I have been out quite a bit lately, but have not seen too much and certainly no big rarities. Seems bad luck is following me around! I was not able to catch up with the recent 'mega' (Least Tern) for various reasons. As usual, I was in the opposite direction when it showed up on Friday. I could have gone for it, but I hate all this driving around! I did recently try for a bogus Curlew Sandpiper at Forest (when I was at Rondeau) which put me off.
On Saturday, I decided to head up along the Lake Huron shore and do a lakewatch at Ipperwash Beach. There are various beach accesses. I chose the one by the big parking lot.
The weather was nice and clear, but there was not a good wind for a movement along the lake. However, there was enough action to keep me interested. Quite a few loons were moving. Red-throated seemed to outnumber Commons for a while, but I ended up with that same number of each at the end. One loon stood out which I determined to be a Pacific. It is a good time of year to see one! It was not the first one I have seen in Lambton. We had one on the OFO trip (at Grand Bend) many years ago. Coincidentally the annual OFO trip was today! That was when we did not have all these continuous southerly winds all fall which we now see regularly.
Here is my list for Ipperwash Beach area: https://ebird.org/checklist/S60946262
After the lakewatch, I had not heard of any reports of the Least Tern, so I started heading south again. By the time I got to Forest, the tern was reported at the north end of Grand Bend (give me a break!). It sounded a bit iffy, so I decided to continue on with my day. Of course the tiny tern stayed to be seen by most who went throughout the afternoon.
I stopped by several spots on the way home, and by mid afternoon, typical weekend weather was rolling in.
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| Sparrows of the Field |
Earlier in the week, I had been keeping track of the Sandhill Cranes west of Wallaceburg. The tradition continues, when the cranes come over from Michigan each morning, then head back at the end of the day. This has been ongoing for many years each fall.
I stopped by Stewart Wetland one evening and counted 94 heading west. A few actually touched down into the wetland.
Friday I checked out Rondeau. I started with a lakewatch on a decent SE wind. Once again, very few gulls and nothing of note. One of these days......I hope!
Landbirds were very scarce as well. A late Black-throated Green Warbler was along Harrison Trail.
I think my latest Rondeau record though, is November 7.
I stopped by McLean Conservation Lands where shorebirds were in good numbers. A tardy Semipalmated Plover was still lingering.
A single Long-billed Dowitcher was still around as well.
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| Least Sandpipers |
I flushed up two Nelson's Sparrows along the way, so some of those are still scurrying around.
Other stops included Erieau rail trail (nice mudflat near the viewing stand), and Blenheim Lagoons. The middle pond at Blenheim is nicely drawn down. Too bad most of the shorebirds are long gone!
Today, Sunday, I went down to Rondeau on brutal SSW winds. I thought it was crazy, as branches of trees were coming down, and doing a lakewatch would be futile.
However, after the drizzle stopped, I went out to dog beach. It was impossible to use a scope, but I stood out there (Jim Burk joined me) trying to not get knocked to the ground with wind gusts!
It was actually amazing how many birds do move in a wind like that. The wind eventually died a tad while we stood there.
There were lots of ducks, but once again very few gulls. Where are the gulls?
One Merlin was way out over the lake. What it was doing out there in that this wind is beyond me!
We tried looking for passerines afterwards, but found very little. One could not hear a thing!
On the way home, I stopped at Ridgetown Lagoons where there was lots of waterfowl. Nothing of note of course, other than that domestic hybrid.
On to yet another week....
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