Earth Day Birding and Reid Plant Tour

 Today was one of the better weather days so far this spring.  I headed down to Rondeau Park, but it was rather quiet for birds.....again!  Yes, it is early, but one always expects more.

A couple of first-of-year birds included a Red-headed Woodpecker along Lakeshore Road, and a Blue-headed Vireo on south point trail.

Butterflies were enjoying the warmth.

American Painted-Lady

While in the park, I heard reports of Marbled Godwits, Willets and American Avocets at points farther west.  It was one of those days that those types of shorebirds show up in numbers!

I left the park and headed towards Erieau.  Spent some time at McGeachy and the marsh trail there.

A single Willet was reported on the tip of Rondeau, as seen from the Erieau pier area.  I managed to see that one, but it was too distant to even try for a photo.

American Avocets were reported at Hillman Marsh.  I had not intended to go that far today, but since the avocet is my favourite shorebird, I had to go!

I went straight to the Hillman shorebird cell where there were lots of shorebirds.  There were big numbers of Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpipers, but in the distance I picked out four dowitchers as well.

Long-billed Dowitchers are the default dowitcher species this time of year, so no confusion with Short-billed need arise.

No Avocets were present upon my arrival, but while there, eight popped in!  My target bird was then checked off.  The dowitchers were just a bonus, which are somewhat uncommon in spring.

Lighting was horrible, but I attempted photos anyway.

One of the continuing Cattle Egrets was present as well.

Two days ago, I started at Rondeau, but it was disappointing, so I went to Hillman to see two reported Cattle Egrets.

My camera malfunctioned (which is happening too often lately!), so photos were crap.

Often we do not get some until fall migration.

Yesterday morning I started at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing of note in the way of birds, but I keep trying.  It was uncomfortably cold first thing.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The afternoon was quite pleasant, so I went for a walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  I had not been there in two weeks, so I wanted to check out the plant life.

Harbinger of Spring is about done for another year, but I did find a couple of plants with remnants of flowers.

Nearby, I found the patch of Twinleaf, one of my favourite plants.  It was not very far advanced compared to previous years.

Lots of trout lilies are blooming, including the white version.

Large-flowered Bellwort is just coming into bloom.

Dutchman's Breeches is past its prime, but some were in bloom.

Note the ginger, which is abundant at Reid

I think I finally found its cousin, Squirrel Corn.  I know it is there, but it is extremely scarce.  It is yet to be confirmed (or rejected) for some strange reason.

Bloodroot is not all that common at Reid, but some were in bloom.

Trilliums are just coming into bloom.

I found one with the virus. The abnormal greening of plant parts (virescence) is a symptom of a plant disease caused by bacterial organisms called phytoplasmas.

Various insects were flying about.

Black and Yellow Nomad Bee (?)

Greater Bee Fly

Birds will really start arriving, possibly tomorrow!  Stay tuned.

Mid-April Report: Some Highlights

 Not too much to report this past week, but there were some highlights.

Tuesday, while I had to spend some time in Chatham, I checked out O'Neil Nature Reserve (Paxton's Bush).  It is actually an impressive woodlot right on the north edge of Chatham that kind of sticks out.  A good variety of large trees are within.

The forest floor has typical plants that one can find in a woodlot.

Bloodroot

Yellow Trout Lily

On Wednesday I had the urge to go up to Sarnia's Canatara Park for some birding.  The weather was less than impressive (eventual rain!) but it is a good migrant trap for finding birds.

I saw my first Little Gull of the year on the lake.  

A House Wren was chattering on the edge of Tarzanland.  A bunch of them seemed to come early this year in various places.

Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers were in the woods and migrating westward.

Thursday was quite disappointing with yet another rainy day.  I managed to get out to Mitchell's Bay first thing, but there was hardly anything to look at.  However, the same six Snow Geese were still in the area!

Friday was another nice weather day as I checked out Rondeau Park.  Turned out to be a good birding day, with some early stuff.

I walked out marsh trail to Long Pond.  Some first-of-year birds included Marsh Wren,  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and both Sora and Virginia Rails.  Also, a couple of Palm Warblers.

                               

Palm Warbler

American Coot

Tundra Swans (young ones!)

On the way back we found some warblers!  Other than Yellow-rumped, a Northern Parula and a Nashville Warbler were singing in the tree tops.

