Sunday, November 29, 2015

Point Pelee Visit and a Gander at Some Geese

A change in scenery was in order today, so I headed down to Point Pelee.  Rondeau has been fairly good this fall and that is the reason why I have been going there so often.  Rondeau's Summer Tanager is still working Lakeshore Road, and will likely make it until the winter "listers" get busy on Tuesday, lol.

One of them
Today was a cold, crispy clear day and nice for birding.  After passing through the Pelee gate where I got my new gate pass (a new system will be in place next week, so the blue cards are now useless!), I headed straight to the Tip.  A Great Horned Owl passed over me just before the tram loop to start the day's list.

Already at the Tip were Richard Carr and Dan Greenham. Peter Bondy joined us shortly afterwards.  There was some action at the Tip, but not enough for us to stay long.  I only saw one Common Loon, while three Horned Grebes were swimming at the Tip.


Hawks included a Rough-legged (first of fall for me!), Red-shouldered, Red-tailed and Sharp-shinned.
???
After leaving the Tip area, I walked Shuster Trail.  A decent flock of birds was at the junction of Shuster and Tilden's Woods trail. Included was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  I got good looks at it, but when I went to take a photo, it flew to the sunny side of the trail. And, by this time, I did not realize my camera settings were off!


Both kinds of kinglets were there, several bluebirds, chickadees, creepers, woodpeckers, and I heard a robin.  No Yellow-rumped Warblers which certainly have vacated the province this fall.

Bluebirds were flying around in various places today. With the two Mountain Bluebird reports today farther east in the province, one should keep an eye out for such a species.  Especially for Rondeau!!



I walk back to the cemetery was very quiet, and not much was along Shuster except for a group of White-throated Sparrows.

I checked out the marsh tower area, but it was quiet.

Out in the onion fields area, another Rough-legged Hawk was along the road.

Disclaimer:  Camera's Fault!


Next stop was Hillman Marsh.  The best bird was an Eastern Phoebe at the boardwalk area.  I would have had good photos, except I did not realize the camera settings were off.  Don't you hate that when they change by themselves?

Disclaimer:  Camera's Fault!

The shorebird cell is now flooded.

The only shorebirds I saw were in photos!



At Wheatley Harbour there were several hundred Ring-billed Gulls, but not much else in the way of gulls.

On the way home, I decided at the last second to swing around to St. Clair NWA.  Good choice as just in from the entrance, I spotted 3 Greater White-fronted Geese, a Snow Goose and 8 Sandhill Cranes in the same small area.


Disclaimer:  Ducks took off just as I snapped the photo!


Lots of Tundra Swans were around as well.

Near the corner of Heron Line and Jacob Road, I finally spotted a Snowy Owl for the fall.  Too distant for a photo though.  I would think there are more out in Dover since it is a good area for them even in non-invasion years.


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