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.
Our warbler tally for this morning is 22 species. The best of these was a Prairie Warbler at the Maintenance Loop. Also sought-after were a Hooded on Tulip Tree Trail, a Cerulean at the Maintenance Loop, a Blue-winged on South Point Trail, and a Yellow-breasted Chat on the South Point Trail. Other noteworthy songbirds included Summer Tanager on South Point Trail and White-eyed Vireo at the Visitor Centre parking lot as well as on South Point Trail. Near the park, there have been interesting sightings from the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. At 11:10 am today, Jean Iron and Ray Blower saw a Plegadis species Ibis fly over the sprinkler system area, flushing the shorebirds there. Yesterday, I led a bird hike there. Highlights included 5 Wilson's Phalarope, ~175 Dunlin, 20 Pectoral Sandpiper, ~35 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2+ Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Least Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 3+ Bobolink,1 Cliff Swallow, 1 American Coot, 4+ pairs of Northern Shoveler and 5++ Ruddy Ducks. Also in the local area, the Cattle Egret at the intersection of Erieau Road and Bisnett Road was seen yesterday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 for park: 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. Directions for Sewage Lagoons (courtesy of Irene Woods): Blenheim is on #3 H [Talbot Rd]. in Chatham-Kent. Take # 3 H West out of Blenheim, about 1 km. You will see a car wash at the corner of Lagoon Rd., turn right [ North]. Go about 1/2 km. and you will see a small locked gate [ see below]. Enter at this gate only. Please park on the lagoon side of the road--only. Permit required (available from Rondeau Visitor Centre, etc.) 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/