The parula was record early by one day (we had one on Spicebush Trail back on April 18, 2010), and the Nashville was record early by a few days.  At least what I can see.

Nearer the parking lot, an early Yellow Warbler was singing its typical song as another first-of-year.  It was an early arrival, but not record early.  Steve and I had one April 13, 2001 on Tulip Tree trail.  That year was quite impressive with lots of very early birds.

While out marsh trail, we saw a couple of Blanding's Turtles.

Today, I wanted to head into Essex County.  It was another crappy weather day.  Seems we cannot get two good days in a row this spring!

A Laughing Gull had been frequenting Wheatley Harbour for three days, but as usual, it did not show up today much to my disappointment.

Highlight was a Baikal Teal in Hillman shorebird cell.  It was found a number of days ago there, and has stirred up quite a controversy.  I saw it right away, but it was distant in poor light.  

It was sleeping when I went back the second time, but very distant as well.

(attempt at digiscoping!)

A duck of this type is usually considered an escapee, but who knows.  There are a number of factors that might point towards this being a wild duck, but I will not delve into it here.  An attractive duck in any case!

An early Solitary Sandpiper (yes it was solitary and alone!) was in the cell as well.  Lighting was too horrible today to get any decent photos of anything, even with the ISO cranked up to 1000.

I left Hillman and went into Point Pelee for an hour.  It was quiet, so I went back to Hillman!

Two Marbled Godwits were in the cell when I arrived.

A couple of Little Gulls were also present, but not photographable.

Just before getting home, I made a quick stop at Mitchell's Bay.  Yellow-headed Blackbirds should be in now but I did not find one.

Only highlight was another early Yellow Warbler.

If this weather ever gets its act together, we should have some good birding days ahead.......

Splashdown to Marbled Godwits

 We finally have had some nice warm days, although yesterday morning was miserably cold at first.

This past Friday morning I was out to Mitchell's Bay.  A lone Tundra Swan has been hanging around, and I do not think it is entirely well.  It was still there yesterday.

A bit of a surprise was a flyover of six Snow Geese.

In the evening, likely many of us watched the historic and picture-perfect splashdown of the space capsule Artemis II.  Humans got to circle the moon for the first time since the early 1970's during the Apollo program!  I remember the Apollo program (now I am aging myself!) and found that fascinating at the time.

I watched the recent event live on the NASA YouTube channel.  I just took some screen shots with my phone.

Next day, I headed down to Rondeau Park quite early.  Target was a Louisiana Waterthrush that had been sighted the day before.  I found it right away in the early morning light singing away in a slough.  It was really too early for photos, as it was not very light, but I tried anyway.

I did a lot of walking that day as it was a nice sunny and calm day for a change.  Later, I walked out the marsh trail to the half way point.

I saw three species of butterflies, including a Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral and an American Painted-Lady.

I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. before going home to see both yellowlegs, and first-of-year Pectoral Sandpipers.

They finally got a burn done on the property.  They have been trying for two years!

Yesterday, as alluded to above, it was terribly cold and windy at Mitchell's Bay first thing.  There were not many birds in the uncomfortable weather.  The Tundra Swan was in close.

In the afternoon, it warmed up considerably as the sun was out, so I went for a drive along the St. Clair River.  Loons are heading north this time of year, and one can see many.

Today, I headed down to Rondeau Park in anticipation of some good birding.  Overnight, there was a brisk southwest wind with rain, and the temperature rose dramatically.  Surprisingly, it was rather quiet for birds.

I did get the first Purple Martins finally, as they arrived yesterday.

The park was full of Red Admirals.

Some plants are just emerging from the leaf litter, and I noticed this Bloodroot at one point.

While there, I got word that some early Marbled Godwits had set down in the Hillman Marsh shorebird cell.  They were found by the "morning shift", which used to be the "afternoon shift"!  LOL.

I headed in that direction since there was not much else to do.

They were still present upon my arrival.

Several birders came by to see the godwits.  It was nice to talk to some long-time fellow birders after a long winter.

While there, I caught sight of a Variegated Meadowhawk. First time I have seen one in a few years.  They are not all that common at times.

As well, a Blanding's Turtle was lurking in the weeds.

Now that we are in mid-April, we will see lot of birds coming in.  The excitement of spring migration has now begun!

Hillman Sandhills