Beaver Tales of Rondeau

It was a fine day weatherwise, but not for volumes of birds.  Painfully slow for birding it was, but always some decent birds are around.

Steve Charbonneau hit the trails early this morning after some FOY Eastern Whip-poor-wills were calling near the VC.
Palm Warblers were scattered about among the few Yellow-rumped that were there.

Common Loons were on the move in fair numbers again this morning.  The lake was calm as glass (as was the Bay) and many ducks were way out.  Several Long-tailed Ducks were making noise on the calm lake.  We had two groups of them.

We decided to brave the washout area along south point trail and we got a park lifer.  Not a bird, but a rodent!  A beaver was gnawing on a stick beside one of the downed trees.

Turned out to be the highlight of the day there and it was quite approachable.  Beavers do wander around and turn up in various locations form time to time.

Near here was Rondeau's only waterfall.  The water was draining out of one of the sloughs.  Probably the same spot we had one last year at this time.

Bennett Road was dead as a doornail, except for a FOY Veery.

Marsh Trail turned out to be the better trail this morning with several Palm Warblers, Yellows, and a few Yellow-rumped  A FOY Common Yellowthroat was near the tower boardwalk.

As we walked back, I distinctly heard a Prairie Warbler singing, but I never saw it.  Birds were on the move and we were looking almost directly into the sun, so it was never heard again.

Savannah Sparrows were plentiful in the park with many along marsh trail.  Grasshopper Sparrow should be showing up and I see that one was reported.  A single White-crowned Sparrow was out the trail as well.

A lone and scruffy-looking Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at Pony Barn area.

After parting ways with steve, I headed over to Blenheim S.T.P.  Numerous shorebirds were there, but alas I could not locate the reported Baird's, but could still have been nearby.  Everything else seemed to be there plus one.  A rare-for-spring Stilt Sandpiper was in the sprinkler cells.

The female Wilson's Phalarope was also present along the ever-numerous Dunlin and some Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, and Least Sandpipers.  A single Semipalmated Plover was also present.

The Short-eared Owl I found a week ago was present until at least yesterday.
A number of lingering Tundra Swans are here and there, including the one at Blenheim.

It was just after lunch, so I headed over to Hillman Marsh.  I missed the reported Avocet and did not know it was later found near the bridge.  You cannot get 'em all!

On the way home, I had to check Mitchell's Bay.  Yesterday a couple of White Pelicans were reported at the village.
The two Yellow-headed Blackbirds were near the end of Angler Line again.