May Meanderings This Past Week

 Things are picking up, but it is still not booming with birds.  Perhaps the continuous cold weather has had some bearing.

I have been here and there and down to Rondeau a couple of times.  On Wednesday, I managed to scrape up 90 species in the park.  Lots of first-of-year birds of course.  There was a good variety of warblers.

Palm

Blackburnian

Cape May

At one point we got word that a Yellow-throated Warbler was seen at Bennett and Harrison.  We looked around, but could not find it.  A bit later, Steve found it along Lakeshore Road.  However, it did not stay in that location for the rest of us!.  After I left, it was found again along Harrison.....of course.

While hoping to find this warbler, I came across some White-crowned Sparrows around the churches.  One was of the gambelii type which was white lores.  It is an uncommon but regular visitor to Ontario from the west.

On Thursday the Yellow-throated Warbler, it was found again quite reliably along Harrison.  However that day I volunteer at the museum, so could not be at Rondeau.

Friday morning, I was at Rondeau bright and early and the first target was the subject warbler.  I soon found it singing high in some trees.  This bird was still around the next day as well.

It was too early and dark first thing to attempt a photo of the warbler.

(photo from the past)

The morning was clear and crisp.  I did a slow walk along south point trail (east) with some friends.

The Lonely Concrete Structure!

I covered quite a bit of ground in the park.

White-crowned Sparrow

Eastern Kingbird

Northern Flicker

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

In the afternoon I walked a bit out marsh trail  Found a Clay-colored Sparrow which had me stumped at first since I was looking directly into the sun.  Could not get a decent photo....

Saturday, was terribly cool along the lake.  I did not see anything of note, despite some effort in trying to find something!

Today was still cool (again!), but clear and sunny.  

I went up to Dow Wetlands first thing to see Sedge Wrens and a Clay-colored Sparrow.  Each have nested there in the past, so perhaps will again this year.

The Sedge

The Clay

I completely missed seeing Sedge Wren last year, so these were nice to see today.

A couple of Solitary Sandpipers were at Doug's Lookout pond.

I checked out some other spots for birds this morning, but nothing of note.

Oriole of the orchard

This time of year we see lots of blossoms and trees in flower.  One of my favourites is Redbud.  Most around here are planted, but nice to see none-the-less.

Canatara Creature and a Rondeau Rodent

 Today was bright and sunny after a dusting of snow overnight.  Roads were a rather wet and salty, so I stayed in for a while until I could not stand it!  Just my luck, I had washed my car yesterday, so I did not want to get it dirty.  So much for that idea! Never fails.

It was too nice to stay in, so I headed up to Sarnia to look for the Yellow-throated Warbler.  This creature was found by the Nethercott's over a couple of weeks ago and has stuck in the same area around the animal farm.  

I did attempt to see it a couple of days after it was found, but with no luck.  Today seemed to be the day to find it.  Actually, I was not going to leave until I did see it!

It was seen earlier in the day, and a couple of other birders were looking upon my arrival.  One left, and the other was walking away when I found it.  I heard the characteristic chip notes and it took a minute or two to find it.  It was at the peak of the barn in the animal farm picking at spider webs!

Since it was a sunny day, I managed to get decent photos, including the one for the header of this blog.

There are a handful of records for Lambton County, including the one at the west side of Canatara Park at the end of April 2023.  I managed to see that one for my first Lambton record.

Yellow-throated Warbler is an annual regular rarity in Ontario, usually in the spring.  I have seen several at Rondeau Provincial Park, including the year that a pair likely nested.  Several of us saw one of the birds gathering nesting material, but it was never confirmed as nesting.  It would have been Ontario's first nesting record if proven.

Yesterday, I went down to Rondeau since it was a calm day for a change.  I started at dog beach for a lakewatch even though winds were not conducive for a good passage of birds.  There was not much to see, so I left that spot after one half hour.

I checked out south point trail.  There were a few birds, including a decent mixed flock of birds at one point.

Bald Eagle

Next walk was the campground.  A few birds kept up my interest, but nothing of note.

I also walked the old maintenance loop.  There were a few birds, but most interesting was a Red Squirrel.  It is likely the same creature that was here the last couple of years.  Not known to inhabit the park, this chattery critter likely came in via someone's camper.

I stopped for a walk at Keith McLean C. L. before heading home.  There were lots of birds there just past the parking lot.  Nothing in the noteworthy department though.

The big pond area is essentially dried up, but what little water is there was frozen.  Up to seven Killdeer were slip-sliding on the ice, wondering what the heck they were doing there.

Christmas Bird Counts are less than two weeks away already.  Where has the time gone?

Early March.... errr, May Birding

 Cold and wet has been the theme this week.  Migrants are only at a trickle so far; certainly the slowest spring in recent memory.  There have been some decent birds, though, popping up if you are in the right locale or want to chase them.

A few days ago, a Yellow-throated Warbler was found in Canatara Park, Sarnia.  Remarkably, it was the third sighting in Lambton this year!  I ventured up early Sunday morning and managed to see it foraging at tree-top level.  It was a new 'Lambton' bird for me, as well as most other area birders.  I was not able to get decent photos though.  Just happy to see it.

The first Lambton record was in late April 2020 at the very same spot!  

