Two Tours

Yesterday I ventured down to Wheatley with a brief stop at Point Pelee.  I walked Shuster Trail in PPNP and never heard nor saw a single bird!  Usually in any given winter there are always some birds along that trail, but I must have hit a bad day.  The thousands of scaup, etc. were visible on the lake but too far out.

A large number of American Robins was around the De Laurier area along with some European Starlings and a kinglet and creeper or two, but that was it.

A brief stop at Blue Heron where there were no birds, got me discouraged enough to vacate the park!
(Although I did encounter a roadside flock of White-throated Sparrows north of Sanctuary on the way out).

I went over to Wheatley Harbour where there were hundreds of gulls.  Most were Ring-billed along with about 100 Bonaparte's.  Some were roosting on a dock and I picked out that bonie which forgot to moult!  I saw that one earlier in the fall and was surprised to see it yesterday again.  I could not get close it, but I later saw it flying around the north part of the harbour.

subject gull in centre

On the way north, I walked through Two Creeks CA which was far more interesting than Point Pelee. A good variety of birds was in there but no sign of that elusive Varied Thrush (if it is still there).  I did get a Hermit Thrush which was the closest I could come.  Most birds were in one area including a lone and out-of-place Common Grackle.

I stopped at Lighthouse Cove which can be interesting in a normal year at this time.  Like everyplace else this winter, there was not much to see.  Those collectible Mallard-types were sleeping along the shoreline.

A few gulls were out on the ice, but nothing of note.

Through Dover area in Chatham-Kent, I saw only 3 Snowy Owls, but I did not try to look for any.  This one I saw earlier at dawn.

Today I checked out the St. Clair River which did not take long since there is not much out there.  A large number of Canada Geese was at Cathcart Park along with some Tundra Swans.  These swans are the wintering variety which stick around all winter.

Blackwell Road at Sarnia had two visible Snowy Owls.

While there, I caught sight of a Merlin in the old landfill site as well as which appeared to be a dark Rough-legged Hawk.

The weather was very crappy today, but after-all it was the weekend.  So photos are not all that great.

In the Sarnia Bay/harbour there was an interesting array of birds.  Near the end of Exmouth Street was a Common Loon which has been around for a while.  I tried to photograph it, but...

Nearby, a female Ring-necked Duck was with some Mallards.

In the Bay, were a number of gulls including the first Glaucous I have seen this winter.  Where are those white-winged gulls??!! Lots of Ring-billed and Herrring around.

The Sarnia 'locals' were in the parking lot looking for some handouts.

Duck with a long tail