Mid-November Things

 This past week was rather uneventful, so not much to report!  If we ever get more seasonal weather, things should pick up.  Climate change.......

Wednesday I stayed local and took advantage of the nice weather.  I went for a long walk at Reid CA in the morning.  Hardly any birds of course, but I checked out the riverbank since water levels are quite low.  Some river mussels (shells) were visible.

Mapleleaf

Giant Floater

Thursday was a rainy, but windy day so I had the notion to head down to Wheatley Harbour to watch the lake.  It was not as productive as I had hoped!  Lots of gulls, but as usual, no rarities.

I did get into Point Pelee for a bit, but it was mostly car-birding as it was still raining.

Friday was uneventful locally!

Saturday I headed down to Point Pelee.  I wanted to be in Essex County to attend the Essex County Field Naturalists annual banquet.  More on birding at Pelee later, but the dinner event was a chance to get something off my bucket list, so-to-speak.

Guest speaker was Adam Shoalts, of whom I have written about before.  Since reading all five of his books, I have become quite a fan!  I always wanted to go to one of his presentations, but he is so popular that it is difficult to get tickets.

Adam's focus was his canoeing adventure from Long Point to the Arctic a few years ago.  The name of his book about this trip is Where The Falcon Flies.  Fascinating stuff!

My day started at Point Pelee with a Tip Watch.  I joined Keith Burk with conditions that were perfect with excellent visibility and not too strong of a wind.  It was cloudy, but that is better for lakewatching anyway.  Wind was light out of the NW so not the best to bring in birds to the Tip.

Lots of loons and a fair number of White-winged Scoters were flying, but not much else.........until a bit later.

At one point I noticed masses of ducks to the NE heading west.  'Masses' was an understatement!  Eventually, looking to the west, it was the same thing.  Honestly, I have never seen so many ducks at once.  They were essentially all scaup, and no doubt Greater Scaup.  Here are some unprocessed views.

The skies were filled with ducks to the north, and most circled back to set down on both the east and west sides of Point Pelee.  I estimated around 100,000 ducks, and they were basically all scaup.  It was mind-boggling!  Especially for one species.

After some thought and discussion, I roughly estimated about 90,000 Greater Scaup!  Record high from Alan Wormington's records less than twenty years ago, was about 60,000 as I recall.

I walked various trails in the park later, but there were not too many landbirds.

Tip bonies

Today, it was down to Rondeau Park.  A decent SW wind was blowing, so I was lured to dog beach for a lakewatch.....again.   Hardly any gulls, but a few more ducks were moving, especially White-winged Scoters.  At least it paid off this time with a decent bird.

Before that at one point, a shorebird came by which turned out to be a late Greater Yellowlegs.  Not the godwit that I was hoping for!  A bit too far for my measly camera.

Several loons were moving or swimming offshore, including a few Red-throated.  At one point, I noticed loon swimming not far offshore.  It was difficult to get on through the waves, and it was diving more than it was up.  However, my brief views allowed me to determine it was a Pacific!  Eventually it stayed up longer (but distant) to allow us to make sure it was a Pacific. It was just two years ago that Steve and I found Rondeau's first Pacific in the same spot!

Hopefully there will be more loons and ducks for the Christmas Bird Count in the area on December 15.

Some historical filler from year's past:

Fifty-five years ago today, the 1905-built Ridgetown was laid up for the last time (originally Wm. E. Corey) .  It was eventually sunk as a breakwater at Port Credit in 1974.  It still exists today, but probably will not last much longer due to deterioration.

Her identical sister (Henry C. Frick) was retired in 1972, and sold for scrap.  Michipicoten was being towed for overseas scrapping, but broke in two in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 15 November 1972.  

Michipicoten breaking up
(photo from Boatnerd)

It was a favourite of mine when I was quite young, so much so, my Dad commissioned a line drawing done of it!

One of these days, winter will arrive!  Maybe.

Some Harbingers of Spring and Other Notes

 A walk at Reid CA this morning revealed some early signs of spring.  Wildflowers and other plants are popping up through the leaf litter.  Although quite cool, I was lucky to have the sun out during my walk.

Notably, Harbinger of Spring is already out!  It was early April last year that I first saw these delicate plants.

They are in a couple of locations at Reid.  This plant is found mainly in rich upland woodlands and is on the endangered list and is considered imperiled.

Trout Lilly is starting to peak through, and some Virginia Springbeauty is about to bloom.

Wild Leek, a member of the onion family, is coming up now as well.

Along the way, I noted some members of the fungi family.  This one is quite pretty, similar to turkey tail.  It is known by its scientific name, Stereum lobatum.

I find quite a bit of splitgill mushroom at Reid.  This specimen is one of the more attractive ones I have found.

Another fungus, this one may be hypoxylon canker, not too common it seems.

With rain overnight, the vernal ponds in the woods are doing well.

There are always some interesting things to see within Reid CA.  This large maple tree split in half at its base a few years ago.

This tree grew with quite a twist back in the day!

A ramble at Reid is not complete without seeing a mussel or two.

                                Mapleleaf

A few days ago, I checked out some spots locally and found some Tree Swallows.  Probably some of the earliest arrivals I have ever seen.  These were both at Mitchell's Bay and Peers Wetland.

Just over a week ago, a pair of Black-billed Magpies was found at the east end of Rondeau Bay.  Later, they were seen (assumed to be the same birds) on Fargo Road north of Shrewsbury. No doubt they are attempting to nest there, as they have been observed gathering nesting material!

I stopped by a couple of days ago and took a quick photo of the pair under gloomy skies.

One has to wonder what is going on with these creatures!  Last year, there were multiple sightings in SW Ontario, especially in Elgin County towards St. Thomas.  Were a bunch of birds released?

There has been incursions from the west in the past (eg. 1973), but the pattern does not fully fit the criteria.

Black-billed Magpies have been known to be kept in captivity with some either escaping or being released.  Perhaps some were let go the last year or two.

There are legitimate wild birds up in the Rainy River District which I have seen on visits there.  Once in a while one may be seen in southern Ontario.  Back on May 15, 1999, I found one at Rondeau Park.  It was later seen the next day by several birders, but this one clearly had a band on one leg.  Easy to discount that as a wild bird!

Later, I also took some time in Rondeau Park.  Eastern Phoebes have started to trickle in already  Two or three were seen that morning.

Yesterday, I needed a change in scenery and went down to Hillman Marsh. I did the long walk around the dike.  Lots of ducks to look at!  I always scrutinize them for European imports, namely Eurasian Wigeon or Eurasian Green-winged Teal (Common Teal).  One year, I found both!  However no dice this visit.

Wood Ducks

A Northern Shrike has been wintering in the area there, and was still present.  Soon, it will head north.

It is the time of year one must be on the lookout for Loggerhead Shrike. Occasionally one shows up in our area, like the one north of Erieau last year.

Some cool weather the next few days, but more spring arrivals will be in our midsts!

During my down time, I do a lot of reading.  Currently, I am checking out books written by Adam Shoalts.  He is a survivalist and adventurer that has done many extended canoe trips throughout Canada.  He lived at St. Williams, near Long Point at one time.  Adam is a very popular speaker and his talks sell out quite quickly.  A couple of years ago he was guest speaker for the Sydenham Field Naturalists annual spring banquet.

The book I am currently reading is the trip from Long Point to the Arctic in northern Labrador.  A 3400 km journey!