Some Essex County Birding

Friday afternoon was quite depressing with the fog, and temps way above normal, so it was not looking good for Saturday.  I usually do some checking around after work on Friday's, but it was fruitless due to the fog!

Chenal Ecarte Swans

Indeed there was dense fog this morning, but at least the weather forecast was wrong again and it turned out to be a nice day after the fog quickly lifted!
I headed towards Essex County this weekend for a change.  My first stop was Two Creeks CA  at Wheatley, still in Chatham-Kent.  It was a soggy walk as Black-capped Chickadees chattered throughout the woods.

There was not much at Wheatley Harbour, but it was still quite foggy, so I headed over to Hillman Marsh.
Some Red-winged Blackbirds flew over the shorebird cell as I walked the trail.  I guess the highlight was a Marsh Wren chattering somewhere off trail unseen.  It was about a year ago I also saw one in this locale.
By the time I ended my walk, the fog had lifted and revealed clear, sunny skies of which this Downy Woodpecker enjoyed.

I headed down Mersea Rd. 19 as I saw a flock of blackbirds that included Red-winged, Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds and starlings.  There was also a Jeremy Hatt sighting!  Jeremy was making some rounds checking out various places.

My next destination was Jack Miner's north of Kingsville, a spot I had not visited in quite some time. The place always seems a bit far for my weekend outings, but I thought today was a good day to check it out.

Some Greater White-fronted Geese have been there of late, and today was no exception.  I saw seven right away.

The speckle-bellies kept together the whole time.

My first trip there was in 1971 when I was a fledgling!

Any rarities?

Later, I headed north and had lunch at Comber.  I also briefly stopped at the Agris place where a large blackbird flock has been seen off and on.  There were a few blackbirds present, but I guess they were spread out over the area as not many were there.

A stop at Lighthouse Cove was disappointing.  It was certainly a far cry from a few weeks ago!  Gulls like ice, so with the crazy mild weather recently, they dispersed to parts unknown.

On the way back to Wallaceburg, I spotted a Snowy Owl between Mitchell's Bay and Grande Pointe.

Nothing new has been reported at Rondeau Park lately, so I will be checking out the St. Clair River on Sunday.  The ducks have been showing well recently!