Monday we returned to Pelee, a bit late in the morning as we had a late night emergency with Jerry’s mom and only got to bed at 2am. I wish we had left even later so that we were close to Long Point when a report came in for the first Ontario record of a White-tailed Kite seen by Rowan of Hamilton. Instead we were minutes from arriving at Pelee, 3 hours away. Kites can stick around in an area but more than not they arrive and leave. I made the decision not to go and apparently it was seen again by a very few birders. Instead we spent an enjoyable day in the park finally catching up on some warblers and talking to a lot of people and helping others get on birds. The leaves are out A LOT and the birds were feeding very HIGH. I had “warbler neck” very quickly. A term birders use for the cricks and pain we get in our necks from looking straight up with bins held to our eyes. It was lovely hearing the songs of warblers too and we were pleasantly surprised that we recognized a few more than last year. Merlin is definitely helping with that as we can take a guess at a song before seeing the bird and get Merlin to confirm that is what it is. A useful tool if used properly.
We ended up seeing another 6 species of warbler and added a Wood Thrush that we heard singing in the woods. We then headed to flooded fields and Hillman Marsh and added 2 shorebirds and a Black Tern.
Tuesday morning was a little cool with north-east winds, the worst winds to have at Pelee and predictably there was only a few new migrants in the park and no reverse migration taking place. We only checked the tip for a short time and then wandered up into the middle of the park. Each day we check the west beach path either going to the tip or coming back for the possibility of unearthing a rarity like Kirtland’s Warbler that is almost always found on that West side. The park still had nice pockets of warblers but nothing that we didn’t already have. We met up with Pelee friends Cindy and Judy for a walk through Tilden and almost immediately saw a Golden-winged Warbler that had been reported in the area earlier. This is a highly sought-after species and often tough to get so we were very happy to see it.
It would turn out to be the only bird we added for the day despite walking 16km through the park.
Wednesday morning the anticipation was high after south winds and a rain storm but nothing much happened at Pelee. Reports from along Lake Ontario came in with numerous warblers about but not so much where we were. I was a tad disappointed but there is always something to get at Pelee and we quickly added another common species, the Red-eyed Vireo. I now only have 2 more common species to get and that list of 144 can be put aside. We also added a Bay-breasted Warbler leaving us with only 2 more expected warblers to see, the Canada and Mourning. I got on a Yellow-billed Cuckoo that a group had spotted on one of the trails but despite my best efforts Jerry did not see it before it flew off. It is a bird that often appears in our back yard and we see often in Brantford so I know he will get it, but for the moment I am one bird ahead of him. He is taking it more graciously than I probably would.
Just before noon a report of a Kirtland’s Warbler came in but instead of at Pelee where they traditionally are, this one was in Grimsby! ARGGGGH! 3.5 hours away. What to do? What to do? I knew I should go for it but at the same time I also felt if I went for it I would miss something at Pelee and maybe one would be found at Pelee or Rondeau, the more traditional areas. So we did not go. And I was upset most of the afternoon that I had not gone as the reports kept coming in that it was still being seen. Around 4 a late report came in that a Worm-eating Warbler had been seen at noon in the same area as the one on the weekend when we were not here at Pelee. Cell service is bad and people try to report but messages don’t go through. So we decided to go over and stake out the Worm-eating Warbler. We took water, snacks and stools and sat and walked the path that it was last seen. Our hope was that it would sing as they spend most of their time on the ground, I assume, looking for worms and are difficult to see. We were prepared to sit until dusk. Then at 6:14 my phone started going crazy with dings and whistles, a Ferruginous Hawk, a western species, was 30 mins away in a tree. We headed back to the car, not running, but walking quickly and then had a tortured drive out of the park behind cars driving 32 kmph! It is the one time I did not feel calm. I bugged Jerry to drive faster. How long would the hawk sit in the tree? Messages were being sent that it was still in the tree and people were being asked to stay in their cars so the bird did not flush. When we finally arrived there were easily 30-40 cars pulled over on Highway 3 and people at the back ends had to be out of the car to see the bird in a tree just off the road on the opposite side. It was a crazy sight and I forgot to take a pic of all the cars and people in my excitement to be there and SEE THE BIRD! The record shot is of the hawk’s butt and from a distance but I’ve added Jerry’s best pic of a Ferruginous Hawk taken in Alberta in 2022 so you know what it looks like.
And suddenly I felt better about not going for the Kirtland’s. Although that would be short-lived, as ,it would turn out that the Hawk was refound the next day and the Kirtland’s was not and so some birders did end up getting both birds. Sigh!
