Ducks in the Fog and Spring Migration

Sunday was the day I picked to check out the St. Clair River for waterfowl and any other notable avian creature.  It was a mistake!  With the very strange (mild) weather the last few days, we have experienced dense fog in the mornings and evenings.  Late Friday was quite bad as I drove up to Sombra after work.  It was clear enough though, that one could see lots of ducks on the river and some large rafts.
This time of year is peak time to observe waterfowl on the St Clair River and I spend quite a bit of time on weekends looking around.
Saturday night was quite clear, but by morning the fog had rolled in.  I went out anyway thinking that after some time the fog would lift enough to look for waterfowl. It often does.

Some rafts of ducks were close enough to the shoreline that one could make them out. I ended up going all the way to Sarnia, but the fog intensified.  It was even worse on the way back!

Recently, it was obvious that there were more scaup and Ring-necked Ducks on the river.  They make things interesting as one sorts through the rafts.

I had visions of finding a Tufted Duck (lol!).  The last one spent part of the winter at Sombra 1994 and was easily picked out in the rafts of ducks.

As I left the river, the fog was almost non-existent inland! Looking for "landbirds" recently has been boring!

With the exceptionally mild weather, more waterfowl has appeared locally.  Species such as Tundra Swans, puddles ducks such as Northern Pintail and geese such as Greater White-fronted and Ross's have been reported in the last few days in numbers unusual for this time of year.

Some may call this an early spring migration in response to the mild weather.  Back around New Year's 2009, there was an influx of puddle ducks and geese that Alan Wormington termed "spring migration".  Perhaps this has happened in the past, but in 2009 it was quite noteworthy.
At the time, I was writing the winter report for North American Birds (NAB) and this phenomena was worthy of special attention (SA) in the report.
The 2009 influx included Northern Pintail and Greater White-fronted Geese, but also Snow Goose, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck.

Yesterday, January 22, Ross's Geese were reported at Sarnia and St. Clair NWA.  A significant number of Snow Geese were near St. Clair NWA as well.  Other ducks appeared at Erieau, where they had not been previously.

Our winters sure have changed since I was young.  I have spent a lot time along the St. Clair River all of my life.  Rarely do we see a "real" winter anymore!

Some Essex County Birding

Friday afternoon was quite depressing with the fog, and temps way above normal, so it was not looking good for Saturday.  I usually do some checking around after work on Friday's, but it was fruitless due to the fog!

Chenal Ecarte Swans

Indeed there was dense fog this morning, but at least the weather forecast was wrong again and it turned out to be a nice day after the fog quickly lifted!
I headed towards Essex County this weekend for a change.  My first stop was Two Creeks CA  at Wheatley, still in Chatham-Kent.  It was a soggy walk as Black-capped Chickadees chattered throughout the woods.

There was not much at Wheatley Harbour, but it was still quite foggy, so I headed over to Hillman Marsh.
Some Red-winged Blackbirds flew over the shorebird cell as I walked the trail.  I guess the highlight was a Marsh Wren chattering somewhere off trail unseen.  It was about a year ago I also saw one in this locale.
By the time I ended my walk, the fog had lifted and revealed clear, sunny skies of which this Downy Woodpecker enjoyed.

I headed down Mersea Rd. 19 as I saw a flock of blackbirds that included Red-winged, Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds and starlings.  There was also a Jeremy Hatt sighting!  Jeremy was making some rounds checking out various places.

My next destination was Jack Miner's north of Kingsville, a spot I had not visited in quite some time. The place always seems a bit far for my weekend outings, but I thought today was a good day to check it out.

Some Greater White-fronted Geese have been there of late, and today was no exception.  I saw seven right away.

The speckle-bellies kept together the whole time.

My first trip there was in 1971 when I was a fledgling!

Any rarities?

Later, I headed north and had lunch at Comber.  I also briefly stopped at the Agris place where a large blackbird flock has been seen off and on.  There were a few blackbirds present, but I guess they were spread out over the area as not many were there.

