Saturday Stuff

On this cool but sunny Saturday, I headed down to Rondeau Park to look around.  Near the end of Lakeshore Road, Jim Burk and I took note of a Northern Shrike.  It is not often we see one in the park (not often outside the park either!), but we stopped to hear it calling.

It was distant against the sunlight though.

This time of year, one must look out for a Loggerhead Shrike, but this one was obviously a Northern.

Along south point trail, there was not much to see.  With American Woodcocks now arriving there was hope in flushing one, but it was not to be.
A Fox Sparrow was farther along, possibly an early spring migrant as none have been down that far in the park this winter.
On the lake, a Horned Grebe was of note.

An Eastern Towhee was singing along Lakeshore Road, farther north than where the one was all winter.

The campground had a few birds, including a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.

The field across from McGeachy Pond has more water than we have seen in many years.  It was chucked full of waterfowl.

American Wigeons were the most numerous duck, but none of the European variety were among them.

I continued on to Hillman Marsh, in hopes of coming across the Trumpeter Swans that had been seen recently.
The shorebird cell was not too productive and certainly nothing of note was there.
Off the boardwalk area, I noticed two large swans.  I assumed they were Mute, as a pair was there last week.  However, they were Trumpeter Swans!

Lots of Gadwall were in this area as well.

Being this close to Point Pelee, I headed there next.  Some gulls were in the onion fields, including a single Glaucous.

Within the park, I saw an Eastern Bluebird near Sleepy Hollow.
I thought I would try for the Townsend's Solitaire that was seen along west beach trail.  I met up with Josh Vandermeulen and Jeremy Bensette, so we checked out the trail.  There was no solitaire to be found!
On the way out, Jeremy found out that the solitaire had apparently been seen north of Black Willow.  They looked but did not find it.

On the way home, I noted Red-shouldered Hawk, Turkey Vulture and Snowy Owl.  A pair of Sandhill Cranes was near St. Clair NWA.  Likely the same ones as last week nearby.

It was a fine day to be out and take advantage of rare Saturday sun.