Wintery Weekend!

It was one of the uneventful weekends, so little to report.  Winter came back since I took my winter tires off ten days ago!  I had already planned to go to Pelee on Saturday so I slid down that way.  Just my luck the weather was crappy, but it did concentrate birds.  Lots of gulls and geese were in the fields near Hillman Marsh.  (The white-fronted geese were nowhere to be seen in the morning, but were seen later in the day).
Gulls galore in the field near SE Hillman.  Things were constantly changing and there were thousands.

(yes, wrong camera setting!)

 Mostly Ring-billed of course, but I did see several Lesser Black-backed and a couple of Glaucous.  If I had looked longer, I would have found more, as Alan had up to 8 Lessers later in the day.
In the park, it was a winter wonderland especially near the Tip.  I had the whole Tip to myself.  Even the afternoon shift did not come in today!

Wet snow had clung to the trees making for some nice scenery.

Tons of gulls were at the Tip as well, but it was too brutal to stay for any length of time.  I did see one third cycle Lesser Black-backed.  No Mew Gull!

As usual, tonnes of scaup off the west side and many scoters.

On the way home, I checked  for the Eurasian Wigeon on 'E'. I did not find it at first, but eventually did behind that house.

I went through 'Dover' on the way home, but did not see anything of interest.
Lots of 'lapspurs' were in some of the fields this day especially around Hillman.

Today was nice, but rather cold.  The 'Bewick's' Swan was not seen at Ridgetown today.  Lots of swans to look at, but none with all that yellow on the bill.  (By the way, only two known records for Ontario previously).

Rondeau Park was very quiet.  Lots of waterfowl on the Bay though, as well as thousands of gulls.  There are probably still twenty thousand gulls on the Bay, but most are just too far away to do much with.  Many were at the base of the Bay, as seen from the park boat ramp.  There were many Bonaparte's Gulls on the far side of the Bay, but again too far away.  I picked out one Iceland Gull, but no doubt there were some Lesser Black-backed or others.
I saw one Surf Scoter fairly close from there.

White-winged Scoters (12 in total)

Many of the coots have left Erieau, or spread out.

Several Turkey Vultures were migrating today, but all singles!  I saw my FOY Eastern Meadowlark...finally.
It was a cold weekend, completely opposite last year at this time...we were seeing Eastern Commas and Mourning Cloaks!  Fox Sparrows and towhees as well.