Working my way home, I spotted a Yellow-headed Blackbird along Blackwell Road.  However, it was on the move.  A decent sighting in Lambton.

The day before I went to Rondeau.  Very few birds, but a couple of first-of-year birds were tallied.  This Northern Waterthrush was singing behind the maintenance yard.

We walked out marsh trail for lack of anything else to do.  Rails were showing/calling well, including this Sora.

Virginia also made an appearance, and a heard-only King Rail rounded out the rail situation.  King Rails are more often heard than seen, but once in a while you get lucky.  This one was from a few years ago.

A White-eyed Vireo was a nice surprise, but difficult to photograph.

Yesterday I went to Point Pelee, but as usual, it was the wrong day to do so!  Nothing of note.  Some shorebirds were seen at Hillman Marsh, including a couple of nice Willets.  Unable to photograph them though.

I have done quite a bit of driving around lately for lack of anything else to do, and nothing to show for it.  These Sandhill Cranes posed nicely near the road today.

Weather looks good for next week though, so the dam should break with a big influx of birds.

Another big tree at Reid CA (Burr Oak)

Some Tuf(ted) Birding

 Been cold the last two days!  Not much new has come in since last Sunday due to the weather.  Some of the birds we are seeing lately probably came in last Sunday. Some tough days of birding!

I went down to Rondeau early this morning.  There was not much to sort through and hardly any warblers.  I did get some FOY birds such as Sedge Wren, White-eyed Vireo, Ovenbird, Hooded Warbler and later Grasshopper Sparrow.  All did not want to be photographed!

Swainson's Thrush

During my time at Rondeau, I heard that a Tufted Duck was at Point Pelee.  Since Rondeau was virtually dead (again), I headed that way.  I did not rush, and took a leisurely pace.

After arrival, I took the tram to the Tip, and had a nice chat with Paul Pratt.  I then headed up the west side, and soon noted a Yellow-throated Warbler working a tree.  I watched it for ten minutes.  As easy find.

Quite a few of these creatures have been around southern Ontario so far this spring, but not one at Rondeau (yet).  Nice to see that one!

I heard that the Tufted Duck was still being seen, so I headed up that way.  Eventually I got good looks at it in the distance.  It was a new Pelee bird for me!  It was tuf tough to see as it quickly moved around.

It is the third one I have seen in Ontario, the last being.....way back....in the winter of 1994 at Sombra!  Long time coming.

A couple of White-eyed Vireos were in the vicinity as well.  Again, I had no luck in photographing one!

Been quite a few of those around recently.

I walked back to the VC via Woodland Trail.  For some reason I keep missing a Louisiana Waterthrush!  Been a nemesis this spring!

I did get a co-operative Prothonotary Warbler though.  A FOY.

Nothing else for the rest of the day, except a FOY Eastern Kingbird.

A good day, but better days are ahead!

More Migrants and FOY's

 I was down to Rondeau Friday morning bright and early.  The previous day was not good for birding with rain, wind and cool temps.

It was crisp and clear but quite windy as I set out around the maintenance yard.  I had hopes to see the lingering Prairie Warbler, but it was not to be.  Some FOY birds included Great-crested Flycatcher and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

I then shot down to south point trail and found it quiet.  Not far along the trail, I got word from fellow blogger Nathan Miller that a Yellow-breasted Chat was at pony barn.

I got there too late, and it did not show the rest of the morning!  However, a number of birds were in the area (the only spot in the park there were some birds).  Two White-eyed Vireos were singing (my second and third for the day), as well as Yellow-throated Vireo (FOY).

Our earliest Yellow-throated Warbler was April 13, when Steve and I found on on south point many years ago.

An early Red-eyed Vireo (FOY) was there as well, but all my photos showed a headless bird!  So, make it into whatever you want!

White-eyed Vireos are popular this year, unlike some years where we have difficulty finding them.

We spent much of the morning in the pony barn area, as a decent flock of migrants kept circling the area.  Included was a Northern Parula, a FOY.

Included were serveral warblers, and an early Gray-cheeked Thrush.

At one point, we got word of a Yellow-throated Warbler along Lakeshore Road.  Having missed last week's bird, it was a must-see.

We eventually found it as it sand constantly.  I managed to get one good photo.

About ten FOY birds were listed on Friday.

Today, I knew things would be quiet at Rondeau (except for Chats!), so I checked out Hillman Marsh shorebird cell first thing.  I like it early morning as the lighting is good.  However, the shorebird situation is usually better later in the day.

It was nice to meet up with Marianne B. who I had not seen in a couple of years.  There were several Mute Swans in the cell and we watched the two local Trumpeter Swans come in and tell them to bugger off!

There were some American Golden Plover among other shorebirds.  

The only FOY was a Semipalmated Plover for me.

Not interested in going to Point Pelee today, I headed back to Rondeau in hopes of seeing the Prairie Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat.  The warbler was no problem, but that Chat....

The Prairie Warbler was not too co-operative for the camera though.

Still lots of time to see a Chat.

Down past pony barn, I came across a flycatcher.  It did not strike me as a Least as one would most expect at this time.  Seemed more fitting for an Acadian, but it never vocalized.  Very greenish bird.

Sunday looks a little better for birds, so stay tuned!