Some Holiday Weekend Highlights

 Weather was fairly decent over the holiday weekend for birding.  Bird radar looked good for Friday and Saturday, but there were not may birds to be found!  On Sunday, the radar did not look all that good, but there were lots of birds!  Goes to show one cannot draw conclusions from the bird radar.....

Friday, I checked out Rondeau in the morning, then headed into Erieau. I was just about to walk the "rail" trail, when word got out about a Laughing Gull on Rondeau's south beach.  I had not seen a Laughing Gull in a long time, so I thought I would get out the scope at the Erieau channel and hope for the best.

After a bit of looking, we finally spotted it.  This dark gull stood out like a sore thumb among the other gulls, even though very distant.

Also seen were three young Little Gulls.

With lack of other ideas for the day, I headed west to Wheatley and Hillman Marsh.  A quick stop at Wheatley Harbour revealed a few Whimbrel flying by.

Hillman shorebird cell had a good variety of shorebirds, including White-rumped Sandpiper.  Things are very fluid there, so the numbers and species keep changing during one's visit.

Dunlin

Saturday was not all that productive at Rondeau either.  Later, I stopped by Blenheim sewage lagoons to see if the three Red-necked Phalaropes from the previous day were still present.  They were, but only two out of three!

These tiny shorebirds were a bit distant and difficult to photograph.

We rarely see them in spring migration, but are a treat to see in breeding plumage.  Been a long time since I have seen them in spring.

Their larger cousin, a Wilson's Phalarope was nearby.

I was home by noon(!), so in the afternoon I took a long walk up at Reid CA.  Some FOY butterflies:

Spicebush Swallowtail

Silver-spotted Skipper

Sunday, I needed a change in scenery, so went to Point Pelee.  Weather was iffy with a cool northerly wind and damp conditions, but it was quite birdy.  Highlight was an unseen Connecticut Warbler.

I heard that Rondeau was very good as well....just my luck for the one day I stay away!  They even had a Piping Plover out south beach, which seems to be an annual event.

On my way home, I stopped by Mitchell's Bay (south shore nature trail), as I often do.  It paid off again!  Although not a mega, I spotted a couple of American White Pelicans!  These big creatures are often seen at Mitchell's Bay.

Distant, cropped photo

I usually have to go to Point Pelee in early June to list them.  They regularly show up at Pelee in late May to early June.

Some Map Turtles were sunning themselves along the trail.

Monday, I went back to Rondeau, and walked out to south beach.  It was something I wanted to do for some time, but conditions were better this day.  This time of year usually reveals lots of shorebirds.  Last year I managed to see a number of Red Knots, but none have been reported to this date this year.

Indeed, there were lots of shorebirds, mainly Dunlin.

Oops!  Some other shorebird got in the way.

A Piping Plover was still present, which was my main target for the day.

After returning from my long walk, I did some lazy birding around maintenance to pony barn area.  One or two Cerulean Warblers were singing in the area.

I came across a Painted Skimmer at one point.

Still more birds to come, and hopefully some rarities!