Hello OntBirders: Today is the last day of the Festival of Birds at Point Pelee National Park for 2013. The last guided hike through the Friends of Point Pelee is at 1 p.m. today.
There was a mini-reserve migration going on at the Tip again this morning involving mostly BLUE JAYS and CEDAR WAXWINGS, but there were also a few INDIGO BUNTING, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and EASTERN KINGBIRD in the mix. The Tip itself was fairly quite with the most common species being RED-EYED VIREO. COMMON LOONS were seen flying both left to right and right to left out off the Tip. The gull/tern flock had been disturbed by people who had ignored the "restricted area" sign and the birds were widely distributed out in the lake. At least 1 immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL is still around. BLACK-BILLED and YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS were heard and seen on the west branch of the Woodland Trail and the Chinquipin Trail north of the Tilden Trail. A number of GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS were seen and heard in the same locations as were the other breeding flycatcher species. An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was calling from the Woodland Trail near the half way tram stop. A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, which have been few and far between this year, was reported from the Botham Woods Trail. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH were seen in the same area. CANADA WARBLERS have been reported from both the Post Woods and the Tilden seasonal trail. At least 14 other Warbler species have been seen or heard, most of them high up in the trees and mostly females. There are no reports yet of birds from outside of the Park. -- Good Birding, Festival of Birds Hike Leaders: Pete R, Karl, Todd, Justin, John, Ellen, Sarah, Jean, Ross, Peter M, Mike and Alvan The Festival of Birds runs from May 3-20 - for a detailed schedule visit www.festivalofbirds.ca For highlights and other update follow us at www.twitter.com/PointPeleeNP The Festival is brought to you by Parks Canada - Point Pelee National Park and the Friends of Point Pelee. Hikes are generously supported by Quest Nature tours. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
