Sand in Your Face at Pelee's Tip

A brutal southerly wind was a-blowin' today so I decided to take a chance at Point Pelee's Tip.  As an early riser, I headed to Pelee and was the first visitor in the park!
The wind was more SSW when I arrived, so it was difficult finding a spot out of the wind.  Sand was in the air!  As I set up, my scope went over, so it was a chore when I got home to remove sand without damaging it.  Eventually the wind moved more SW.

Sand on the Move

Red-breasted Mergansers were on the move bigtime.  Not sure how many but perhaps 60,000+.  I did not try to count, but by 13:00h there were apparently 80,000 and counting.  It was continuous with many other species mixed in.  Two or three Wood Ducks were even trying to sneak by in merganser flocks. Lots of Bufflehead today as well among others.

A few Common Loons were heading south. I counted close to 30.
Not a huge number of bonies, but they were constant keeping us alert.
I was joined by Alan Wormington, Kevin McLaughlin, Marianne Reid, Steve Pike and Richard Carr.  At one point Steve yelled out jaeger.  It was distant, but characteristics pointed toward Pomarine.  It was seen for some time, but eventually headed away.  I believe Richard was on it first and having never seen a jaeger before, he was wondering what it was.
No swallows were seen at the Tip and I looked at various points on the way home.  Landbirds were few but I did spot a Lincoln's Sparrow in Sparrow Field.  Good spot for a sparrow!

Red Cedars are loaded with berries this fall, so certain birds will have a feast.

I decided to check Lake St. Clair area on the way home.  Lots of bonies were inland today including many at the triangle marsh north of Tilbury.
I stopped at St. Clair NWA.  Lots of geese were in, but viewing was difficult.  I did pick out at least one Snow Goose.
Mitchell's Bay was next on the agenda.  When I arrived at the parking lot, I was pretty sure I saw a Marbled Godwit!  After getting out the scope, it morphed into three Marbled Godwits.  That was a surprise as I thought the two previous had left since they were last seen October 20.  I am tempted to consider these three new birds, but who knows.

Lots of bonies were at the Bay as well.  Nothing with them that I could see.

Tomorrow is a gamble.  Weather forecasst are almost useless anymore, so which way will the wind blow?