We are watching reports for Boreal birds that we still need to add to our list and waiting for those numbers to increase so that we can plan a trip up north to see them, or for them to irrupt down here in Southern Ontario. It is difficult not to go and try and chase them now but I am exercising patience so that when we do go we will be successful in adding them. The same with the Black Vulture in Niagara, the leaves are almost off the trees so it should be easier to see them along the river. Another week and we will head down to try and finally add that species.
On Wednesday we just wanted to be out in the woods so we headed to Brant Waterworks Park, one of our favs, and spent 2.5 hours meandering the various trails and just enjoying finding common species still hanging around. We had 36 species on the list and thoroughly enjoyed no pressure to be looking for something specific.
We got home and had some soup and then at 3pm a report of a Western Cattle Egret in Erieau came in. This is a rarity we have been waiting to show up so we were in the car in about 5 minutes to make the 2 hour and 10 minute drive. I drove so Jerry could grab a nap and I like to think I drive more efficiently (faster) than he does. The bird was located in a field with cattle right on the side of the main road to Erieau and as we drove up to the spot we could see a white bird flying across the road from the cattle field over a pond on the other side of the road. I pulled in quickly, we noted it was the Egret and Jerry managed a few pictures as it moved a couple of times and then disappeared into the foliage around the pond. Talk about perfect timing! Whew! A minute later (thank goodness I WAS driving LOL) and we would not have known where to look and with the bird hidden it might not have been re found. Unfortunately, Jerry had seconds to take a few pictures once the car had stopped and only from the window before it went into the foliage so they are blurry. We were able to let others arriving know where to look for it and it did move out a bit where it could be seen with binoculars but not great for pictures. We stayed for 10-15 minutes to see if it would return to the cow field but it did not so we headed back home arriving at 8.
Thursday we had to get the grandkids to school and had friends coming for dinner so it was a none birding day and thankfully no rarities were found. Friday at noon a report of a Gray Kingbird near Chatham came in and again we were in the car and making a 2 hour drive to chase another rarity. At least both the rarities this week have not been through Toronto. If you recall we had chased this same species in Hamilton three weeks back but the bird was only seen by the original finder. It is a Florida species that we have seen before but not in Canada. When we arrived there were many birders already there and the Kingbird was catching insects and flying back to sit on a fence, then the wires along the road and finally into some shrubs. We took pictures, chatted with other birders we have not seen for a bit and I managed to get some video when it finally came closer to the road.
We stayed for 1.5 hours and then headed home. We stopped for gas and then Devin called us to discuss some financial questions so we sat at the gas station talking to him for a bit and then just after we started driving again a report of a Little Blue Heron hit Discord just 10 mins from where we were. We saw one in NS but it would be a good bird to add to our Ontario list this year so we turned around since we were so close and made our way back. We were thinking how lucky we had stopped to talk otherwise we would have been on the 401 and would not have turned around. When we arrived though, the bird had just flown up river and it was not accessible because of houses along the river. Well, you cannot get them all.
Ebird is still making the changes to the splits and I suspect that the Western Warbling Vireo will be added to my online list in the next day or so and at that point it will say we have seen 425 species of birds in Canada this year. With the birds still to get I stand a good chance of being over 430, something I did not think possible with just driving across Canada and that one flight. We are also the top birders in Canada with 13 birds between the second place person and us and only one other birder over 400. What will be the next rarity to show up?
Week 43 2 species added 425 species seen J&E