Wheatley-Pelee Gulls and More!

I decided on a trip to Wheatley and Pelee area today.  It was  cool, windy and cloudy today, but then...it is the weekend!  However, gulls seemed to like the weather.
I started at Camper's Cove Road where the Dickcissels have traditionally colonized a field.  I could pick out three singing birds.  How many will be there this year?
Today they were a bit distant from the road.

Dickcissel Field

On to Wheatley Harbour, a fair number of gulls were milling about.  Just as I was driving up, something put up the gulls. Most returned, but not all.  I quickly picked out 2 immature Little Gulls.  A young Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the rock pile among other gulls.

Next stop was Hillman shorebird cell.  I had the whole place to myself!  Luckily this year, ERCA has left the water in and many birds have found it very useful.  A number of shorebirds were still around including at least 14 Dunlin, 5 White-rumped Sandpipers, a few Semipalmated Sandpipers and a single Semipalmated Plover.  I am almost certain I had a Least Sandpiper as well, which would be good at this date.  Lighting was not all that great.
Ducks included a couple of male Northern Shovelers, both regular teals, Mallards and even two Gadwall.  Lots of Great Egrets.

In Point Pelee, I walked out Shuster Trail, heard an Ovenbird,a redstart and a Virginal Rail among other common birds along the way.  Many Herring Gulls were streaming up the east beach and I thought it might be a good day at the Tip.

A few gulls were at the pilings.

Arriving at the Tip, I was pleasantly surprised to find hundreds of gulls.  Most were Herring, but I did pick out a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Lots of bonies too.

Dive!!

I thought it might be a good day for a Black-headed, but instead I found a Laughing! (I will take it!).

I had been there sitting on the bench for almost a half hour (I had this place to myself as well) and after looking straight east for a bit, I glanced at the Tip sand and there was this dark gull all of a sudden.
The bird stood there for a bit, then took flight and milled about for a while off the Tip.

It appears to be a first cycle bird, but a nice find for the day!

After some time, the gulls thinned out and I walked up west beach trail.  There were quite a few butterflies despite the weather.

Black Swallowtail male

American Painted-lady

I checked De Laurier area and the top end of Anders, then NW Beach area before heading out.

Once again I stopped at Hillman and walked all the way around the cell.  The same birds were present plus more ducks and egrets (16).

Bronze Copper at Hillman

A stop at Wheatley again revealed a few gulls and some Common Terns.  I had a nice chat with Dave Martin while there.