May 3, 2005 Bird migration has been halted by the cold front, north winds and the periodic sleet and rain for the past three days. Despite that dismal picture, several brave migrants have been trickling into the Rondeau Provincial Park Birding area.
On May 1st, during a short burst of morning sunlight, 1 water pipit flew overhead towards the base of the point at Beach Access # 10, while more than 2000 double-crested cormorants herded the baitfish along the Lake Erie shoreline. Bonaparte's gulls, great black-backed gulls and Forster's terns could seen competing for the fishing frenzy. A walk along the marsh walk to the new two-storey viewing tower produced a singing Virginia rail, 1 fox sparrow and 1 vesper sparrow while the resident bald eagle adult and the immature from last year can be seen patrolling the shorelines of the bay and the lake. The drive to Erieau later in the day was rewarded by a great egret seen in McGeachy's Pond along with a nesting pair of mute swans. On May 2nd, a visit to the Blenhheim Sewage Lagoons produced 15 ruddy ducks, 20 Bonaparte's gulls, 10 American wigeon and singing horned larks. Today, May 3rd, another visit to McGeachy's Ponds near Erieau, produced over 400 American golden plover, 36 pectoral sandpiper and 50 dunlin. At the South Point Trail in the park, a small flock of 15 black-bellied plover flew by heading northwest. As for all three days during this reporting period, yellow- rumped warbler, Nashville warbler and black and white warblers are being reported each day trickling in. It is expected that as soon as the weather breaks with good warm southerly flows, many more species will be found throughout the Rondeau Provincial Park birding area. May 6, 2005 Migration has continued slowly. Finding birds was taking a lot of effort until this morning. But on Wednesday May 4th, a walk along the Marsh Trail produced a King Rail calling and ten minutes later it made a 2 minute appearance for one lucky birder. A little further along the trail 2 marsh wrens were heard and seen displaying, one common yellowthroat, 1 great egret, 5 American bittern, 2 Virginia rail, and 5 sora were tallied. The next day, May 5th, a small migration began with the first common terns reported at South Point Trail. One wood thrush, 1 palm warbler, were seen and heard at South point Trail. At the Visitor's Centre, 3 male rose-breasted grosbeaks were seen., while 1 Lincoln's sparrow was reported on the Tulip Tree Trail. Today,, May 6th, with warmer weather moving in, came a larger migration that most birders have been waiting for. Many of the early migrants mentioned previously moved in large numbers with several new species. The orioles have arrived with several Baltimore orioles seen and heard throughout the park and 1 orchard oriole was seen and heard singing his lively song at the south end of the campground. The first empidonax flycatchers arrive today with one least flycatcher singing along the South Point Trail. Four sandhill cranes were heard then seen during the guided bird hike along the Marsh Trail with 1 Virginia rail heard and many soras heard. Hundreds of swallows were reported seen migrating at first light this morning travelling north along the Rondeau Bay shore. Most were bank swallows. With the good migration observed today, it appears as if it will certainly pick up for the weekend with the weather forecasting a southerly flow. Birding in Rondeau should be excellent. Bob Knudsen Bird Hike Leader Friends of Rondeau ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat May 7 15:05:53 2005 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from e450.mnsi.net (e450.mnsi.net [216.8.137.207]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0358464B35 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 7 May 2005 15:05:53 -0400 (EDT) Received: from k (dyn216-8-166-177.win.mnsi.net [216.8.166.177]) by e450.mnsi.net (8.13.2/8.13.2) with SMTP id j47JK4Vn011493 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 7 May 2005 15:20:06 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "pimuseum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ontbirds" <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 7 May 2005 15:23:12 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Pelee Island Birds, May 7, 2005 X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 07 May 2005 19:05:53 -0000 There was a noticeable increase of numbers and variety of birds today. = Lighthouse Point had the best viewing with numerous warblers and vireos = including BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, = WILSON'S WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, WHITE-EYED VIREO, and = YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. A SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and COMMON LOON were = also observed at Fish Point. Total of species observed in May: 139 Rob Tymstra Ron Tiessen Pelee Island Heritage Centre West Dock, Pelee Island, Ontario, N0R 1M0 (519) 724-2291 "pimuseum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----------------------------------------- There will be daily bird hikes on Pelee Island until May 20. Cost is $5.00 which includes admission to Heritage Centre. Meet in front of the = Centre at the foot of West Dock every day at 7:30 a.m. Check into the Centre for details on = best birding areas and current rarities. The Heritage Centre is open from 10 am - 5 pm daily. The foyer contains = a 'sightings board' listing May bird sightings (open 24 hours). = Lighthouse Point is on the NE corner of the island, Sheridan Point on = the NW corner, Mill Point on the SE corner, and Fish Point on the SW corner, = due south of the West Dock. The Fourth Annual Pelee Island Bird Race / Baillie Birdathon will take = place from noon Friday, May 13, to noon, Saturday, May 14. The = Springsong Celebration continues Saturday evening with a 'Talk and = Dinner' featuring Jane Urquhart with an introduction by Margaret Atwood. = Sunday, May 15, features a talk by Bill Lishman, 'Father Goose.' The = 'Green' category of the Bird Race continues this year, allowing only = human-powered or non-fossil fuel modes of transportation.=20 Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) continues its daily banding and = census operation. Visitors are welcome. For more information about PIBO please = contact the Heritage Centre or check the website: www.peleeisland.org Pelee Island can be reached by ferry leaving Leamington several times = daily. For times and reservations, call 1-800-661-2220.
