Louisiana in March!

Headed down to Rondeau.  As usual the skies were cold and gloomy, but we are used to it on weekends.  Plentiful Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglets all over today.

Common Loons are showing up in numbers now and today was no exception.  Hundreds upon hundreds of Common and Red-breasted Mergansers were heading east on the lake.
Sparrows were scarce today, but a few Fox were around.  Later, I found a good-sized flock of Juncos in the campground.  One looked like a female Oregon.  Another had a white stripe on one wing.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler was also in the campground but likely a winter holdover.

I walked Spicebush Trail with Steve and Jim and right off the bat we heard the tell-tale chip of a Louisiana Waterthrush.  It got up and made a complete circle around us and went down in the slough.  It never co-operated for a photos though.  It was the first record any of us had in the month of March.  I think the earliest record for Rondeau is the 26th, but not sure, so this could be second earliest.  Spicebush is usually the first spot they show up every year.  I know Jim and I had one there early April last year.

At Erieau's McGeachy Pond, I found one of the local Northern Mockingbirds.  A few American Tree Sparrows were at the west end.

'Mocker'

I also saw the only butterfly of the day--a Red Admiral.  It did not co-operate either.  I think this is the earliest that I have had this species.

I started heading west afterwards and just kept going.  My car did not stop until I got to Point Pelee!  One of these days I will have to put a stop to this!
The onion field area had lots of Bonaparte's Gull and others on the ground.  I saw two Sandhill Cranes, then another single later.

In the park I walked West Beach Trail.  It was a pleasant walk, but not much in the way of birds.  The Park did lots of burning this past week or so, but the fire was not very hot.  They burned many of the junipers.
Out on the lake were lots of scaup and scoters, fairly close and also very far.  The lake was calm and viewing conditions were good.  All three types of scoters were present including lots of Black.  The Blacks were the ones that were making noise!

I did not go into Hillman due to lack of time, but I heard the Eurasian Teal was seen again today.
On the way home I checked Winter Line Wetlands (Curly Clark's) and many waterfowl present.  As well, four Pectoral Sandpipers were there (FOY).  Nearby, the fields were filling up with waterfowl by the hundreds.  Several species present.  Too bad it was late in the day.

At least the weather was better than forecast.......