Recent Birding and Some CBC Trivia

 Christmas Bird Counts (CBC's) are fast approaching!  From December 14 through January 3, counters will be out in various locales conducting the annual census.

Birds Canada has some good information on their website as to where the various counts are in Canada, and how to contact compilers if one is interested in participating in a certain count.  See:

https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/christmas-bird-count

Also, there is some data or interesting information about past counts, such as high counts for all of Canada.  Locally, the Wallaceburg, Blenheim, and St. Clair NWA counts have made the board!  Here are a few selected highlights I have extracted, although I did not include the particular year.

Blenheim/Rondeau:

Ross's Goose (4), Gadwall (6879), American Coot (8202), Forster's Tern (2), Horned Lark (6012)

St. Clair National Wildlife Area:

Tundra Swan (10, 870), Canvasback (25, 800), American Crow (159, 860)

Wallaceburg:

Black-necked Stilt (1), Vermilion Flycatcher (1), Tufted Titmouse (70), Common Grackle (4400)

There are other things to look at on the website as well.

A couple of days ago I ended up at Point Pelee again.  The Townsend's Solitaire was still quite happily eating berries at De Laurier.  It may make the CBC next week!  Although, they have recorded this species before.

Yesterday, I needed a long walk, so went to Rondeau.  It was much too windy to do the marsh trail, so I did something different and walked the west side of south point trail.  It never seems as birdy, especially this time of year, but it was a good change and a chance to see what was along there for the upcoming CBC.

Most birds were towards the very end, where several Swamp Sparrows were in the sloughs as usual.  A flock of about 30 Cedar Waxwings  was at the end as well.

The shoreline has retreated extensively in this area since I first started coming to the park.  It is amazing how Lake Erie consumes forest and land!  I took a couple of photos where the trail breaks off.  Looking one way, there used to be a parking lot here (now you can park a boat!).

The other way, the trail (once a drivable road) used to head out, and a washroom structure was here.

As usual, I spotted some mussels along the beach!  Besides Fatmucket, which is fairly common, I did find a Wabash Pigtoe and Eastern Pondmussel which are both threatened species.  As usual, they are quite worn due to the lake action.

Wabash Pigtoe (vulnerable)

Eastern Pondmussel (critically imperiled)

Before leaving the park, I scoped the east side at the north end of the park.  At least 3000 Ruddy Ducks were out there!

Also I saw four Snow Geese coming in high from way out over the lake.

Interestingly, these same geese were observed a short time later flying over Shrewsbury, then Erie Beach by different birders!

After leaving the park, I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. for a quick check.  Lots of mud now!  Four Killdeer and a single Dunlin rounded out the shorebirds.

Locally, Bald Eagles have already started building a nest structure.

This was last week, but today I noticed even more sticks.