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.
Cattle Egret
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.
Gray Kingbird
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?
We had a cousin staying with us from Germany most of the week and a celebration for Jerry’s mom 93rd birthday so we didn’t get out much. On Friday the winds were good on Lake Huron but we could not get out there as it was the Glen Morris Turkey Roll and we had some preparations and pickups to do. Of course an adult Black-legged Kittiwake was seen numerous times. We were able to get out early Saturday at Point Edward on Lake Huron for yet another lake watch. We met up with Jeremy, who has been doing a Big Year as well and is only 3 birds behind us, while working full time, I might add! Maria, from London also joined us a bit later. The winds were NW so it was cold and we suffered through a few small showers. We traded stories of our birding years as we watched in vain for a Black-legged Kittiwake. The conversation was fun and lively and the time went by fast. Even though we did not see the bird we wanted it was a great birding day because of the company. After 4 hours we packed it in as the winds seemed to be dying down and the flight of gulls had slowed to nothing.
Week 47 no new species added 332 species seen E&J
Week 48 started with good winds at Van Wagners so we headed out on Monday for yet another lake watch. Are you all tired of hearing about lake watches! We are getting tired of doing them LOL. I looked back through our checklists and we have done 24 lake watches since the end of August! Not all at Van Wagners but always with the hope of seeing a Kittiwake. Where is that Black-legged Kittiwake? There are multiple reports each week but we never seem to be in the right place to see one. The lake watch on Monday was no different. We made sure we did not leave until the light had faded this time so there was no way we missed it. The weather was miserable. Cold, windy and driving rain for a short period of time. And we didn’t see a Kittiwake.
Wednesday there was a report of a Greater White-fronted Goose 10 minutes away at Bannister Lake. We listed this species way back in January but had a really horrible picture as they were across the bay at Rondeau. We headed out first thing and easily found the goose but quite a way out in the lake. Jerry took some pictures that are slightly better than our original from January in that you can tell what species it is.
We then had to head in to care give but stopped for a quick hour hike at Dundas Conservation Area. It has become a favourite place of ours and we will be renewing our Hamilton Conservation membership so we have access to these beautiful trails next year. Late on Thursday a report came in of a Cattle Egret in the Hamilton Study Area. We listed this species back in May at Pelee but our picture is a white smudge in a field so we have been waiting for one to show up close to us to try for a better picture. We were planning on a day along the Niagara River to once again try for Kittiwake and the Egret was on the way so we did a quick stop first thing in the morning. A few birders had already seen it but when we arrived it was huddled deep in the conifer tree trying to keep warm. We waited for 20 minutes or so and it finally popped up and started preening allowing Jerry to snap a few pictures that are much better than our original back in May. It is late in the year for this bird but it had apparently been around for a few weeks feasting on worms and bugs in the nearby fields. The next day it was not re-found so hopefully it is already in a warmer southern place.
Cattle Egret MayCattle Egret November
Our day along the Niagara River was full of Gull watching as we hunted through Bonaparte, Ring-billed and Herring Gulls for that odd Kittiwake. Still no joy! But there was a lovely rainbow over the falls.
A Kittiwake was seen on Lake Huron late in the day of course! The discussion on the way home was should we head to Lake Huron and hope the Kittiwake remains? I was a bit hesitant with all the weather reports about snow squalls and horrible conditions further north. So I opted not to go first thing and Saturday morning at 8:15 a report came in of a Black-throated Gray Warbler in St. Catherines! We were out the door and arrived at Port Weller just before 10 but the warbler had not been seen since the initial sighting around 8. There were quite a few birders looking and we all spread out to wander the area where it had been seen. This is a western species that we see out in British Columbia so it definitely took a wrong turn. The area has sewage lagoons and scrubby forest with lots of potential for bugs even as the weather gets cold. We all searched, and searched but the bird was not found again although I am sure it is still there, it is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. We do not miss too many of the birds we chase so I guess we were due for one. A nice consolation was seeing two Great Horned Owls in the woods.
Great Horned Owl
Oh, and the Kittiwake was seen at the same spot on Lake Huron so we could have got that one! LOL. Decisions and timing! Sunday morning we headed to Lake Huron, a 2 hour drive to Cow Creek where the Black-legged Kittiwake had been for two days – it would be our 25th lake watch and we pulled up at 8:00 and got our bins on the gulls without getting out of our car…AND IT WAS THERE! A beautiful juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake with the defining black M pattern across its shoulders and the collar on its neck. We were so excited we didn’t put on gloves, hats but just grabbed camera and bins and ran out of the car. The last of the expected species! Bird #333! So many lake watches needed to get to this moment!
Black-legged Kittiwake
I texted Jeremy, who I knew was on his way, and let him know it was here. He arrived around 20 minutes later and we celebrated both of us getting the bird. It was #330 for Jeremy. Suddenly Jeremy got on a Kittiwake but in a different spot and we had 2 Kittiwakes in front of us with beautiful views! We had some good laughs about after waiting so long for the this species and suddenly we have two of them. It is what we all love about birding – the total randomness of never knowing what will happen. After another 20 minutes Maria arrived and she added it to her Life List! Woohoo! Last week all four of us dipped on the bird at Point Edward so it was nice that we all ended up getting it at the same time this week! It always makes the “win” better when you share it with others.
December 1 and I finally completed seeing all of the 288 expected species seen in Ontario in any given year. Back in January my excel sheet was empty and now 4 columns all have a 1 in each square. Rarities and semi-rarities are the only birds to get and there are few possibilities left. We will probably try for Gyrfalcon, an Ontarian bird, but a difficult bird to find. It is a sensitive species and so there are no reports on ebird so I will be dependent on hearing reports from other birders. There is also the possibility of a rare duck, gull or seabird still. December is the time for Christmas Bird Counts in most major areas and there is always the possibility of a rarity found during those counts. Until those reports come in we will bird when we get the chance but the urgency has lessened considerably. I will be very happy if the year ends at 333 but we will still chase any rarity that is found and is reasonably close. I am thinking of Canada 400 more and more and need to still get lists, bookings and some research done so my focus will be divided for the rest of the year. But for the moment there is happiness that the Kittiwake is finally ticked off the list!
