Just after I published my blog last Sunday Jerry suggested that maybe we should just go and get the Caracara. We discussed, checked the forecast, not great, but decided to chance it anyway. If we did not go on the Monday it would not be possible to go until Oct 16. So we packed hastily for an overnight trip and Monday morning at 3:45am we set off for Foleyet and the Crested Caracara twitch (chase). It was an 8 hour drive with the first three in the dark and the last hour in rain but as we neared the town the rain stopped. The bird had been reported that morning so we first drove to the area it had been seen in but no large raptor present. We checked the school yard, another of its favourite haunts but again no bird. I then insisted we head to the rail yards as there have been many sightings at that spot. We got out of the car and Jerry walked over to check the tree line. There were crows and a raven calling and he thought perhaps they would be on the Caracara. I walked over and saw a white flash at the top of a tree quite a distance away but raising my bins I was pretty sure it would be THE BIRD! And it was! Jerry took a few distant pics and then we got back in the car to get closer to where it was sitting. It stayed at the top of the tree for about 5 minutes and then as we were turning our car around it took off and flew back into the other side of the town.
Crested Caracara
We drove back and checked some of the favourite spots but could not refind it. Stopped for gas at the store and took our time hoping it would reappear but it did not. What perfect timing with our arrival and finding the bird 15 minutes after we got there. We then had to decide what to do next. We had packed for a two day trip assuming we might need to find the bird the next morning but we really did not need to do that now. We has talked of driving towards Hilliardton to see some Redpolls but it seemed silly to spend the money on a hotel, if we could even find one with it being hunting season, when they are likely to show up around home this winter. We ended up just driving back home, another 8 hours and arrived at 9pm. A 17 hour twitch in one day!
The rest of the week was quiet from a birding point of view. Except for watching the Blue Jays! The baseball ones, not our yard birds. We spent time catching up on house chores, spending time with Babi and getting ready to host Thanksgiving for 21 family members and friends. We are still waiting for more NE or E winds to get some more lake watches in.
On Saturday Nelson’s Sparrows were found again at the Green Gate Pond in Cambridge. I was in the middle of baking for Thanksgiving so I told Jerry to go up and see if he could get a picture. We had a family gathering in the afternoon so we could not go later. Jerry went up and had two very co-operative Nelson’s kind of sit out for him and he took some nice pictures of them. Sunday morning we went back up so I could try and see them. Brett and Barb were there early and saw 3 and then kindly waited until we arrived to help me see them. It took about 30 minutes before I had a nice view, one came right out to the edge of the path and sat unobstructed for about 30 seconds allowing me great views without bins. It then flew to the other side of the path, we alerted a few other people and then it flew further into the grasses. That is textbook Nelson’s, the skulky sparrow.
Nelson’s Sparrow
Monday we had family and friends join us for a traditional turkey and ham dinner and we all watched the Blue Jays of course. Heartbreaking losses!
Week 41 1 species added 421 ebird 422 my list for J&E
As per usual Sunday night at 9:17 a report came in that a Crested Caracara, a non-migrating vagrant (rarity) from Texas had been photographed near Amherstburg just at 6pm. We had already decided that we could not drive the car any distance and had booked a rental to pick up at 8 when we dropped our car to the dealer. It was not ideal as you usually want to be at a rarity first thing in the morning, but hawks often roost until it warms a bit so we figured it would give people a chance to refind it and hopefully it would be sticking around a bit. At 7 the bird was found not far from where it was photographed and 2 young birders were very happy! Jude who arrived a few minutes later, was not, as the bird had flown. A while later it was refound again, but by the time birders got to it, it had flown again. We were still driving at this time but there were a lot of birders there, driving roads and searching, slowing down, making u-turns. The locals were starting to complain on local FB pages. The bird was “seen” again at another spot and this went on until we arrived just at 11 with another “sighting ” that turned out to be an Osprey. People were pretty discouraged, a few lucky people had it fly over them but each report was a flyover and the bird did not seem to land and sit. We finally opted to head into the Conservation Area where it had been last seen sort of heading that way and added some birds to our year list while hoping it would be found nearby.
American White PelicanCaspian Tern
We met up with some local birders and photographers Noel and Mel and they offered us a tour of Holiday Beach CA since we had never been! I know, long overdue for us to hit this fantastic hotspot for migrating birds. Along the way we picked up Robert and Trish and so we had a lovely walk and some social time talking about our favourite subject – birds! I have said before that the best part of this hobby is the people you meet and I totally forgot to be bummed out at not getting to see the Caracara because of the company. We had seen this species many times in Texas but it would be a nice one to get for Ontario and for this year.
