Point Pelee and Rondeau Provincial Park

We woke to light rain this morning and were soon driving the 15 minutes to Point Pelee. Upon arrival we took the electric bus down to the tip in company with many other birders but the wet and windy conditions were not conducive to seeing migrants and in fact there was very little around. 

Baltimore Oriole is very common here.

A Wood Thrush, Savannah Sparrow, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-eyed Vireo and a few Yellow Warblers were all that was on offer so we returned to the Visitor Centre for a much-needed cup of coffee and some cake. With news of a Prothonotary Warbler being seen at Pioneer we drove to this area situated further inland and on the leeward side of the promontory, seeing Wild Turkey and a Merlin along the way. 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female)

A good walk around the trails continued in much the same vain with little on offer apart from our first Swainson’s Thrushes, Eastern Kingbird, Common Yellowthroat and 4 Spotted Sandpipers along the beach, although walking to the next parking area was better. Many more birds such as Red-bellied Woodpecker, Orchard & Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Grey Catbirds, White-crowned Sparrow and both Veery & Hermit Thrush were present, but alas no new migrants. So from here we checked out a few small pools near the entrance gate for a reported Stilt Sandpiper, although this bird seemed to have departed we had a flock of Dunlin, 3 Least Sandpipers, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, and a Short-billed Dowitcher. The pools were a bit distant so no photos.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

Then we decided to drive just over an hour to Rondeau Provincial Park, and upon arrival called in to the Visitor Centre for a welcoming bowl of soup and some coffee. The feeding station, as well as attracting birders, also provides nourishment for a variety of birds and we had incredible close-ups of Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch amongst others. 

Downy Woodpecker

Then we drove to where a Prothonotary Warbler had been sighted and amazingly after a short walk and a little wait we actually connected with this key bird. It was feeding around some pools in the forest and keeping low, just above the water in some fallen trees and branches and we were fortunate to be able to stay with it for half an hour. 

Prothonotary Warbler

What an awesome bird and it has been maybe 10 years since I last saw one of these. Whilst watching this a Chestnut-sided Warbler and a Brown Creeper appeared as well, and a Least Flycatcher a little while later. Then we walked along some trails and eventually came across a small flock with Northern Parula, Blue-headed and Yellow-throated Vireos, Blackburnian Warbler and the ultra-common Yellow Warbler. 

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-headed Woodpecker

A quick check of the Paddock area revealed nothing new apart from a fine Red-headed Woodpecker so we drove back to Leamington and an early dinner. But none of us could ever have expected the amazing events that would occur tomorrow...........

Long Point to Point Pelee or The Kirtland's Twitch..

After an early breakfast at the motel in Simcoe we met in the car park where some Common Loons were seen flying overhead. Then we drove towards Long Point, stopping when a Sandhill Crane was spotted feeding in a roadside field and we managed some reasonably close views.

Sandhill Crane

Once at Long Point Observatory it was much busier and a complete contrast to yesterday with a big fall of Myrtle Warblers immediately apparent. 

Myrtle Warblers

Sifting through all the activity revealed a female Pine Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler amongst the highlights. Walking the trails we also found Northern Parula, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Nashville, Tennessee and Orange-crowned  Warblers, a Veery, Ruby-throated Hummingbird on a feeder, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Cedar Waxwing, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Towhee, American Bittern in flight, and a flyover Bobolink.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Northern Cardinal

Drove up to the picnic area but didn’t find much new although Warbling Vireo and yet more waxwings were seen, although their numbers were greatly reduced, plus carpets of White-throated Sparrows. 

White-throated Sparrow

Just up the road we called in to an overlook and scanned the reedbed where 2 Sandhill Cranes could be seen in the distance, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Caspian and Forster’s Terns and a Swamp Sparrow were found, with a Belted Kingfisher seen as we were leaving.

Then it was time to set out on the 2.5 hour drive Point Pelee, where en-route a quick check of the ABA Rarities Round-up revealed at least one and possibly two Kirtland’s Warblers were present there. So we eventually arrived at 3.30pm and drove to the Visitor Centre, catching the next tram down to the tip. After a bit of a run-around, seeing Wilson’s Warbler, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, and Blue-headed Vireo we made it to the right spot where the bird had been seen only to find just two photographers waiting for it. 

