Hello Ontbirders. The Rondeau Provincial Park spring birding program will run from Saturday May 1 through to Victoria Day. There will be daily Bird Hikes and a Birders' Breakfast.
Despite the cool, overcast conditions this morning, flocks of migrants continued to arrive. Flocks of Cedar Waxwings appeared from over the open lake and moved northwards up the peninsula. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were in abundance, with a smattering of the more sought-after species. Visitors to South Point Trail today reported White-eyed Vireo and some good warblers - Blue-winged, Blackburnian and newly-arrived Black-throated Blue. Yesterday evening, our first Eastern Kingbird showed up there. Our Bald Eagles have been seen off the Marsh Trail, and apparently have not yet settled on a nesting tree. We will check on them on our hike Tuesday evening at 7 pm. Cooper's Hawks are once agan nesting near the Visitor Centre. Egrets, we've had a few, but then again, too few to mention ... except for a Cattle Egret yesterday evening, outside of the park near Erieau Harbour. A flock of 20 Willet was also seen May 1 near Rondeau, at Roseneath Line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Bird Hike schedule has been changed slightly from last year. I will lead a guided hike twice daily from Saturday May 1 to Monday May 24, inclusive (fee $5), as follows: Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 7:30 am and 1:00 pm Tuesday and Friday at 7:30 am and 7:00 pm; Wednesday at 7:30 am. All of the 7:30 am and 1:00 pm hikes listed above will meet at the Visitor Centre. The 7:00 pm hikes will meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail. A second hike on Wednesday at 1:00 pm will meet at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. New for this year, permits for the Sewage Lagoons will be available from the Rondeau Visitor Centre The Friends of Rondeau will provide a Birders' Breakfast for a small donation (coffee, tea, bagels, soups and treats) daily from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Visitor Centre. There will also be a special new program on Saturday May 15, at 7:00 pm. This evening presentation will focus on spring migration at Rondeau. Tickets are available from the Visitor Centre. Please note that there will be no bird hike at 1:00 pm on this day - Saturday May 15. The birding competition is 24 consecutive hours during the weekend of May 7th-9th. For details on this bird-a-thon, contact the Visitor Centre. More information on the park's nature programs and the Friends of Rondeau is available at the Friends' website: www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca. Directions: Take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. 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 7:00 am to 5:00 pm from May 1 - 24. To reach the Visitor Centre from the park Gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to Gardiner Ave., then follow it around the bend to the parking lot. Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