We stuck around into the mid afternoon and with no new reports and not seeing it as we once again circled the area we opted to cut our losses and headed to Pelee NP for a quick walk. It was raining/snowing as we drove but cleared up just as we got to the Visitor’s Center. We did a quick walk through Tilden’s hoping to see an early Louisiana Waterthrush but no joy. We were pretty hungry by this time having done our usual “bird diet” of not eating anything all day so we stopped for quick fast food before heading home. The food perked us up enough that we decided to stop at Erieau to see if we could scare up Lapland Longspurs that had been reported earlier and a Yellow-headed Blackbird as well. It was close to 6pm by this time and while it was still light out it was cold and really windy. No joy for either species. We did see a Wilson’s Snipe for a nice close-up photo though. Picture is further down.
Tuesday we were up and out the door by 8:30 doing the usual drive around the corn fields for our 7-8 attempt at Lapland Longspurs. We stopped at the side of the road when we saw a Vesper Sparrow and rolled down the window for better looks and suddenly a familiar song came in loud and clear. It was a Lapland Longspur. We confirmed the song with our Ibird Pro app and then started scanning with our binoculars. The birds are brown, the corn husks are brown, the ground is brown. When you are scanning you hope for movement but it was super windy so all kinds of leaves were blowing around making us think it was birds flying. Jerry got out thinking to scope but it was feeling like -16 with the wind and the gusts made it impossible to scope well. We drove down the road and then back again hoping we might see a flight or at least hear them again but after the initial song there was radio silence. Still we had it for the list as a heard only (HO) but hope to still see them in the next week.
Wednesday morning we returned the rental and picked up our car. They found a wire that was kinked and nearly broken off that was causing the problems. A mere $500 for two repairs and a rental LOL! We drove the roads for Laplands, hoping to see at least one this trip but there was very little activity and we didn’t hear or see any. It has continued to be windy and very cold. After a visit to Babi and on our way to Hamilton to meet with our new tenants a report came in from Chatham that the Caracara had been seen! We had a quick discussion while we continued in the wrong direction and opted not to go for it. We would not get there until after 4 and if we had to search it would not give us much time before dark. We figured if it stayed in the area and people knew where it was at dark we could try for it first light Thursday morning. Unfortunately, the bird remained for only about 45 mins and then it flew off again and despite people driving after it, it was lost from sight. It is not easy to chase birds like this unless they may be staying at landfills or sources of food, otherwise they are on the move a lot. The good news is that it is still in Ontario and we know it will not cross the open lake so if it continues its flight along the shore perhaps next stop will be Long Point.
Thursday was back to more of a winter/spring mix of snow/rain throughout the day so we opted to use the time to catch up on household chores.
Friday we started with the Laplands again with no joy but did hear our first of the year Swamp Sparrow at Grass Lake. Then we headed down to Long Point to at least be in the area if the Caracara was refound. We scanned fields ourselves just in case it would materialize for us! We stopped in at Turkey Point and added Forster’s Terns to our list and then headed to Long Point. One of our favourite walks is through the old campground off the main road. In spring it can be full of newly arrived migrants. We quickly heard many Golden-crowned Kinglets and saw Eastern Phoebes and a Hermit Thrush. As we were following the Thrush and Jerry was trying to get a picture something else caught his eye – an American Woodcock! snuggled into the leaf litter. It was so close I could take a pic and video with my iphone. We seldom get to see these birds except when they are doing their dizzying displays at dusk. We stopped at a few more of the regular spots at Long Point but did not get anything else new.
Wilson’s SnipeAmerican Woodcock
My fav birds of early spring. Two similar looking birds with cool flight displays and noises. If you want a laugh google “American Woodcock or Timberdoodle walking”.
Saturday we did a local walk but did not add anything new to the year. Its a frustrating time of the year because I get hourly reports of new birds being seen across the province but they are not in significant quantity that I can expect to run across them. And as per last year, I am not chasing common species just to add them a few days earlier. I have to be patient and wait until the numbers increase and the birds are at more hotspots. Easier said then done but I am way more “zen” than I was last year.
Sunday was a family day and Babi joined us for dinner. We don’t celebrate individual birthdays for us, our kids and their partners anymore. Instead we have a guys celebration in the spring ( their birthdays are Feb/March/April) and the girls in late summer (ours are Aug/Sept). I expected that a rarity would no doubt appear but no reports came in other than Brett had 100 Laplands over at Paris Plains Church Road. I left the onions I was in the middle of chopping and we quickly drove over and within 5-10 minutes we had a group of about 20 fly over us. Not good enough for a picture but we have at least seen them now. Warmer temperatures and some south winds coming so things should pick up significantly this next week. And where is that Crested Caracara? Might it show up again?