Brown Thrasher

We spread out and over the next hour noted numerous Palm Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Brown Thrasher before we picked up the Kirtland’s Warbler in a conifer right beside the trail. 

The rare Kirtland's Warbler

Over the next half an hour the bird gave point-blank views and we soaked up the whole experience of seeing such a rare bird – and celebrated a successful twitch. Leaving here we walked up to the tram stop and found a mixed feeding flock with 3 more Black-and-white Warblers, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Myrtle and a cracking Blackburnian Warbler to end an excellent day.

Driving in and out of Pelee also produced a Red-headed Woodpecker and Wild Turkey.

Canada Day 2: Long Point and Port Rowan Wetlands

An early departure from Niagara saw us calling in to a great diner in Simcoe for breakfast just as they opened, with a Bald Eagle having already being seen on the drive so far. 

Bald Eagle

Then, with our lunchtime sandwiches from Tim Horton’s and our first Chimney Swifts, we drove with much anticipation to Long Point Bird Observatory and our first day of migrant hunting. Upon arrival, a quick check revealed nothing much of interest in the banding station so we hit the trails and in quick time found Myrtle, Palm, Black-throated Green & Black-and-White Warblers, plus a Warbling Vireo. 

Warbling Vireo

We didn’t walk very far but just hung around the same area for quite a while and new birds kept appearing all of the time and we had Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Baltimore Oriole, and both White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows.

Baltimore Oriole

White-throated Sparrow

We walked along the street to the Provincial Park which was closed  but saw a flyby American Bittern, as well as American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow and a few Northern Cardinals. With nothing else on offer we returned to the Obs and checked out the feeders which were attracting Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Blue Jay, and a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.

Cedar Waxwings

Our picnic lunch was consumed a few kilometres back along the road at a picnic site set in some very large trees. An amazing flock of 100+ Cedar Waxwings was feeding here and further scrutiny produced Hermit Thrush, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Carolina and Northern House Wrens, Brown Thrasher, 4+ Warbling Vireo and an Orchard Oriole. Returning to the Obs it was very quiet although from an overlook across the marsh we saw Great Blue and Green Herons, Eastern Phoebe, and yet more Yellow Warblers.

It was now late afternoon and as the skies darkened and rain splattering the windshield we drove the short distance to Port Rowan Wetlands seeing a Belted Kingfisher along the way. The wetlands held a great little area of lagoons, marsh and reeds where Song Sparrows fed along the water’s edge, a flock of 6 Buffleheads displayed, and numerous Tree Swallows flew low overhead. 

Tree Swallow

Buffleheads

Best of all was a Virginia Rail that after calling for a while scuttled incredibly close to look at us before walking away across an open area and out of view. Wow! 

Virginia Rail

If that want enough, a Sora Rail was also seen, along with Pied-billed Grebe, Killdeer, and a Beaver… Nice!

Beaver

Driving between sites today also produced Northern Harrier, Merlin, 2 more Bald Eagles and a Cooper’s Hawk.

Canada Day 1: Niagara Falls

After a seven hour direct flight we reached Toronto at 11.30am and literally whizzed through Immigration and baggage reclaim and were soon at the Hertz Rental Desk picking up our 7-seater minivans. The route to Niagara Falls was relatively simple and after checking in at the Howard Johnson Motel we drove just down the road and parked up opposite the falls. A pleasant couple of hours was spent walking alongside the river and viewing what is considered to be one of the modern day Wonders of the World – Niagara Falls. 

It is a pretty cool place and the hundreds of other visitors here this afternoon must have thought the same thing. Birds aren’t numerous here but we did see Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Ring-billed and American Herring Gulls, Common Terns and a Peregrine Falcon along the river. Passerine interest was headlined by several Grey Catbirds in the trees bordering the car park, along with Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and others. I did like the close views of a perched Northern Rough-winged Swallow as well. So a gentle introduction to the birdlife of Ontario and we just can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring….