More Recent Outings--Same Old Stuff

Friday, I decided to go to Point Pelee, starting with a Tip Watch.  White-winged Scoters continue to be plentiful, as there were well over 300 off the west side of the Tip.  The gull situation was uneventful, as I continue to not find anything of note!

A single loon was off the Tip.

A check of Sparrow Field revealed a few birds, including a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

While on the east edge of the field, I noticed the severe erosion.  The east side of Pelee certainly has been shrinking drastically the last year or so.  Signs of the times.

Other areas in the park I visited included Shuster Trail, De Laurier, and Dunes.  I even walked the entire marsh boardwalk.  Still nothing of note!
Beavers seem to be plentiful, as much "work" has been evident at De Laurier.

On the way home I swung by Meadowvale Line to see if a Snowy Owl was around.  Right on cue one was near the road.

This is a reliable location every winter.  One or two are in the Langstaff/Stewart Line area as well.

Today, Sunday, I headed up to Corunna along the St. Clair River.  Gull mania is still on the go!  It can vary with the number of gulls depending when one is thereon timing  You can see less than 1000, or more than 2000!
Today there were more than 1500, and virtually all Herring.  I tried taking some photos of gulls on the fly, and nailed some of them!

Over the 1.5h I was there, I picked out three adult Iceland Gulls (usual type), one Ring-billed, and one Lesser Black-backed.

Seems that we are seeing the same stuff day after day with nothing new!  I keep trying, but it gets frustrating, while other things are being seen elsewhere.

I stopped by a couple of spots inland, including Reid CA.  I ended up going for a long walk since it was such a nice day.  I heard a Pileated Woodpecker calling deep in the woods so I tried to see it.  I was not successful!  The calls were unmistakeable though.

Scene in Reid (other Dukes' Skipper spot)

This was the fourth time over the last couple of years I have had one there.  It is quite unusual to have one in the Wallaceburg area and southern Lambton County.  One has to go up to Bickford Line (Bickford Oak Woods, Moore WMA, etc.) to find them, or at the south end of Walpole Island in the Public Bush.

Given the lack of birds all over this winter, I did see a few in Reid, including several White-breasted nuthatches and Black-capped Chickadees.

Five species of woodpeckers were seen as well.

On to another week...and after Christmas, some holidays!