Recent Migrants

With a cold front moving in last night, I finally saw a number of migrant passerines.  This morning I stopped by Mitchell's Bay south shore nature trail which can be good for migrants.  Right at the parking lot a few warblers, including Black-and-white, Tennessee, Blackburnian, Cape May were flitting about.

Blackburnian Warbler

Farther along some other warblers were in the treetops, but I could only pick out Bay-breasted.

An Olive-sided Flycatcher was nice to see in a usual perch.

On the lake, hundreds of swallows were moving off their roosts, while a Green Heron perched nearby.

After some business back in Wallaceburg, I headed down to Rondeau Park.  I started at the maintenance loop where I found a few warblers.  New for the day was a Canada.  I thought things might be good, but it was downhill from there!  I walked down Harrison past pony barn, then checked out the first part of south point trail (finally dry!) and Black Oak.  No other warbler to be seen!

A number of birds were in the flooded area at McLean's, but this spot is difficult to check out since there is no shoulder to the road.  I did see several dowitchers, Great Egrets, Caspian Terns, etc.

On to Blenheim Lagoons, there was a good number of shorebirds to sort through especially in the sprinkler cells.  Always nice to see, a couple of Stilt Sandpipers were among the dozens of Lesser Yellowlegs, etc.

Stilt Sandpiper

Back on Wednesday, a Red-necked Phalarope was at the sprinkler cells.  Not wanting to miss this one, I headed down after supper to take a look.

Good thing I did, as it was not seen the next day! (Probably because the weekend was getting near).

Other lagoons have been good such as Forest and Exeter which are accessible to birders.  Both had Red-necked Phalaropes the past couple of days.
Migrants are picking up as the summer (sadly) wanes away!

Monarch on Cylindrical Blazing Star