The days start to become a blur. It is a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, same thing repeated over and over – wake up way too early, head to the tip, disperse through the park, chase a few sightings, walk, scan, listen, walk, scan, listen, arrive back home just before dark tired and hungry, have to get food, blog, emails, photos done, fall into bed before 10 and repeat. Maybe that sounds like I am complaining and not having much fun but the reality is we love every minute of it! Amongst all that repetition are lots of conversations, laughter, anticipation, elation over seeing beautiful birds, witnessing unique bird behaviour, and walking through the gorgeous green of Pelee. It has been a fantastic two weeks and while you can see these birds all across southern Ontario as well, the magic of Pelee cannot be replicated.
Monday we had a stellar day and added six new species to the list! We heard and saw a Red-eyed Vireo in the morning. A Red Knot was found out on a sand spit outside the park. The picture is truly bad just because of the distance we had to view from. A scope view was better but only marginally. Just before our afternoon hike started we found and reported an Orange-crowned Warbler at the hike meet-up and minutes later a report of a Canada Warbler came in. It was being seen at the end of the parking lot so we rushed over and saw it quickly before heading back for our hike. We were happy to get our group of 12 on a number of warblers and other migrants. After the hike I was on desk duty in the visitor centre to answer any questions visitors have about birding. When I finished at 5 we headed back out to the Northwest beach area and added a Golden-winged Warbler that had been reported a bit earlier. After that we heard about a Black-billed Cuckoo further on the path so we continued on and ended up seeing two Black-billed Cuckoos.
Tuesday morning it was raining as we made our way to the tip and just as we arrived it started to pour. We took shelter with all the other birders under the pavilion and then decided to head back down to the visitor centre where we took refuge inside hoping to wait out the storm. It didn’t stop and we finally declared a “cottage day” and headed out of the park. We made a quick stop at a flooded field just outside the park and scoped from inside the car to see Semipalmated Plovers to add another species. We worked on photos and the blog, had some tea and pastries and finally around 11 the rain slowed and we decided to head back out. We were driving some of the fields when a report of Whimbrels at Wheatley Harbour came in but by the time we got there they had flown off. We have plans to attend the Whimbrel Watch in Toronto at the end of May but if we get them now it is one less thing to do. A report from Keiran of Hooded Warbler guided us to Kopengaron Conservation Area where we heard it singing as soon as we got out of the car and then Jerry saw it in the undergrowth and I got on it as well. He managed a few pics and then it disappeared, as warblers do. We then headed back to Wheatley Harbour because an Iceland Gull was found by Kiah and this was a winter bird we had missed. It is an expected species in Ontario but more often in the winter months so it was nice to finally track one down.
Wednesday was a lovely day weather wise and we finally shed our long underwear and extra layers and by afternoon were birding without jackets. The tip was quiet but there were lots of birds in the park. We walked up the West Beach path as it is prime time for Kirtland’s Warbler and that is a known area for them. If you recall last year we walked that path almost every day and this year has been no exception.There were many warblers in the junipers and they took time to ID as you would only get bits of their bodies showing. It is an exercise in knowing undertails of birds, side views and heads to figure out what you are seeing. We were both looking at the same area of undergrowth with logs and brambles and suddenly Jerry said “Mourning Warbler”. I saw a Gray Catbird and a Common Yellowthroat but no Mourning Warbler. He gave me some directions, I looked, and nothing! How do these warblers disappear so quickly? After a few minutes we gave up and left the park to meet up with our friends Dave and Julia, as they were passing by, and enjoyed a few hours catching up with them. I was ok with Jerry getting Mourning Warbler before me because I had Eastern-whip-poor-will and he did not and I also knew that I could get Mourning Warbler in many places on breeding grounds. The afternoon was quite hot but we still managed to find two new species, Philadelphia Vireo and Gray-cheeked Thrush. We went to the Marsh at dusk to try and see Common Nighthawks but none appeared in that area. We will see that species throughout our travels but I am trying to get what I can off the list now.
