Rondeau Bird Report Thursday May 10, 2007
Warblers continued to be the centre of the action at Rondeau today, with
sightings of a Hooded Warbler on Bennett Road, and Kentucky Warblers on
Tulip Tree Trail and Spicebush Trail. One of the observers for the
Yellow-throated Warbler on May 9 photographed the bird and will forward a
copy of the image to us. The Prothonotary Warbler and a Golden-winged
Warbler were both seen on Spicebush Trail. The overall warbler tally for
today was 25 species.
Other birds of interest include a Gray-cheeked Thrush and a Lincolns
Sparrow on South Point Trail, and a Clay-colored Sparrow on Spicebush Trail.
The best place locally to see Bobolinks was the Blenheim Sewage Lagoon.
Although shorebird habitat is limited within the park itself, there are good
sites nearby within the Rondeau Birding Area. At the Blenheim Sewage
Lagoons, there were 7 species of shorebirds, including 18 Dunlin, 16
Short-billed Dowitcher, 2 Semipalmated Plover, 16 Least Sandpiper and 8
Lesser Yellowlegs. There was also a flock of Willet reported in the
Erieau area and some Ruddy Turnstones were noted from the government dock
there. A flock of 200 American Golden-Plover and 1 Black-bellied Plover was
seen in a freshly ploughed field opposite McGeachy Pond C.A. this morning,
but was difficult to locate later in the day.
I would like to express my appreciation to all of the birders who took the
time to provide information for our records.
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I will lead a guided bird hike twice daily May 5 21 (fee $5), as follows:
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 7:30 am & 1 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday
7:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Friday 7:30 am
All of the 7:30 am and 1 pm hikes listed above meet at the Visitor Centre.
The 7 p.m. hikes meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail.
A second hike on Friday at 1 p.m. will meet at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons.
The Friends of Rondeau will provide a birders brunch for a small donation
(coffee, tea, bagels, soups & treats) daily from 7 11 a.m.
Saturday May 12 at 7 p.m. evening presentation of spring migration at
Rondeau
An Evening in the Forest with LaForest (contact Visitor Centre for
tickets)
Directions: from Highway 401, take exit 101 and drive South 16 km on Chatham
Kent Road 15, then turn right and follow the signs to the park. The Bird
Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board and other relevant information are
located at the Visitor Centre (open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 5 21). To
reach the Centre from the park gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to
Gardiner Ave. and follow it around the bend to the left to the parking lot.
Steve LaForest
Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide
c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768
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