September Stuff and More Rain Events

 Time for another blog post I suppose!  But not much to talk about lately.

Last Friday I went down to Rondeau and dealt with some rain.  There was a fair number of birds, but all expected.  I did a bit of a lakewatch at dog beach first thing, but little was moving.

Quite a few birds were moving through the parking lot.  This Great-crested Flycatcher stopped briefly.

About 18 species of warblers were on south point trail, including Blackpoll which was the most common.  Not chance for photos due to rain and bad lighting!

One of the most common ladies' tresses is showing well now.  Great Plains can be found throughout the park.

On Saturday, a stiff NW wind was forecast, so I headed up to Kettle Point.  Unfortunately, there was relentless rain!  There were brief periods where it stopped, but it kept coming.  

As a result, it was very uncomfortable and soaking wet!  As well, it curtailed the number of birds we saw.

Rainbows showed a couple of times.

However, there were some highlights, including a close Long-tailed Jaeger.  Photos were taken by another birder which can be found on eBird.  This bird was swimming on the water for a while, then eventually got up passing in front of us.

We also saw a Parasitic Jaeger fairly close just before that.  A couple of other distant jaegers remained unidentified.

Red-necked Phalaropes were around, and we caught sight of one as it laboured in the wind in front of us.

It would have been nice to stay there longer, but it was just too miserable and we eventually decided to head out.  There was no rain inland of course!

On the way home, I stopped by Marthaville Habitat Management Area to eat my lunch, and dry out during a walk.

Here are some insects encountered there:

Common Painted-Lady

Slender Spreadwing

White-faced Meadowhawk

It was nice later in the afternoon for a walk at Peers Wetland.  The place is back to "dead" mode!

Yesterday, I ended up at Sarnia.  It was a beautiful day, but no birds to speak of.  The John D. Leitch was downbound after layup.  This ship is likely in its final year, being the last holdout of the old Upper Lakes Shipping.  Not the most attractive design!

Not many insects in the garden lately.  This Hornworm Tachnid Fly was working the garden late yesterday.

Today 'seemed' like a good day to check out Rondeau.  Not really though, as there were very few birds!

Only a handful of warblers and vireos were on south point trail and elsewhere, among other things.

Over at Keith McLean C. L., things are looking better for shorebirds.  Only four Greater Yellowlegs were there today though.  I suspect a Hudsonian Godwit will show soon!

I am still seeing Fiery Skipper there.

As well, lots of Common Checkered-Skippers were out today.

In the history department, the Great Lakes passenger steamer South American burned on this day in 1925 at Holland Michigan.  It was rebuilt and sailed until the 1960's.

I recall seeing this ship and here is the evidence!  Albeit a very poor photo at Seager Park on the St Clair River, late afternoon looking into the sun.

1965

It was eventually towed to Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware River.  I actually saw it in July 1984 when my father and I took a trip to Philadelphia.  It was under the steel structure at Camden, New Jersey as seen near the left of the photo (barely visible).  Note balloon pollution!

Weekend Watches

It was Rondeau and area on Saturday as I made some more rounds.  I started at dog beach in the park just in case something of note would show.  The wind was very strong ESE, which time and time again has proven no good for a lakewatch there!  Direct east winds just do not seem to work there even though anything can show at any time.

Steve and checked maintenance area and found a few passerines, but then headed out of the park to McLean Conservation Lands.

Target there was a secretive sparrow.  Once again it is Nelson's-mania!  Just like last year, multiple Nelson's Sparrows have dropped in.
With the strong wind, the birds were skittish and did not show long enough to get photos.  We checked the grounds thoroughly and probably had glimpses of five Nelson's Sparrows.  No doubt there are more than that there!

(last year)

Shorebird habitat is good at "Lake McLean" and two Long-billed Dowitchers were still present.  Seems Long-billed Dowitchers are showing well everywhere this fall.

Numbers of passerines were a bit light on Saturday in areas I checked.  This Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was one of the birds encountered that day.

For Sunday, a stiff southwest wind was forecast so it looked good for a Tip Watch at Point Pelee.  It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a good Tip Watch.  We have some excellent ones in past years.

I met up with Steve Pike and we headed to the Tip.  Keith and Jim Burk were already there and eventually Jere Bensette came along.
Some gulls were resting on the Tip including a "Great Lakes" Gull (Herring X Great Black-backed).

A fair number of bonies were moving south, but our hopes for the appearance of a Sabine's Gull never materialized.

There were very few ducks, but some Black Scoters were nice to see.

Sanderlings were scooting around the Tip sand.

Lots of Blue Jays and Turkey Vultures were around today.

At one point I got on a jaeger. It was fairly distant on the east side heading south.  We determined it to be a Parasitic.  Any jaeger is exciting here!

Again on the east side, Jere spotted another jaeger a bit later.  This one was fairly close.  It put on a good show interacting with some gulls.

We determined it to be a Long-tailed Jaeger with the blunt extended central tail feathers. 
Cha-ching!
It was a new and long overdue Pelee bird for me, as well as for Keith!

A rainstorm (must be the weekend) came in and we scurried to the tram stop to head north.

By the time we got out at the VC, the sun was coming out and we decided to check out De Laurier.  There were quite a few birds to sort through.  Kinglets were certainly the bird of the day.

Other decent birds mixed included a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Ovenbird, and various other warblers.

Hopefully there are more opportunities for a Tip Watch at Point Pelee this fall!

Jaeger Season!

Lots of jaegers have been reported lately, especially at the west end of Lake Ontario.  Around my area, they are usually much scarcer, but on a good wind at certain locations we sometimes see a few.  (No dice at Pelee yesterday!).  The winds were calling this morning from Lake Huron, so I headed up to the lakewatch spot.  I met Mike Bouman and we stood watch for a while.
Birds were not plentiful for sure, but there was some activity.  Perhaps the winds switched too late, as it was in the wee hours of the morning it turned NE.

Three jaegers for sure made an appearance, but sometimes it is difficult to determine if these are ones that return.  Often they head back out into the lake, but other times they continue south overland.
At 07:45 I caught site of a very distant jaeger.  ID to species impossible!
At 08:30 we saw it or another jaeger which was most likely juv Parasitic.
At 09:00 another jaeger appeared which I assumed to be Long-tailed.
At 10:20 the closest jaeger appeared which was decidedly a dark juv Parasitic different from previous.  This one appeared to head overland Michigan.  Mike left just before that one!

Passed in front of Algoway

While observing the Long-tailed, Jim Burk texted saying that he just had a Long-tailed at Rondeau!  He and Keith had 3 or 4 jaegers off the east side of Rondeau including a couple of Parasitic.  Not often we manage to see jaegers in the Rondeau area, so it was a good day!  NE winds are apparently the most suitable for there.

During the course of the stay at Sarnia, a Great Egret appeared, several Sanderlings, an unidentified shorebird (not Sanderling!), Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, tons or cormorants, etc.
Things were rather slow, so I soon left.

The day turned out rather nice, so I stopped at Moore WMA to look for insects.  First notable butterfly was a Northern Pearly-Eye, rather fresh.  Not one I expected today. Latest I have seen one.

I saw several darners including a worn Fawn.

Also this one which can easily be identified, likely a Shadow Darner.  Also saw Canada.

Also saw this spreadwing:

Stiff Godenrod at Moore

Stopped at McKeough as well, and found a single Flag-tailed Spinyleg.