For a change in scenery today, I went up to Sarnia for a lakewatch. A decent NNE wind was ablowin'!
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| American Herring Gull |
There were not large numbers of birds, and certainly not much variety. Less than an hour after I started, a single Brant flew by heading west. I was actually looking at a flock of mergansers, and this bird was tailing! It went up the Michigan side and out of sight.
About twenty minutes later, I caught sight of it swimming in the channel. Several times, it flew upstream, then floating down.
Eventually, it flew back east and past Canatara Park. I wonder if it kept going, as James Holdsworth had one at Highland Glen CA a while later. Timing would be about right if it kept flying, but we will never be sure.
Things got quiet, and I headed towards home. I stopped at Moore WMA, then McKellar Tract, but not much was at either place. I have had White-winged Crossbills at McKellar during incursion years, but I did not hear any today.
That big tree is still in the way at Moore!
A few mussel shells were visible. Deertoe was one of them.
I then stopped at Nichols Memorial Forest and Wetland. Highlight was a Great-Horned Owl. A Barred Owl would have been better!
When I pulled into the driveway at home, I got word that a Mountain Bluebird was at Keith McLean C. L. I was not ready to head out and stayed around for an hour at home. The urge was too much to resist, so I headed down towards Rondeau.
Mountain Bluebird has never been seen in the Rondeau circle. The only other in C-K was at Wheatley P.P. if I remember correctly. I had to go as it was certainly a very overdue bird!
The bird was still present upon arrival, but light for photos was not good. However, I took some photos anyway.
The bluebird was constantly going down to the mud and finding dragonfly nymphs to eat.
This was certainly a nice way to end the day!
This past week was rather uneventful, again. There were a couple of trips to Rondeau and McLean's.
Friday though I went up to Ipperwash in hopes of getting White-winged Crossbills. I picked the wrong day.....again!
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| Random Scene along the trail |
Instead I did another lakewatch for a while. Yet again it was boring!
On Saturday, I worked the north end of Rondeau Park only as it was quite windy. I finally came across some White-winged Crossbills, but they were single flyovers.
As usual I stopped by Keith McLean C. L., but nothing really different. There has been a good-sized flock of Dunlin hanging around.
And, lots of gulls, but no good ones!
With the warm weather, lots of Autumn Meadowhawks are still flying (even today).
Sunday was a bit rainy and I did not go far.
Monday, it was back to Rondeau Park. This late in the season, birds are getting fewer, but there was enough to keep me interested.
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| Another Carolina Wren |
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| dark American Herring Gull |
It was quite windy, especially along the lake at south point trail. That concrete structure is getting farther out!
A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in the campground was of interest. Seems we always get a late bird there! However, lighting was absolutely horrible.
Nothing new at Keith McLean's that day. Ironically, I was thinking of Mountain Bluebird while there, and that perhaps this will be the year that we will get one in the area. Little did I know that this idea would become reality!
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