Spring Walks and Scenes This Week

 I was able to get out for some walks this past week, as we have had some decent weather.

The usual spring arrivals are showing up.  This Eastern Phoebe was in my yard earlier this week on a rainy day.

A lot more gulls have shown up as expected, including this Ring-billed Gull along the St. Clair River.

Herring Gull in background

On Tuesday, I was due for another long walk, so I took advantage of the nice morning and walked out Rondeau's south beach.  There was not much variety in birds, but the clear skies made for a good walk.

Marsh View

It was quite cold overnight, so there was some ice.

Continued walking back via the east beach.

Along east side beach

This Pileated Woodpecker was not sure what direction to go.

There were lots of Horned Grebes swimming in the early morning light.  I was hoping to see a Red-necked, but that never happened!

One of the mussel shells I encountered was a Wabash Pigtoe.  It is an endangered species, but I have come across them several times before at Rondeau.  Always well-weathered!

Remnants of last fall's waterfowl hunt were evident on the beach!

After the walk, I scoped the Bay for ducks.  We still cannot find a Eurasian Wigeon!  Every place else seems to have them.....

One last stop was a quick walk at Keith McLean C. L.  I finally saw an Eastern Bluebird for the year!  I was not able to get a decent photo, but pleased to see one after a long absence.

They just were not around to any degree this winter, like many other birds.

Northern Flickers have arrived in numbers recently.

Yesterday morning I started out at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing special, but Great Egrets have arrived in numbers.

Hundreds of Tundra Swans were in fairly close for a change.

Later in the day, I did some birding in the Sarnia area since there was a Lambton Wildlife meeting in the evening.

I accidently stumbled upon a soon-to-depart owl.  There were hardly any owls around our area this winter.  Snowy Owls were absent in the area for sure, among others.

Today was quite nice in the morning.  It was sunny this morning despite the forecast.  I guess it was a little delayed as the clouds and rain rolled in just before noon.

I took advantage and went for a long walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  Pleasant to get back in there and see signs of spring.

Spring plants are just starting to pop up after a harsh winter.

Virginia Spring Beauty

Purple Cress

Some that stay visible all winter include the Sharp-lobed Hepatica.

There is lots of it at Reid, but I have never found Round-lobed!

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In the history corner, the little passenger vessel Omar D. Conger (built 1887) blew up at its dock in Port Huron around this date in 1922 due to a boiler explosion.  It was a frequent visitor to Wallaceburg, and seen in many photographs.  It was mainly a ferry between Sarnia and Port Huron.

Some Scenes During Another Windy Week

 This past week has some new arrivals, but the weather has not been ideal.  Cool temperatures on most days and lots of wind!  Nature's way of cleaning the trees I guess.  I had already cleaned up the yard, but with all these winds, another four bags of debris were collected the last few days!

Anyway, last Tuesday was rather uncomfortable, but I went for a couple of walks anyway.  One was at Reid C. L.

Another was a short one at Moore WMA.

On Wednesday, I went for a long walk at Rondeau Park.  I parked at Black Oak and walked up Lakeshore and back down Harrison.  There were not many birds, as expected, but I needed the long walk since there have been few of those this winter.

I then walked the campground, and managed to see my first Eastern Phoebes of the year.  It was yet another very drab day, so photography was not up to snuff.

The next day, I had the notion to check out Mitchell's Bay.  With the colder weather, ice had reformed so waterfowl was further out than I would have preferred.

View towards St. Anne's Island

Nothing unusual was seen, even though visibility was quite good.

View towards Ticky Tacky Point

Yesterday morning the weather was not very good, but I went out to the St. Clair River anyway.  Not much to see, as most waterfowl has cleared out.

Stopped to look at the mouth of Bowen Creek.  I only found one mussel, which was easy to ID.

At Roberta Stewart Wetland, a pair of Northern Shovelers was in close.  The male is quite a handsome creature.

View towards Walpole Island

Today seemed like a good day for a long walk out Rondeau's marsh trail.  The wind was light (for a change!) out of the NE.

I was joined by Steve Charbonneau and we walked out to Long Pond and back.  It was the first chance we had to get out there since December!  It was too snowy, cold and windy all winter.  Some drifts were still remaining today, but it was a clear walk for the most part.  I doubt anything would have survived out there this winter anyway!

The Bay is now ice-free, so there were thousands of ducks out there, but most were not close.

Our highlight was a Brown Thrasher way out, close to Long Pond.  A first-of-year for both of us.

At one point, we noticed a not-too-happy frog.  Not even sure what species!

After the walk, I scoped the waterfowl on the Bay, but nothing unusual.  Where is that annual Eurasian Wigeon?  Nobody can find one yet despite numerous attempts.

