More Harbingers of Spring and Other Things

 There has not really been much new to report in the last week, so lack of subject matter here.  Migration has been sluggish so far this spring, but it looks like the floodgates will open up in the next few days.

It continues to be very windy every day.  We have had some calm mornings, but as the day progresses, the wind picks up!  Enough already.

Last Friday, I went out Lake St. Clair way on a fairly calm and cloudless morning.  No novelties!

Eastern Phoebe

Saturday I went down to Rondeau Park.  Nothing out of the ordinary to report!

Sunday, I once again went to Rondeau, but took a long walk out the marsh trail on a calm and cloudless morning.  Yet again, nothing new had come in.  It was for exercise I guess!

The Bay was as smooth as glass first thing.

Later, I swung by the Townsend's Solitaire spot, and the western creature was still working the property much to the delight of many birders who had come to see it.

On the 14th, I checked out the nature trail at Mitchell's Bay.  It was fairly birdy, but no rarities!  A couple of freshly-arrived Yellow-rumped Warblers were along the trail though.

There were hundreds of gulls in the fields around the area.  Some too far out to discern, but a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were amongst them.

I continued on and ended up for a long walk at Reid CA.  I was not too successful in finding mussels along the riverbank.  A couple of Mapleleaf were all that I could muster.

Always looking for Harbinger of Spring.....which is fairly plentiful at Reid.

As always here, not many birds.  I did get a newly-arrived Yellow-rumped Warbler though.

Tuesday was a bit of a write-off with the crappy winter-like weather.  High winds again!

Today was much nicer, but I stayed fairly close to home.  I checked out the St. Clair River in case a Pacific Loon was around.  (I was optimistic!).  Of course, no such luck.

Afterwards, I headed inland and went to Moore WMA to look for mussels.  There were quite a few!  All were just dead shells of course, except, I did find one live mussel in the form of a Fragile Papershell. (I put it back in the water!).

Best find was a Kidneyshell (as far as I can tell), a critically imperiled species in Ontario.

Other things included a White Heelsplitter, not to be confused with the rarer Pink Heelsplitter.

And the fairly-regular Deertoe

Most common is Giant Floater (do they float?).

This afternoon warmed up quite nicely, and the wind died a little, so I went for a walk at Reid CA.  Things are picking up, as I found at least three Yellow-rumped Warblers, an encouraging sign of things to come.

A few insects were flying in the cool breeze today.

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Pink-spotted Lady Beetle

Furcate Dung Fly

Spring plants have struggled, but are slowly emerging.

Large White Trillium

Reid is quite abundant with ginger, and I found a few popping up today.

Looks like warmer weather is on the way, so things will be hoppin' now that Easter is on the way!

The Floodgates Open

 Well, not for birds, but rain.  Although it has been patchy for the amount of rain in certain locations, around Wallaceburg we have had a crazy amount of rain.  The last couple of days, fields have been flooded, streams overflowing, and rivers raging.  It did not seem like a lot of rain, but obviously it was.

One needed to wear rubber boots to walk any trail.  At Peers Wetland, Otter Creek was backflowing into the wetland!

Gulls liked the wet fields around here, with hundreds last couple of days taking advantage of the situation.  I did not look too thoroughly at the gulls, as they were way out in the fields.  At least one Little Gull was around Port Lambton yesterday.

We are finally seeing a good movement of birds after a very quiet winter.  A couple of days ago I took advantage of the sunny day and toured around Rondeau.  We saw the first Yellow-rumped Warblers of the season in various locations.

Some sparrows have arrived, especially yesterday (Tuesday).  

Field

Eastern Towhees have shown up as well.  This one at Port Lambton did not co-operate for the camera!

The other day I checked out the south trail at Mitchell's Bay.  Numerous Great Egrets were in.

Still lots of ducks on the Bay, and Ruddy seemed to be the most numerous.

Horned Grebes are plentiful in some locations.

It has been warm on some days, and wildlife has been emerging.

I missed the big push of early birds at Rondeau yesterday, but hundreds of kinglets and juncos topped the list.

Today, at the last minute, I decided to go to Rondeau.  I met up with Steve at the marsh trail where we saw dozens of flickers migrating north, among other things.  We had over 60 in an hour!  Lighting was no good for photos today though.

There were still lots of juncos and kinglets, but obviously yesterday's birds had moved on for the most part.  A couple of the first Ruby-crowned Kinglets of the year caught our eye.

I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. before heading home, and left there just before a heavy storm rolled through.  Nothing of interest, but water levels are very high.

Several Tree Swallows were competing for nesting boxes.

An Osprey has shown up there recently.  I was too far away for a photo.

Looking forward to days ahead as time creeps by.

Rare Rondeau Spider

Cool Weekend Wanderings

 Once again little to report as spring migrants are trickling in.  Friday, it was down to Rondeau.  At least the sun was out for some time!  More kinglets were flitting about.

After striking out on any warblers at all, I headed back near home.  I wanted to check out Port Lambton sewage lagoons for the first time in a long time.  A permit is required to enter any lagoon in St. Clair Township legally.  (After going through a process, I managed to get a permit, mainly for checking out breeding birds this season for the Atlas).  Port Lambton lagoons are not suited for public access anyway, as one has to drive down a long single track to the complex, and there is absolutely no parking.

Quite a few ducks were present with the dominant one being Northern Shoveler.

Later, I stopped by Peers Wetland.  A single fresh migrant Yellow-rumped Warbler was present.

Three Sandhill Cranes were a nice sight.

Saturday, I decided to go to Point Pelee. Just like clockwork, the weather went for a crap with heavy wet snow on the trip there.  Thankfully, it eventually cleared during my visit and the sun came out.  It was cold, but birding was quiet.  Where did that Louisiana Waterthrush go?

It was more a social time, as I spent time with a couple of friends who I had not seen all winter.

I stopped by Hillman shorebird cell as well.  A good number of birds there, but nothing special.  I did get my first-of-year Pectoral Sandpipers (8).  I arrived just in time, as they took off, never to be seen again!

Lots of Bonaparte's Gulls are around right now, but no sign of  a Black-headed!  An Iceland Gull was at Wheatley Harbour.

Near home, I checked out the south shore nature trail at Mitchell's Bay.  One never knows what will show there! (eg. Sage Thrasher!).

I did get my first-of-year Purple Martins.  Lighting bad!

Sunday, it was down to Rondeau again. Cold, but at least the sun was out.  No warblers once again! 

 Ducks were numerous on the Bay, and I spotted a Eurasian Wigeon.  It was likely the same one spotted the day before at the head of the Bay.  A bit too distant for my camera.

It was a bright bird, and certainly a different one than the Erieau duck, which was seen that day as well. 

There have been quite a few of these European variety of wigeon around southern Ontario this year!

I checked out Erieau, then the Blenheim lagoons. Lots of ducks there as well.  I was hoping to stumble upon an Eared Grebe, but I only came up with a Horned at the lagoons.

At the rail trail, lots of turtles were out.  All were painted, except I did spot one Blandings.

This week will be warm with southerly winds, so lots of new migrants will show up!