Point Pelee to Hillman Marsh

This was a bit of a funny day as we’d pretty well cleaned up on almost all available trip ticks. It started in Tilden Woods first thing which was productive for a lot of the commoner breeding species, then at the tip which was very windy and birdless so we returned for coffee at the Visitor Centre. Then we walked the Woodland trail and had a pair of Blue-winged Teal, Yellow-throated and Philadelphia Vireos, and Blackpoll Warbler amongst others, but we were on the lookout for waterthrushes which just seemed to be eluding us.

Blue-winged Teal

Magnolia Warbler is getting commoner...

Swainson's Thrush

So we headed back to the Marsh Boardwalk and after a bit of effort we finally nailed Northern Waterthrush -thank goodness! There were lots of other goodies around and as well as the more commoner species there was a fine Bay-breasted and even more Cape Mays seen before returning to VC.

After lunch we returned to Tilden Woods and had a great time with the now long-staying Worm-eating Warbler watched feeding beside the trail. 

Worm-eating Warbler

Nearby a Mourning Warbler showed very well for this often tricky species but defied attempts at getting  photo, and this area was literally dripping with birds. There was Black-throated Blue, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Nashville, Palm, Ovenbird, Grey-cheeked Thrush and a Winter Wren. The benefits of standing in one place and letting the birds come to us were plain to see and you really don’t have to keep on yomping around the woods….

Chestnut-sided Warbler has become ridiculously common now...

Nashville Warbler

Couldn't resist one final photo of Blackburnian Warbler

Then we left to go for an early dinner before heading to Hillman Marsh just 10 minutes away. It was getting late but shortly after we arrived a pair of Sandhill Cranes flew in – a great bonus.

Sandhill Cranes

There were also several Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, American Wigeon, Canvasback and Redhead. The lagoon behind us had a pair of Ring-necked Ducks and Wood Duck, and an immature Bald Eagle flew over. 

American Woodcock

And we saved the best for last, as at an open area on the way back to the motel we finished the day with acrippling views of several displaying American Woodcocks. Holy cow!