Some Wanderings and A Crossbill Fix

Quiet times are upon us now.  It is difficult to find many birds on the trails, but we keep looking!

I went down to Rondeau on Friday.  I started with a lakewatch at dog beach, but it was not for long.  The stiff wind was out of the east and it was cold.  Some Red-throated Loons are out there, and hopefully a number will be tallied on the CBC next Sunday.  I always start with a lakewatch at dog beach!

The only birds in numbers was a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos near the campground.  Nothing of note caught my eye with them.

I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. as well.  Lots of Killdeer still around (I counted 14).  Also, one Wilson's Snipe was present.

Today, it was up to Pinery Provincial Park.  I rarely get there anymore, but the weather promised to be nice.  And it was!  Clear skies and sun while there.

My goal was to see some Red Crossbills and hopefully a Bohemian Waxwing or two.  I lucked out with Red Crossbills from the get-go!

A total of eight was a nice number!

I have not had much luck with Red Crossbills at all in the past. The few I have seen or heard were flyovers.  Today was actually the first time I photographed any!  They were quite high in a tree though.

White-winged Crossbills are not around right now.  In the past, I have even had them in my yard.

At the store parking lot, I met up with Deryl, Sharon and Donna.  We went for a long walk all the way to the beach at Dunes campground.  A dark morph Rough-legged Hawk flew over at one point, being the only highlight.

Lots of Black-capped Chickadees are around.  Where is that Boreal?

Later, I walked around by myself, but never came across any sort of waxwing.  Maybe next time...

I stopped by Ausable River Cut CA.  Going over the bridge, I noticed the water level was very low, so I checked out some of the shoreline for mussels.  I found three or four types.  Most notable was a Wabash Pigtoe (a "vulnerable" species).

I think the only other one of this type I found was at Rondeau south beach.

Some Three-ridge were readily found, which I find very common here.

I passed through Port Franks too.  Lots of gulls, but nothing stood out.

Ipperwash was very quiet....again!

One last walk before getting home was at McKellar Tract on Bickford Line.  It was essentially birdless, like most places early this winter.  Going to be a very quiet winter....