Saturday 18 May 2013

Cape May Love-Fest


Got down to the tip and was full of optimism as the temperature had risen to a mighty nine degrees Celsius and was due to rise to fourteen later today – and we had a moderate southerly wind with an overcast sky. However, there was nothing doing until several Blackburnian Warblers suddenly appeared, then a Nashville, a couple of Parulas, Red-eyed Vireo, and best of all a stonking male Cape May Warbler dropped out of the sky.

Loved this male Cape May Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Cape May Warbler

It was buzzing for a little while, as several Warbling Vireos appeared along with quite a few other commoner migrants and I really thought we were going to experience a big fall. 

Warbling Vireo

But that was it and everything petered out. So we went up to the Visitor Centre and had some soup before driving up to Hillman Marsh – seeing a close Song Sparrow and more Wood Ducks en-route. But the marsh was pretty quiet and things were brought to an abrupt end shortly after our arrival by a Peregrine dive-bombing the waders.

Song Sparrow

 Back at Pelee we got the Northern Mockingbird at one of the car parks and a Clay-coloured Sparrow at another. 

Clay-coloured Sparrow

We also checked out our favourite spot at the Blue Heron Trail, where Magnolia Warbler and an American Redstart were the highlights. So then it was once again on the tram down to the tip and we had more of the same warblers as earlier with at least 3 Parula Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers and others. 

Northern Parula


Northern Parula

American Redstart

An unsuccessful search for the reported Nelson’s Sparrow along West Beach ended our day and another great meal at Ray’s Ribhouse was the icing on the cake. 


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