Chilly November Update

 After last Friday's Pacific Loon find at Rondeau, things were not as eventful.  I spent Saturday morning at Rondeau, starting with a lakewatch.  Sean Macey eventually joined us for some lakewatching and then a walk through the campground.

There were lots of loons out there, but we did not see the Pacific.  (Note:  Barb Charlton had the same or another Pacific Loon at dog beach on Monday!).  We did see a Red-necked Grebe, always rare at Rondeau!

Highlight in the campground, was a flyover Evening Grosbeak.  As often is the case with these, I heard it long before we saw it.

Sunday, it was a change of scenery for me, so I went up to Sarnia for a lakewatch.  Winds (NW) were not ideal, but it was better than most weekends this fall (SW winds).  Lots of gulls, but nothing noteworthy.

I walked various spots, as I worked my way home.  Lots of Black-capped Chickadees are around this year.  I keep hoping to bump into a Boreal...

Today, I did Rondeau, Erieau, and then over to Wheatley Harbour.  Strong west winds kept birds on the east side of the park, and south point was fairly birdy.  Highlight was a Pine Warbler with several Yellow-rumped.  I failed to get a photo though.

Some Eastern Bluebirds were around, as well as Cedar Waxwings.  One must always look for Bohemian, but only Cedars today.

Since we finally got Pacific Loon out of the way last week, we need to work on a Mountain Bluebird for Rondeau.  I tried today, but all were Eastern Bluebirds.  I could only manage some distant photos. 

Along Erieau marsh trail, a female Purple Finch was lost in the wind.

Shorebirds included two Killdeer, and six Wilson's Snipe.

It was noon by this time, so I headed over to Wheatley Harbour.  Nothing noteworthy, but I thought I saw a very distant jaeger at one point.

Sandhill Cranes have built up in numbers west of Wallaceburg.  One day this week, I counted 135.

With the wind today, I was reminded of storms on the Great Lakes.  It was 64 years ago today that the Carl D. Bradley went down on Lake Michigan.

Don & Dorothy Langridge (my Dad's cousin)

November was always a bad month for the demise of some ships on the Great Lakes, which I have covered before.

On another note, retired ships have been towed overseas for scrapping.  Some did not make it, including the Michipicoten (originally Henry C. Frick of 1905).  She was a sister ship to the Ridgetown (originally Wm. E. Corey) which still exists as the breakwater at Port Credit.

Ridgetown

I remember seeing the Michipicoten in the summer of 1972 at Port Lambton ( I have a photo from the day, but it is buried somewhere!).  I also recorded steam whistles starting that year, and this was one of my favourite.  It turned out to be its last season.

Line drawing by Frank Crevier (very dear friend of ours) for Blake Mann

Recording I made in 1972!:

Later that year, the Michipicoten was being towed overseas, but never made it.  Some photos were posted of it breaking up on November 15, 1972, which is interesting to me.  It was in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

(photo taken from Boatnerd posting)

(Pelee Tip lifering!)