Several Fox Sparrows have come in, as noted today.

Here is a single White-throated Sparrow in the campground.

Now that snow and ice is gone I keep an eye out for mussels.  These were at the start of marsh trail in Rondeau.

Fatmucket (very common)

Deertoe

Weather does not look all that great this coming week, but we will see what happens.

Wind Influx!

 Sorry, I could not think of another title, lol.  But we did have some brutal winds this week.  Friday, and into Friday night was crazy with winds.  Gusts up to 80 km/h at least.  We were lucky there was not much damage, but hydro did go out in a few places.

Last Monday, it got quite balmy.  In the morning, I went out to the St. Clair River, but most of the ducks have cleared out (they are elsewhere such as Lake St. Clair and Rondeau Bay!).  So, not much to look at.

During a short walk, I looked at an old Bitternut Hickory tree in Brander Park.  Not in the best of shape.

In the afternoon, it was really warm,  and I went for a walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  I suspected butterflies would be out, namely Eastern Comma and Mourning Cloak.  I only saw one cloak, but likely commas were around.

It was a nice walk and here are some scenes.

Pileated activity!

At one point, which is one in a million chance, I saw this lying on the forest floor.  I assume it is a baby squirrel.

The next day, I went to Rondeau Park for a lakewatch.  It was really active, but nothing of note at dog beach.

Eventually it got really foggy and drizzly outside the park.  I was going to check out Erieau, but I could not see a thing!  It was a bit better inland.

A couple days previous, a Brewer's Blackbird was seen in the picnic area near the park store within a group of blackbirds.  I actually found the same flock (assumingly), and looked for the subject bird.  I am quite certain I saw it, but I did not get really long looks at it.  Being cautious, I left it as blackbird sp.  Not often we see Brewer's at Rondeau, but no doubt some pass through.

Next couple of days were uneventful, but Friday the 13th I went out to the Lake St. Clair area.  It was too windy to get out of the car, but I spent some time at Mitchell's Bay, then drove around the old Dover Township.  Did not go all the way to Port Dover....lol.

There are thousands of Canvasback on the Bay, which is normal for this time of year.

These two Tundra Swans were all alone in one field.

A couple of spots harboured hundreds of puddle ducks.  Northern Pintail seemed to be the most numerous, with hundreds around.  I was hoping to spot a Eurasian Wigeon, but to no avail!

A Sandhill Crane was nearby as well.

Nearer home, I stopped by the Bear Creek Unit of St. Clair NWA.  Not often I go to this neat little place.  Lots of Ring-necked Ducks there.  I finally saw a Pied-billed Grebe for the year.   Usually I see them on the Snye in early winter, but not this year.

Saturday was a nice day, but cold.  And little wind!  For a change in scenery, I went up to Sarnia.  I first walked the Blackwell Trails park, which was once an old landfill.   

Just after I started walking, I spotted a Fox Sparrow, which was certainly an early migrant I would think.

During my over 3 km walk, notable were a couple of Pine Siskins flying overhead.  First for the year, which seemed overdue.  I have had a difficult time finding them in the last fifteen months!  All have been flyovers since then!

Next walk was at Dow Wetlands.  Nothing of note there.  Some meadowlarks were singing already, while a Turkey Vulture soared overhead.

Today I checked out Mitchell's Bay area again.  Unfortunately, it was cold and very windy.  Where does all that wind come from?  I brought my scope out to the south shore nature trail.  Nothing of note, but I could only stand less than an hour there.

I then went to the village waterfront.  Mostly Canvasback seen.  There are well over 15,000 visible on the Bay right now.

Three early Double-crested Cormorants flew by me as well.

While I was there, a Greater White-fronted Goose was reported near Hillman Marsh in Essex County.  I decided to head that way, as there was not anything else to do.

The goose was not in the reported location upon my arrival, so I went into Hillman marsh to look at the shorebird cell.

Just after my arrival, I spotted the subject goose in flight!  Lucky break since it was not seen again.

By this time it was warming up a little and I could find a spot out of the wind to scope the waterfowl.  There were at least a thousand ducks in the east end of the cell.  Most were Mallard, but lots of Gadwall and wigeon and even more Green-winged Teal.

I searched in vain for a Eurasian Wigeon, but struck out again.  While thinking about the Eurasian types, I also looked for Common Teal.  Probably one around, but I could not look at everything!

Other first-of-years included Blue-winged Teal and some early Tree Swallows.

There is a swallow in this photo!

All-in-all it was  decent birding day.

By the way, my wintering Fox Sparrow left on the night of March 6 when we had that warm front come in.  It was nice to have it all winter!