Report for May 2, 2003 (Friday): Today there seems to be even more birds than yesterday, with White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler still present in great abundance. Yesterdays warbler total hit 17 species.
Additional NEW ARRIVALS reported yesterday (May 1) were Yellow-breasted Chat, Blackburnian Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher, etc. NEW ARRIVALS today include Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Veery, and Indigo Bunting. South Point Trail this morning was very active including Northern Mockingbird, Orchard Orioles, Red- headed Woodpecker (6+) and Pileated Woodpecker. On Tuesday there was a controlled burn in some sections of Rondeau interestingly enough many birds are highly attracted to these areas as (presumably) it is much easier to forage when the ground cover (dead leaves) is gone. Its certainly an unique experience to see birds such as Ovenbird, Wood Thrush, Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole, and numerous warblers and sparrows, etc., hopping around on the black-charred ground. Probably the best place to see this phenomena is the beach area south of the start of the South Point Trail (south end of Lakeshore Road). There are mudflats developing along the bayshore just inside the park entrance, in the vicinity of the park store and start of the Marsh Trail, etc. In this area there are hundreds of Bonapartes Gulls, Forsters Terns, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, etc. The Blenheim sewage lagoons have little shorebird habitat, but 1000+ ducks are present including hundreds of Ruddy Duck (Note: A free permit from the town office is required for entry to this site). Alan Wormington, Friends of Rondeau ************************************************* DAILY BIRDING HIKES WITH AN EXPERT (free): May 1 to 19 inclusive, and 23-26 inclusive Each day there is a morning hike at 7:30 a.m. -- meet at the Visitor Centre. Each day there is also an afternoon OR evening hike, as follows: Mondays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park - meet at the Visitor Centre Tuesdays: 1:00 p.m. at the Blenheim Sewage Ponds - map available at the V.C. Wednesdays: 7:00 p.m. on Marsh Trail -- meet at parking lot (Note: May 7 and 14 hikes are in Ridgetown, and will start at 6:00 p.m. -- meet at the Native Trail, Scane Road just south of Golf Course Line) Thursdays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre Fridays: 7:00 p.m. on Marsh Trail -- meet at parking lot Saturdays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre Sundays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre Group size limited -- sign up at the Visitor Centre For Additional Birding Events at Rondeau, visit the Friends website at www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
