Thanksgiving Weekend 2022: Highs and Lows

 Various locations were visited the past three days with some highlights.  Friday it was up to Sarnia for a lakewatch, Saturday down to Rondeau, and today Lighthouse Cove and Point Pelee.

The winds looked decent for a lakewatch at Sarnia on Friday, so I was up there at first light!  It was not the most ideal wind, but the weather forecasts can rarely be relied upon anymore.  Whatever happens, happens!

Many local birders showed up for the morning.  There was not a huge number of birds, but lots of ducks were moving, and Bonaparte's Gulls finally showed in moderate numbers.  Nothing with them though!

Some decent lake ship sightings at least!

Wilfred Sykes

The Wilfred Sykes is an attractive ship built in 1949, and set the standards for the modern laker.

Tim S. Dool

Algoma Buffalo

I was hoping for jaegers, but they did not show in my stay. Some loons were seen, and this became the highlight in a delayed way!

Two loons quickly moving west were observed by Josh Bouman and myself.  One was a bit smaller and had some distinctive features separating it from the adjacent Common.  Josh snapped some quick photos, which was a good thing because it definitively revealed a Pacific Loon!

Josh was saying Pacific Loon at the time, and I thought it could be one as well, but I was not convinced until I saw the photo.  Here is a link to the eBird list that has a record photo:  JB's List

I left after a few hours, then stopped at various locations on the way home.  Hardly much in the way of birds!

I stopped at Moore WMA, but the water was fairly high, so not much in the way of mussels.

Mapleleaf

Deertoe

Saturday I started with a lakewatch at Rondeau's dog beach.  Winds were not ideal (again!), but one has to try.  I then moved on to south point trail where I found Yellow-rumped Warblers everywhere.

Palm Warblers were in big numbers, especially along the edge of the woods/dunes.

It was then on to Keith McLean C. L., where it was quite interesting.  There is a lot of mud, good for shorebirds. A year bird for me was a Long-billed Dowitcher.  Several other shorebirds were present, including lots of White-rumped Sandpipers.

I then moved on to find two Hudsonian Godwits!  Too distant for a good photo though.  Those and the dowitcher were on my "want" list for this weekend!

Today, there was not really any plan, as things were quite slow with birds.  Yesterday, a Magnificent Frigatebird was found at Lighthouse Cove.  It was stil present this morning, so I went there to see it.

However, it was a sad state of affairs, as this bird was either sick or emaciated.  Difficult to say in this case, but seabirds from the deep south usually do not do well here as they are out of their element.

This bird was eventually taken and euthanized today.  But, I did get to see it alive (not doing well!) in Chatham-Kent.

I went on to Point Pelee from there, but it was quiet for birds.  Very windy too, which did not help matters.

Tomorrow is another day.....

Pelee Prize-Magnificent Frigatebird

Luckily things were slow at work today, so I headed south late morning.  The target was a frigatebird that was reported yesterday afternoon.  It was a Magnificent Frigatebird, which appears to be a female. It is a bird any serious birder cannot pass up!
I arrived at Pelee Wings Nature Store during lunch hour and went to the back deck where Mike Malone and Joan Walker have graciously allowed birders to view this magnificent creature.

It was a bit distant as it perched in a tree, but views through the scope were good.

Mike told us that a homeowner was accepting birders to view the bird from his dock, and many of us went there at the end of Robson Road to see the bird up close.  I went over with my very good friend, Rick Mayos.

It did not fly the whole hour I was there and looked lost and likely hungry as it perched in the tree.

While there I met several friends or people I know, and others came afterwards.

Rick Mayos at left, Barb Charlton looking through scope and Nathan Hood and Isabel Apkarian in centre

There have only been four previously accepted records for Ontario (prior 2016), most likely results of hurricanes in the south.
1) Point Edward, Lambton September 1988
2) Stoney Point, Essex October 1995
3) Clearville-Rondeau, Chatham-Kent July 2012
4) Long Point, Norfolk September 2012

There are two records accepted as frigatebird sp.
1) Colchester, Essex 2008
2) Lake Huron shoreline (Ipperwash, Lambton to Tobermory, Bruce) 2013

It is often difficult to assign species to some frigatebirds, as was the case in the above two records.

I stopped by Hillman Marsh on the way back and walked around the shorebird cell.  Few butterflies were to be found, but the continuing Dickcissels were singing away.  I seem to always come up with seven singing males there, but likely there are several females lurking around.

Three Great Egrets were close by affording photo ops.

It was a fine way to start the holiday weekend, and add a new Essex County bird to my list (been a while!).