On A Lark (Sparrow)

 Things are finally picking up with nicer weather and more migrants.  In the grand scheme of things, birds are on schedule.  A few birds have been quite early! Some years in the past we get spoiled with nice weather and birds coming early.

Today was a fine day with warmer weather.  It started out rainy (what is a weekend without rain?), but soon cleared up.  I went to Rondeau Park.  I started at south point trail before it cleared up, as I wanted to go out marsh trail at some point.

Some loons (both kinds) and ducks were moving on the lake, but hardly any gulls.

Along the trail, a couple of House Wrens were FOY birds.

Steve and I went our separate ways, and I headed out marsh trail.  With an east wind, it is often the best choice.  It was quite nice, with only a light east wind.

I was going to walk at least to Long Pond, but that got cut short as you will find out later.  Along the way, I came across a FOY Yellow Warbler.  The first one is always nice to see, but eventually we will get sick of them!

Lots of kinglets (mainly Ruby's) were flitting about  along the way.

About a half kilometre past the 'half way' point I saw a Savannah Sparrow, then a Vesper Sparrow.  The Vesper was nice, but all of a sudden there was another sparrow with it.  It was different and I recognized it as a Lark Sparrow!

It kept moving along, but in an instant they were gone. I was not sure where they went, so started back as to not flush them any further.  Somehow the two had flew past me and were back on the trail to the north!  

I watched for some time, then they flushed.  The Lark Sparrow took a long flight out toward the Bay, then headed north.  I lost sight, thinking that was it.  However, I refound it on the trail north of the old parking area!

(photo by Steve Charbonneau)

By this time, Steve was well on his way out, so I kept following it along until he got there to see it.

The Lark Sparrow is one of the more handsome sparrows I think.  There are several records in the park, but only the third one I have seen within the park.

During this time, four Willets were found at Keith McLean C. L., so that was my next walk.

Tired, but not done for the day, I stopped by Blenheim lagoons.  Garry Sadler was there and informed me that a dowitcher was in the sprinkler cells.  I thought more likely a Long-billed a this date, but upon seeing it without a scope, I was not sure.  At one point, the birds flushed and disappeared.  I could not hear it call due to the wind.

Turned out to be a Short-billed Dowitcher!

Yesterday I went to Hillman Marsh and Point Pelee.  It was very quiet for birds.  Two Western Sandpipers were still at the shorebird cell.

one of them!

Getting back near the car, there was a brief sighting of an exceptionally early Yellow-billed Cuckoo!

I did quite a bit of walking in the National Park, but did not come up with much.

Pair of Trumpeter Swans at De Laurier

Surf Scoter

I did have a Hairy Woodpecker, which is uncommon in the park.

This past Tuesday I stopped by Roberta Stewart Wetland late in the day.  I took some random photos.  One was a Gadwall, or so I thought.  I was half right, as it turned out to be a Northern Pintail X Gadwall!  I did not realize it until I processed the photo at home.  My excuse is that the lighting was very poor.

I have had this uncommon hybrid here before, oddly enough.  Not the same bird though.

Sunday looks like there may be some good arrivals....only time will tell.

"Six more weeks of good birding!"

Weekend Washout Cinnamon-Coated

Needless to say, the weekend curse continues.  Friday was a holiday and of course it rained.  If it was not a holiday the sun would have been out!  Saturday was even worse if that was conceivable.  We had a ridiculous amount of rain (again) and everything was flooded.  Face it folks, our weather patterns have significantly changed (for the worse).

Peers WETland

I was down to Rondeau on Friday and stuck it out in the rain.  At least it was not a torrential downpour.  It even stopped for a while for me to check out south point trail again.  I added a few birds that were hiding in the rain.  Included were some Pine Warblers and a Blue-headed Vireo among others.  House Wrens were first for the year as well.

Near the end of my stay at the park, I checked out beach access 2 where a number of birds were moving through including several Yellow-rumped Warblers, a gnatcatcher and a female Pine Warbler.  I saw the Pine eating a Red Admiral high in a tree!

I stopped by McLean CA.  Three Great Egrets were near the bridge.  There was not much of note here.

Later in the afternoon I checked out Roberta Stewart Wetland.  Lots of bonies were moving through, but again, nothing with them.  Some Common Loons were floating on the Snye, normal for this time of year.

A handful of Greater Yellowlegs were at the wetland.  The water is now way too high for shorebirds.

Saturday I headed towards Point Pelee.  A big mistake!  There was little in the way of precipitation on the way, but twenty minutes after I got out of the car, the downpour came.  And it never let up.  I gave up and about that time I recieved a message about a Lark Sparrow at Rondeau Park.  I headed that way with nothing to lose.
I hope those Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks had not yet arrived when I passed by the designated spot they were found later in the afternoon!  I was watching for things as I drove along, and I am sure I would have seen them.  The driving heavy rain did not help though!

