Pelee Piper and Serengeti Sparrow

Tip Chickadee

I was due for a trip to Point Pelee today.  Landbirds were scarce if you discount blackbirds, but some quality birds were present.
We started at the Tip at usual.  Mostly blackbirds reversing, but a few Eastern Meadowlarks were seen as well.

While we were at the Tip first thing, one of the local birders (Jack Fenton) came along and said that he had a Piping Plover near Sparrow Field.  Huh?  That one was not on my radar for today!


We all trudged up the beach and there it was.

It seemed tired and did not move much.  Not record early by any means, but one of the earliest I have heard about.  It did have bands on the legs, but they were difficult to see at times.  It was found out that this bird hatched at Tawas Michigan in 2014 and of course was banded.

After viewing that shorebird for some time, I went along with Steve Pike and Dan Greenham over to the serengeti tree area.  We found the Henslow's Sparrow right away!  It was hidden most of the time as it crawled through the grasses and brush piles, but did come out enough for many to see.  I was able to get very good photos though.

We walked back towards the VC and while passing Sparrow Field, a Pine Warbler was singing away.
I cut into Woodland trail which was extremely quiet for birds, but I did pick out the continuing Louisiana Waterthrush near boardwalk A.  It never made a sound!

That was the only warbler on the trail except on Yellow-rumped back of the VC.  I only found about a dozen Yellow-rumped today.

A few of us sat at the VC parking lot for a raptor watch, then I went off and did some walking.  Saw very little!
I came back to the VC and sat for a while at the parking lot.  Adam Pinch was there and he and Bill Smith had earlier seen and heard a Fish Crow towards the Tip.

Quite a few birders were in the park today and there was an OFO field trip as well.  They got to see the plover and sparrow, so that was worthwhile for some.

It was a warm day and several Red Admirals were fluttering around, not to mention a few Eastern Commas.

Quite a bit of erosion on the west side north of the Tip area.

It was nice meeting up with several friends today before the May madness begins!

Not a Tricolored Heron