Rondeau Bird Report – Monday May 5, 2008 Greetings Ontbirders, The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher adult male discovered in the park at 11:15 am was present until shortly after 1:30 pm. It then flew north out of the park. It was next found in a tree in a field about 1 km to the north of the park gate. The field is at the northeast corner of Wildwood Road (the continuation of Rondeau Road outside the park) and Kent Bridge Road. Birders passed along word that it had been seen up to about 4 pm at that location. I have received no further information as of sunset on Monday. Other sightings of note: Warblers: 20 species (including Blackpoll seen just outside the park). The ‘best’ birds were Cerulean, Kentucky, Hooded, Blue-winged, and Orange-crowned, as well as the Prothonotary seen daily at the Pony Barn. Black-throated Blue was a new arrival. Other Passerines: The Harris’s Sparrow is reliable, even singing at times, at the Visitor Centre, along with Lincoln’s Sparrow and an excellent variety of feeder birds. White-eyed Vireo and Orchard Oriole were seen on South Point Trail. Nearby locations outside the park have also yielded good results, with a Cattle Egret seen yesterday at the Blenheim Lagoons. The "Scissor-tailed" site had Sora, Great Egret, Pileated Woodpecker, 2 Solitary Sandpipers and Northern Shovelers. Good birding. Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 I will lead a guided bird hike twice daily May 3 to 19 (fee $5), as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 7:30 am & 1 pm; Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 am & 7 pm.; Friday 7:30 am. All of the 7:30 am and 1 pm hikes listed above will meet at the Visitor Centre. The 7 pm hikes will meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail. A second hike on Friday at 1 pm 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 am. There will also be a special program, on Saturday May 10 at 7 pm - an evening presentation about the spring migration at Rondeau:
An Evening in the Forest with LaForest (contact Visitor Centre re tickets) Directions: Take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. Follow the signs to the park. For the field where the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was last seen, stop where Kent Bridge Road ends at Wildwood Road (where you would have to turn right to continue to Rondeau Provincial Park). The field is northeast of this intersection. Please note that Kent Bridge Road can be busy here, and drivers are advised to find a safe place to park nearby. The Bird Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board and other relevant information are located at the Visitor Centre (open 7 am to 5 pm from May 3 - 19). 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 parking lot _________________________________________________________________ If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which combines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