A stop at Lighthouse Cove was disappointing.  It was certainly a far cry from a few weeks ago!  Gulls like ice, so with the crazy mild weather recently, they dispersed to parts unknown.

On the way back to Wallaceburg, I spotted a Snowy Owl between Mitchell's Bay and Grande Pointe.

Nothing new has been reported at Rondeau Park lately, so I will be checking out the St. Clair River on Sunday.  The ducks have been showing well recently!

Fog 'n Blog: May 17 Birding

I arrived at Rondeau Park early this morning in dense fog.  Not many new birds had come in and birding was not all that exciting today.  Most of the birds were along Lakeshore Road, but that is not the best place to get out and look for birds.  Elsewhere in the park it was very quiet for birds.
Bennett Road was virtually abandoned in the early morning!  Our only highlight was a close view of one of the Prothonotary Warblers--too active for photos.

As usual, we checked south point trail first thing.  A Hooded Warbler was singing along the way and that American Tree Sparrow was still hobbling around.  More Canada and Wilson's Warblers were evident.
The haunting calls of unseen loons on the foggy lake added to the atmosphere.


Bored by 10:30, I headed over to Hillman Marsh.  I met up with Adam Pinch and we checked out the shorebird cell.  Some fog was rolling in and out making visibility difficult at times.  We moved over to the westerly side where things were better-seen. We joined Jean Iron who was taking one last look at shorebirds before returning to Toronto.

The Glossy Ibis was feeding, as well as the two American Avocets.

distant Avocets

Ibis with two Avocets

Twice the ibis took off, but eventually came back.

Birds kept coming and going with hundreds of Black-bellied Plovers with many Dunlin.  Some Ruddy Turnstones and Short-billed Dowitchers were mixed in.


We spent considerable time there as birds kept changing.  Soon it was time to move on and we went over to the area where rails were being heard.  We did not hear any such rail today, but certainly did hear a Least Bittern.
Shorebirds were still flying over and when we got back to the parking lot, and that was likely when the reported Whimbrel flew into the shorebird cell!

On the way home I checked in on the Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  As I mentioned before, things are always changing there and one never know what may show up. One has to keep looking!

New Year's Day

Another year has passed.  This year was much better than the previous on many fronts.  Birding was good and certainly more interesting.  Lots of rarities in the province......which I did not see!  I am not a "chaser" like many people.  It is more exciting to find your own stuff or get a look at something nearer to home that has been reported.  Some birders just have incredible luck at finding rarities or good birds and being in the right area at the right time.  I am usually in the wrong place at the right time or whatever.

Swan in the fog

Today I was not interested in doing another CBC, so I went down to Lake Erie starting at Pelee.  BIG mistake.  (wrong place at the right time).  Dense fog and rain all along the lake.  I was anticipating a big waterfowl movement something like there was two years ago after a thaw.  There was, but the fog did not lift until noon.  I could not wait till then.
Saw some land birds such as Yellow-rumped Warblers along Shuster Trail, Brown Creepers, White-throated Sparrows, etc.  Some of these along Shuster Trail, including a Northern Flicker.  They seem to be scarce this year or did they flock to Walpole Island?  In Tilden's Woods I scared up a Great Horned Owl.
A flock of blackbirds was along Road E containing cowbird, starling, Red-winged and I think a Rusty too.  A Yellow-headed would have been nice.  Been many years since I have seen one in the winter.

Coming back along Hillman Marsh I caught sight of a Red-shouldered Hawk. 
Wheatley too fogged in. Four Mallards and a Black were at Muddy Creek on the ice.
Erieau too foggy as well.  I think I was moving with the fog and rain!  Some bonies and various ducks in the dock area.

Canvasback and Redheads are plentiful on the St. Clair River.  I had a bit of time at the end of the day to check out Port Lambton.  No puddle ducks moving.  The Pintails yesterday were with lots of Mallards and Blacks no doubt came out from somewhere due to the thaw.