Saturday, December 20, 2014

SNOW to SNOW Saturday Birding



I started off at Point Pelee today.  It was a rare day of no wind and mild temps, but a usual gloomy weekend day. (where was the sun that was forecast?).
I arrived at the Tip after first light and was greeted by a Snowy Owl perched at the very Tip!



It was quite co-operative and did not move for some time.  Dan Greenham had watched it fly in off the lake a few minutes before I arrived.



A few ducks were moving including White-winged Scoters.  A massive flock of scaup was off the east side about Sparrow Field.



The lake was almost dead calm unlike previous visits this fall.
An American Pipit was on the Tip sand for a while.  I did not try to get close, hence this poor photo.



After some time at there, I walked up to Sparrow Field and found a flock of Cedar Waxwings, but needless to say there was not a bird with a cinnamon butt.
A Great-Horned Owl flushed out while I walked through.

Shuster Trail had a decent flock of birds with kinglets, creepers, chickadees, etc. plus a Yellow-rumped Warbler.  Several American Robins were there as well.  I even heard an Eastern Screech-owl calling.

De Laurier was rather quiet, as was Blue Heron.  The famous red-morph screech-owl was showing off today.




After some shopping at Pelee Wings, I headed straight for Two Creeks CA in hopes of seeing that Varied Thrush.  However, like all present, I was disappointed.  I spent over an hour there walking the endless trails, but to no avail.  It must have been around somewhere, as it was reported early this morning.

I went down to the harbour afterwards but nothing of note was seen.  A Snowy Owl was behind the Milo plant though.

On the way home, I decided to check Lighthouse Cove.  Countless ducks were out on the calm Lake St. Clair, but too far away to discern.  A single Great Blue Heron was along the river.

As I drove through Dover, I found a decent field with Tundra Swans and Canada Geese along Townline Road.  However they were too tightly-packed to try and pick out anything.  Near this spot was a Snowy Owl atop a pole.



Along Mallard Line, I found a tight group of 3 Snowy Owls way out.



At the intersection of Marsh and Winter Lines, at least 5 Snowy Owls were visible.
A check of Mitchell's Bay revealed nothing of note.

The weather is too nice!  Birds are sparse and spread out.  It is supposed to get even milder next week, so that does bode well for the upcoming Wallaceburg CBC.  (Wallaceburg does better in cold years!).  But, things often change.

2 comments:

  1. Blake, the owl at the tip of Point Pelee was a southernmost snowy....lol I had to say that

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  2. Amazing shot of the red morph screech owl!!!

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