A Few Weekend Scenes

 Still not much to talk about as winter refuses to leave.  The weather this weekend was the pits so that did not help!  Really depressing today as snow fell, which was certainly not in any forecast I looked at.  It turned nice later in the afternoon though, signalling the close of the weekend.

Friday was miserable at Rondeau with a cold wind under dreary skies.

Some birds were already thinking of nesting.  I observed a pair of Carolina Wrens bringing nesting material into the cap of a propane tank in the campground!  No photo though.

I looked at a Hackberry tree that I found in the campground the previous week.  This species is quite rare at Rondeau as only two other known trees are within the park.  No doubt there are some others to be found.  This was a previously unknown specimen.

The hackberry can be abundant in some locations.  Lots are along the Thames and Sydenham River, and it is one of the more abundant trees at Point Pelee.

Lots of gulls were just outside Erieau.  A first year Iceland stood out.

Most were Ring-billed.

Saturday was sunny for the most part, but way too windy and cold to do much walking.  I stopped at Hillman marsh first thing for a change.  Not a huge amount of waterfowl, but a pair of Blue-winged Teal were early arrivals.

Gadwall was the most numerous, and some Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail were in.

An early Tree Swallow was present.  Much too early!

I also went into Point Pelee, but did not find much of note.  Along with Bald Eagles, a Red-shouldered Hawk was over Sparrow Field.

Today was downright miserable, but I went to Rondeau anyway.  Bird were hunkered down, so nothing to report.

Highlight was a swift fox!  Not sure what it was carrying.

These ducks were beside Keith McLean C. L.

I passed by Stefina Line pasture, and managed to get the right timing to see two Wilson's Snipe!  Both were feeding in the usual creek.    I have only seen two once before during the winter season.

This afternoon the wind died a bit so I decided to go for a long walk up at Reid CA.  Looked at various trees as there were not many birds to see.  Lots of robins were foraging in the woods though.

I walked through a sedge area that I need to check more thoroughly come early July.