Point Pelee Bird Report for May 16 (Sunday) Despite the fact that we have now entered the 2nd half of May, migration is somewhat at a standstill as far as numbers are concerned. The Tip area this morning was not overly active, but to compensate for the low numbers were numerous interesting species including two singing Cerulean Warblers, Clay-colored Sparrow, numerous Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Wilson's Warblers, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blackpoll Warblers, Mourning Warblers, Northern Parula and Eastern Bluebird. Offshore at the Tip was a White-winged Scoter, 25 Surf Scoter and a single Common Loon. Birds on the Tip included Ruddy Turnstone, two Sanderling and a single Caspian Tern.
Tilden's Woods also has several Mourning Warblers (most are singing). At the Tip, an adult male Blue Grosbeak was reliably reported by at least one party. This morning a Bell's Vireo was found in thickets beside (east of) the pumphouse at the shorebird habitat at NW Hillman Marsh (G. Tom Hince et al.). Also in this area was a first-summer (immature) Little Gull. This morning a Summer Tanager was present at Sleepy Hollow Picnic Area, at the north end of the parking area. So far today there have been no reports for any of the exceptional rarities seen yesterday -- White-winged Dove (Tip area), Mississippi Kite (Visitor Centre), Black Vulture (Visitor Centre), Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (North Dike ditch) and Snowy Egret (North Dike ditch). Friends of Point Pelee John Haselmayer, Dave Martin, Ross Mackintosh, Pete Read, Alan Wormington ************************************************ The Point Pelee National Park Festival of Birds, 2004, runs from May 1 to May 31.Friends of Point Pelee offers 4 to 7 bird hikes per day including evening hikes Wed to Sat. Quest Tours and Bushnell sponsor county bus tours on May 8 and May 15. Visit www.wincom.net/~fopp
