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!

Spring Influx!

 Saturday was an excellent day to be out looking for birds, and local birders took advantage of the big influx of blackbirds, waterfowl and others.  The writing was on the wall Friday, with the incoming warm weather and brisk southwest winds.

I went out to the St. Clair River to see what was around.  Some of the wintering ducks have already dispersed, but more "puddle" ducks were evident such as wigeon and Gadwall.  

I first did a stationary river-watch at Port Lambton.  There was a lot of activity of ducks on the move.  Lots of Mallard and wigeon and others.

Two separate pairs of Trumpeter Swans were on the move.  Too distant for photos though.  They still are considered rare on eBird, but they really should be removed as rare for Lambton.  Too many sightings anymore.  They are not "rare" in Chatham-Kent, where there seems to be fewer sightings.

I spent some time south of Sombra around Fawn Island as well.  Several wigeon and gadwall were here.

American Wigeon in ice

Looks like more Ring-necked Ducks came in as well.

Just before I took off from there, six Double-crested Cormorants flew by too close to even get the camera on them.  No doubt some rather early migrants, since none were in that area all winter.

Thousands of waterfowl came in with this influx, as noted by birders from Essex County in the south to north Lambton.  Northern Pintail certainly arrived in numbers with hundreds reported.  Just before I got home along Langstaff Line, I saw a flock of pintail circling.  Probably in the neighbourhood of fifty birds.

Blackbirds arrived by the thousands, lots of Robins, and even some Eastern Meadowlarks here and there.  Song Sparrows can be included as well, with good numbers arriving.

Today was similar with decent numbers of birds reported.  I went to Hillman Marsh and Point Pelee, but did not find anything of note.  I got my first Eastern Towhee of the year (none wintered!) at Pelee, and some of those can be included in the influx.

Scene along De Laurier trail

Scene along Cactus Trail

I stopped by Hillman Marsh first thing and checked the shorebird cell.  There is a bit of water at the east end where I found hundreds of ducks.  Over 300 Mallards and over 100 pintail there among others.

Friday I went to Rondeau and Erieau for a change.  The "influx" had not yet arrived so not much to report!

At the park, it was threatening rain, and it did eventually rain as I was creeping around.

The Gray Catbird was still present at Erieau's marsh trail, but unfortunately my camera malfunctioned at the most inconvenient time!

It was a somewhat foggy day, so I think some fog got into the camera.  That is my excuse anyway!

I saw a couple of White-crowned Sparrows here, which astonishingly, were my first-of-year.

Saw some of those prickly cucumbers again along the trail.

Trail Scene

This past Tuesday, I was out to the river on another gloomy day.  Some White-winged Scoters were between Sombra and Port Lambton.

Quite a bit of waterfowl around Fawn Island, including some wigeon.

Many of the ducks were snoozing though.  Still no more hybrids!

Wednesday was yet another foggy day, as  I went out to Lake St. Clair area.

Of course the Bay was still frozen, but water levels are certainly low.  

There is mud showing off the dock at the south shore trail.

I came back to Wallaceburg on gravel roads.  Quite a few Tundra Swans were at the north end of Baldoon Road.  On the other side of the road, the only thing in the corn field was a lone Trumpeter Swan.  It was quite distant though in poor light.

I guess it was not allowed to join the Tundras!

With the warmer weather now here, we will more birds to look for each day.  Been a long winter!

Sugar Bush Tour and Recent Sightings

 This past Saturday I went on a Lambton Wildlife outing for a tour on a property along Kimball Road.  It was a pleasant afternoon, so it was a good time for all.

The property owner gave us a tour of the grounds, starting with tree identification.  It was quite educational for all.

acorn caps of Swamp White Oak (note long stem)

After that, we went into the woodlot for a little tour of more tree identifications and observing the process of sap collection.

Observing a White Oak

Bitternut Hickory in the woods

The evaporator was in operation with the sweet smell of sap wafting through the woods

Just by coincidence, last week I bought a couple of books to read.  One book which came out last year, is about the history of maple syrup in Canada.

Friday I went to Rondeau Park and area.  Still not much happening with everything mostly frozen, and not many migrants.

Chickadee checking out a campground post

A walk at Erieau's marsh trail revealed a few birds, including a surprise in the form of a Gray Catbird.  There had been one wintering there, but it was not seen since early January.  It looked quite healthy and active, and certainly too fast for the camera!

Sunday I went to Point Pelee.  It was almost a waste of time since there were very few birds and everything was just still too frozen!

Of course, there have been a few trips out to the St. Clair River.  There are a lot of Ring-necked Ducks this winter along the river.  I have not been able to find any of those hybrids recently, though.

Today, was a cool but beautiful day along the river.  Lots of ducks close in today, but still nothing of note.

The only bright spot was a male Wood Duck!

Probably an early migrant.

Not much at the backyard feeders recently, but the Fox Sparrow is a daily visitor.  Looks like it is going to successfully make the winter!

Locally, I went for a walk at Peers Wetland the other day--the first time since December.  Two pairs of Mute Swans are already on the ice waiting for open water.  😞

Looking South

Looking North