Thursday was another lovely morning and there was finally a bit of a reverse migration off the tip. This phenomenon happens with south winds where birds seem to backtrack and then come back north again and then often repeat this over and over. We had Eurasian Collared Dove reverse over and over and land in a tree for many to see. We already saw this bird in BC where they are more plentiful but it was a good Ontario bird to add. Pelicans also arrived and there were a number of shorebirds. We spent some time chatting with Noah, Logan, Tanner and their family about the 100 species challenge. These young birders are keen to get their 100 pins and see and learn all they can. It is wonderful to see kids starting so young and absorbing so much knowledge. Heading up from the tip we once again did the West Beach path and arrived at the 1/2 way tram stop right when a Yellow-billed Cuckoo had been found. It was low and in the open so we had great looks at this unique bird that I think few people realize live in our forests.
The birding was shaping up to be one of those “100 species” day. I already had 45 on my list just at the tip so I thought I might try for a 100 in a day. After the park I was at 85 and headed to Hillman where I added 14 more putting me at 99. We then headed to Wheatley Harbour thinking about those Whimbrels. When we arrived there were many shorebirds on the beach and we quickly saw 2 Willets to make the 100 for the day. They were quickly flushed by a couple walking the beach. We waited a bit hoping they would return and then suddenly 12 Whimbrel arrived and the 2 Willets landed as well. A fantastic ending to a great day! Over 100 species and added 2 more species.
Friday was our last day at the tip and in the park as we planned to head home and stop at Rondeau on the way. The tip was again very quiet and yet migration had happened as there were many new birds in the park. We decided to not do the west beach path but head back to the Visitors Centre and do a loop of Tilden as we were leading an afternoon hike. Just inside Tilden’s we met up with Garth, Nancy and Barbara who had just seen a Common Nighthawk roosting. We had tried for this bird a couple of evenings so it was very nice to get a roosting one to add to the list. Part way through Tilden’s I got a report that a Worm-eating Warbler had just been seen back down the path a bit. It was not a “known” birder but it is always worth checking these reports out. We headed back down and it was being heard! Singing! Within minutes someone was on the bird, I saw it in the undergrowth and dead leaves, Jerry got on it and took pictures and then the hordes of birders descended. Worm-eating Warbler brings everybody out, it is that rare.
Then a Kentucky Warbler, also rare, started singing in the very same place! We already had Kentucky at the end of April but it was nice to get it again. The crowd continued to build and after a bit we left to give others space to hopefully see the bird. This Warbler does not breed in Ontario so they arrive because they have overshot their breeding grounds in the Mid-eastern States. It is also a warbler that spends a lot of time on the ground, under vegetation hunting for worms so it is usually difficult to find and see. It was one of the birds we missed last year.
By lunch time the temperature was 28C but we were leading the afternoon hike. Our strategy was to move from shady spot to shady spot and bird at each one and it seemed to pay off as we managed to get onto a number of interesting birds. I have really enjoyed leading the hikes and while I am not the most knowledgable of the guides I know I am enthusiastic and I try to impart some of the knowledge I do have to the newer birders.
Saturday we stopped at Rondeau on the way home for a few quick walks into areas we know often have flycatchers, which are the next species we need to finish on our Common Species List. We quickly found a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in the very same area we had one last year, but the Acadian Flycatcher we were also hoping to find, eluded us.
To end the week I’ll share a couple of videos from Pelee. The warblers are tough to video as they move so fast but the Baltimore Orioles are a bit easier. We found this little Yellow Warbler working on her nest right beside the trail.
I’m closing week 20 off a day early to keep the Pelee weeks together. The two weeks at Pelee netted us 44 more species. I now only have 4 more #1 ranked Common Species to add and 13 of the #2 ranked birds in Ontario. For the moment we are equal in number of species but each of us have a bird the other does not have. We have two weeks left in Ontario to wrap up these last species and then we head west!
Week 20 16 new species added J&E 297 species seen