I arrived at Rondeau Park as the wind and rain was horrendous.  It might be last year all over again with flooded trails and a closed campground.
I did not see the subject sparrow at the reported spot, so I went to the picnic area where lots of sparrows were in the grass.  Jim Burk and Paul Pratt arrived to look and we shivered under the picnic shelter.  The Lark Sparrow was not there.  In past years, two different occasions saw a Lark Sparrow at this very spot.  I saw the one in May 2003.

We decided to go down the road and look again.  We turned around at Bennett and started up the road once again, and I spotted the Lark Sparrow!  It was all alone feeding roadside.

It provided good looks for those present.

Nearby, an early Clay-colored Sparrow was with some chippies, as usual.

Chippie with dark nape

After being soaked to the bone, I headed home.  Later I got word of a pair of rare ducks near Port Crewe.  Unfortunately by this time, I had enough and did not go and see the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks.  They were a first for Chatham-Kent!

Sunday, the weather was nicer, but there were fewer birds!  In fact, it was very quiet and we were hard-pressed to find a Yellow-rumped Warbler.  One just cannot win!

The White-winged Dove showed well, prancing around Mel's driveway.

Lots of Horned Grebes are around right now.

Some Red-throated Loons are around as well.  We saw one off SPT this morning.  I saw one on Friday also.  A few years ago, this would be a big deal!

I checked Keith McLean CA too.  Some Cedar Waxwings were present.  I had not seen any in quite some time!

Later this afternoon, I set out at Peers Wetland.  Just as I was getting started, a message came though about a Cinnamon Teal at Sombra Lagoons!  Luckily I could make it there in 15 minutes.
Earlier, Josh Bouman had found a stunning male, a first record for Lambton County.

I arrived and saw the bird right away.  We could not get close as it was at the far side of the east cell and going any closer would flush the ducks.  However, good scope views were obtained.  I could only get record photos.

Interestingly, Steve Pike found what he thought was a Cinnamon Teal near Hillman Marsh yesterday.  It has since been deemed some sort of hybrid.  An interesting bird, none-the-less.
The only other Cinnamon Teal I have seen was the male (and likely a female with it) at Rondeau Park back in May 1994.

Seeing the male Cinnamon Teal was a nice way to top off a wet Easter Weekend.

A Trickle of Migrants

Migration seems to be painfully slow, as there was not much around yesterday and today.  Some decent birds were seen though.
Firstly, I headed down to Erieau Friday afternoon to get a look at the Lark Sparrow.  It was there hanging out with two chippies and two Horned Larks.  I last saw it at 8 p.m.  No reports today.

Lark Sparrow at Erieau

In anticipation of a good birding day, I started at Rondeau early this morning with Steve and Jim, but it was not to be.  Although there was one highlight later.
Even Yellow-rumped Warblers were scarce.  We had one probable Pine Warbler (in a pine tree!) and a couple of Blue-headed Vireos.  A pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen back in on south point.  And oh yes, a few Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were around today!!

FOY Northern Mockingbird on SPT

There was a good movement of birds heading west on the lake, but no rarities.  Several loons and grebes and  bonies.  Two decent sized flocks of Northern Shoveler were notable.
A White-eyed Vireo was in the same area as a week ago, so likely the same individual.
Next stop was the VC area and little success there. We did not attempt to find the Yellow-throated Warblers.
Next stop was the corner of Bennett and Rondeau Roads.  Standing there for some time in disbelief about the lack of birds, we suddenly heard a soft chip.  A Prothonotary Warbler appeared! It was so close and co-operative that it was at our feet.  At one point it came right up to Jim. (note tip of his shoe in this photo!).

(note tip of Jim's shoe at left!!) 

It was uneventful from there.  We took a long walk up to maintenance and back Harrison, but little was seen or heard.  We checked the grounds in front of the churches where last night over 100 chippies were working the grasses.  However, it was almost 100% chippies!  Thoughts of a Lark Sparrow (not that we needed it) danced through our minds.  Lark Sparrow has appeared in this location a couple of times in past years.

Being bored to death, we parted ways and I decided to slide over to Point Pelee.  Not much happening there either, but I did get some year birds.  Firstly a Grasshopper Sparrow at the serengeti tree was rather visible.

A Common Yellowthroat was in the Tip woods.  I walked back through the centre seeing little.  I heard the chip of a waterthrush on Woodland trail, but did not see it.
Next stop was De Laurier where a Clay-colored Sparrow was seen this morning. While in the company of Jeremy Bensette and Josh Vandermeulen, I saw it at the edge of the parking lot.

We were watching for raptors as many were moving today.  Broad-winged Hawks were on the move as well.
I spent the last hour with Josh, but we saw very little on this quiet day.

Butterflies today included Red Admiral and a few Spring Azures.

Tomorrow promises to be a better day for birds.  LOL!

Horned Grebes on the St. Clair yesterday morn