop was De Laurier.  It was a pleasant walk around the trail with another Winter Wren and White-throat among some Tree Sparrows and kinglets and chickadees.
(an elusive one!)

Also two different sparrow types which I assume were Swamp.  They dove into the phragmites!
Some Golden-crowned Kinglets were there too, but they seem to be here and there this winter.  I had more just south of Blue Heron along with a creeper and Carolina Wren.
As I drove north in the park, I noticed a hawk perched in a tree just south of the orientation parking lot.  It was the Red-shouldered.  I got out at the parking lot and out on the beach, but it flew farther north.  I managed to get a few photos while in my car.

The onion field area was rather quiet but I saw a Northern Harrier and Cooper's Hawk not far from the airport.  Some redpolls were near the Hillman shorebird cell.
Lots of gulls were at Hillman on the ice, but nothing resembling an Ivory.

New viewing stand at Hillman....



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