Thursday was cool in the morning with rain starting in the afternoon. We staked out the Worm-eating area again in the morning instead of going to the Tip and while we heard and saw a variety of warblers the Worm-eating was not one of them. We walked our usual West Beach Path ever hopeful of turning up a Kirtland’s and then decided to head back to the car and check the local fields for shorebirds. On our way out a report for a Black-billed Cuckoo came in from the area we were driving past so we stopped to check it out. A group of birders with cameras pointed up are a sure sign of something good but instead of the Cuckoo it was an Olive-sided Flycatcher. A nice surprise and a bird that we often do not see in the spring but we have migrating through our local area in the fall. A bit further up the path were the two kinds of Tanagers, Scarlet and Summer, as well as an Orange variant of the Scarlet Tanager.
It rained into the evening and we were happy to just stay in our hotel, order pizza and catch up on photos, blog and lists.
Friday morning we were up really early, that happens when you fall asleep at 10, and into the park by 5:12. You might think we were first into the park at that time since it only opens at 5 but the parking lot was half full and the first tram was easily almost filled. We chose to walk, our only cardio of the day usually, and enjoyed hearing the birds start to wake as the sky lightened. There were few birds at the tip which was not a surprise with north winds but we hung out a bit socializing with friends.
We walked up to Sparrow field with Barry and Margaret from Toronto but it was pretty quiet until we got to the Red Bud Path and saw a beautiful Hooded Warbler. As we walked out a group of us were sure we saw a Mississippi Kite fly over. I had a poor view but the others were very sure. We rushed to the Visitor Center hoping it had flown there and others would have seen it to confirm the sighting but no one saw anything. Some birders already had scopes set up hoping the Ferruginous Hawk would be moving through Pelee so they checked out some distant birds and one seemed a candidate for Kite, pictures were taken and shown to an excellent birder who confirmed it was a Kite. Excitement and happy dance ensued. And then a report of a Cattle Egret 5 minutes away just outside the park came in so we headed for that. A Swallow-tailed Kite was also reported at Rondeau just an hour away. We got the Cattle Egret quickly and I decided to head to Rondeau for a chance to see the other Kite. 20 minutes later the report is the Kite was now heading to Pelee! We turned around and headed back down the highway now at least 10 minutes behind the Kite. It was the first time I’ve lost it this year, so disappointed that I had made the “wrong” decision yet again and most of the birders at Pelee would likely see the Kite and I would not. To make matters worse, Margaret texted me to say Sarah (another stellar birder) had reviewed the photos and our Kite was not a Mississippi Kite but a Broad-winged Hawk. The only consolation was the Kite didn’t head into Pelee and so only a few people outside the Park saw the Kite as it went through further north so I was only one of many frustrated birders. But on a positive note we did add a Cattle Egret, another rarity on my list! My hope is that this year will make us better birders from all the mistakes we make along the way and those future Big Year Birders reading this will also learn what not to do. LOL!
Saturday we were back at the Tip after south winds and still quiet. Some new migrants appeared in the park but it still didn’t feel like many arrived. A thunderstorm rolled in quite early and put a stop to all bird watching as we all headed for cover at the Tram stop. The rain persisted for a bit while we all chatted about, well, birding, and when it slowed we headed out to bird with our niece Theresa. We managed to see a few warblers and hear many singing but not visible in the leaf covered shrubs and the high leafed out trees. It was a challenge to ID anything and a challenge to share the information. We only added a Common Nighthawk roosting on a tree branch but Theresa, as a new birder, added a few lifers which is also exciting for us to remember that feeling.
Late afternoon we headed to Hillman after a report of a Western Sandpiper and managed to find the small piper with a limp (injured, not a trait of Western Sandpiper) among all the Dunlin. Just as we were finishing up another rainstorm hit and we headed for the car and called it a day.
Sunday we opted to head to Rondeau as it was Mother’s Day and Pelee gets packed with families. We were waiting on a report of a Blue Grosbeak we were thinking of chasing. It was pleasantly birdy at Warbler Way but nothing new for our list. Still it was nice to just enjoy the birds and Jerry tried for better photos of some. The Blue Grosbeak was refound so we decided to head out only to get a report 20 mins later of a Townsend’s Warbler (a Western Species) from Rondeau. Man, we just cannot get a break, every decision seems to be the wrong one. We opted to turn back and try for the Townsends but it had flown by the time we got there and was not refound that day. By the time we did a few loops hoping to find the warbler we opted not to go for the Grosbeak and of course it was seen again around 4. We spent the day at the park but did not add any species. We did had lovely conversations with many people including Susan and Jim who will also be doing a Canada Big Year in 2025. Susan has helped me with this Big Year as she is a veteran of one in 2022 when she saw 335 species!
On the way home we stopped at Wheatley Harbour, our habit, and managed to add the only bird of the day, a Whimbrel. And so the week that feels like a month comes to an end. And where will I be tomorrow? AT THE TIP!
The stats are: 1 Common Bird left – Willow Flycatcher, 9 spring migrants left, 2 Warblers left, Canada and Mourning then we move to finishing Special Trips for Birds and then all that is left are the few Fall birds that come through and rarities. We have driven a shocking 21,800 km and walked 603 km so far.
Week 19 26 rarities so far 21 species added this week 281 total species E 280 total species J