Rondeau Songs/Pelee Beaver Tails

It was a fairly good weekend for birding despite the usual crappy weekend weather.  On Saturday I checked out Rondeau Park where there was Song Sparrow galore.  About this time of year, the first big push of Song Sparrows occurs, but I am not sure if I have seen this many at once.  I saw well over 300.

Lots of juncos and American Tree Sparrows had come in as well.

The Song Sparrows were everywhere, and certainly there had to be close to 1000 in the park alone.
Along south point trail, I saw a good number of Eastern Phoebes for the first time this year.

Several Tree Swallows were moving along the lake.  Also a Common Loon or two was sighted.
Some Fox Sparrows and Eastern Towhees were new arrivals as well.

I only saw one Horned Grebe at Rondeau!

A check of Ridgetown Sewage Lagoons was later, but it was too late to see the swans.  Earlier, a Trumpeter Swan was among many Tundras.  I met John Lamey there and he indicated that a Trumpeter was present earlier in the day.

Bluebird at Rondeau

Today, Sunday, I headed down to Point Pelee knowing there would likely be a good movement of birds.  As I walked to the Tip, a fat rodent caught my eye.  It was a beaver!

It was there several hours, so I am not sure if something was wrong with it.

Upon arrival at the Tip, it was evident that Horned Grebes and Common Loons were on the move.

I estimated around 120 Horned Grebes while I was there.  Some were swimming while others were on the move.  At one point I thought I had an Eared Grebe, and I am still not certain that it was not one.

Horny Grebe

Common Loons numbered at least two dozen, all heading east.  One was swimming off the west side for some time though.

Lots of ducks (mainly scaup) were off the west side out of the east wind.  Some Surf and White-winged Scoters were among them.

Greater Scaup

There were blackbirds, Tree Swallows, American Robins and meadowlarks on the move.

I met up with Jeremy Bensette and we walked around for a bit talking about bird related stuff!

The park had very few sparrows, as compared to Rondeau the previous day.

Around noon, I headed over to Hillman Marsh shorebird cell.  I was there quite some time as there was lots of waterfowl. I had hopes of seeing some early shorebirds, and eventually some Dunlin came into view.  At first I had 13, but before I left, the number rose to 17.
I was more expecting Pectoral Sandpipers, some early Dunlin can be expected this time of year.

Green-winged Teal was the dominant duck, and I counted over 700!  There was probably a Eurasian Teal among them, but I was not going to try and pick it out!

Eventually I spotted two Greater White-fronted Geese in the distance.  Not surprising really.

Some Horned Grebes were in the cell as well, and one came in quite close.

After over an hour there, it was pouring rain, so it was time to leave.

On the way home, at least 3 Snowy Owls were still seen from Winter Line, between Mallard and Marsh.  They have been there most of the winter.

Things will be happening quickly from now on!

Beaver Tales of Rondeau

It was a fine day weatherwise, but not for volumes of birds.  Painfully slow for birding it was, but always some decent birds are around.

Steve Charbonneau hit the trails early this morning after some FOY Eastern Whip-poor-wills were calling near the VC.
Palm Warblers were scattered about among the few Yellow-rumped that were there.

Common Loons were on the move in fair numbers again this morning.  The lake was calm as glass (as was the Bay) and many ducks were way out.  Several Long-tailed Ducks were making noise on the calm lake.  We had two groups of them.

We decided to brave the washout area along south point trail and we got a park lifer.  Not a bird, but a rodent!  A beaver was gnawing on a stick beside one of the downed trees.

Turned out to be the highlight of the day there and it was quite approachable.  Beavers do wander around and turn up in various locations form time to time.

Near here was Rondeau's only waterfall.  The water was draining out of one of the sloughs.  Probably the same spot we had one last year at this time.

Bennett Road was dead as a doornail, except for a FOY Veery.

Marsh Trail turned out to be the better trail this morning with several Palm Warblers, Yellows, and a few Yellow-rumped  A FOY Common Yellowthroat was near the tower boardwalk.

As we walked back, I distinctly heard a Prairie Warbler singing, but I never saw it.  Birds were on the move and we were looking almost directly into the sun, so it was never heard again.

Savannah Sparrows were plentiful in the park with many along marsh trail.  Grasshopper Sparrow should be showing up and I see that one was reported.  A single White-crowned Sparrow was out the trail as well.

A lone and scruffy-looking Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at Pony Barn area.

After parting ways with steve, I headed over to Blenheim S.T.P.  Numerous shorebirds were there, but alas I could not locate the reported Baird's, but could still have been nearby.  Everything else seemed to be there plus one.  A rare-for-spring Stilt Sandpiper was in the sprinkler cells.

The female Wilson's Phalarope was also present along the ever-numerous Dunlin and some Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpipers, and Least Sandpipers.  A single Semipalmated Plover was also present.

The Short-eared Owl I found a week ago was present until at least yesterday.
A number of lingering Tundra Swans are here and there, including the one at Blenheim.

It was just after lunch, so I headed over to Hillman Marsh.  I missed the reported Avocet and did not know it was later found near the bridge.  You cannot get 'em all!

On the way home, I had to check Mitchell's Bay.  Yesterday a couple of White Pelicans were reported at the village.
The two Yellow-headed Blackbirds were near the end of Angler Line again.