Another Spring Day at Rondeau

Well, I am a bit behind on this bandwagon! 

May 13th was a perfect day to be at Rondeau.  It was warm, sunny, no insects biting you, and the perfect amount of people at the park to make birding exciting and enjoyable.  I came to the Park to meet up with an old coworker and friend Charlotte and her husband.  

We started off on the Tulip Tree trail with hopes that I would be able to see my lifer Prothonotary Warbler.  Well...that's exactly what we did!  We stood for a little while just watching the bird flit around, catching insects, and were so luck to have gotten such an intimate look at it!  At times the bird was even too close for my camera to focus on!  When I used to describe Prothonotary ID to other people I would always describe it as being yellow with grey-blue wings. While this technically is true, its a shade of yellow you can't even describe. It's so beautiful! 

Next, we went on a search for the White-winged Dove.  It took us a little bit of time, but eventually we did find it!

One of the fun parts of birding in Rondeau is that you often see and meet people you know or have heard of.  While birding Tulip Tree Trail I bumped into Kenton Otterbein, the park naturalist for Killbear Provincial Park, on his camping trip!  We were able to share some of our morning sightings and also talk a little about Parry Sound!

Blackburnian Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Throughout the day, I spent the most time on South Point Trail.  There were a bundle of sightings and probably just as many people!  The great thing about birding is that usually everyone is so friendly, offering sightings and helping you try and find a particular bird of interest.  The first person I ran into along the trail was Allen Woodliffe, a fantastic birder and retired MNR employee.  Almost immediately upon meeting, Allen got a call about Whimbrel on the beach and so we were off, following to hopefully see them.  On the beach we met up with another Chatham-Kent birder, Steve Charbonneau...a name I've seen constantly on Ebird. Unfortunately, by the time we got there the Whimbrel were likely spooked off and no where to be seen.

Charlotte looking for the Whimbrel

Back on South Point Trail, we continued to see a wide variety of species including warblers of all kinds, Great Crested Flycatcher,

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Great Crested Flycatcher

The most exciting sightings of the afternoon were three specific species: Mourning Warbler (lifer!), Canada Warbler, and Hooded Warbler! I can't quite count the amount of time I spent trying to get a photograph of these birds, and still got such crappy shots! Haha.  I also saw Denise Dykema, an amazing photographer, out on the trail taking photos of the same species.  I last met her on an OFO outing to Skunk's Misery and absolutely loved how decked out in camo she was, since then I've seen many of her photos on Ontario Birds Facebook page and..WOW. They are stunning!

My attempt at a Mourning Warbler photo

Willow Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

When I finally gave up on trying to catch a photo of the Canada Warbler, I decided to pop out onto the beach and see if there were any shorebirds hanging around.  My first sighting was not a bird, but instead a Five-lined Skink!  The little guy ran up my pant leg until eventually I was able to direct it back to his cover board.

Once out on the beach, I was happy to see that just a short distance away were the Whimbrel previously seen by Steve.  By this time I was alone and frantically called Charlotte to come back to see them.  Looking at the parking lot, I noticed a car stopped and someone in it looking at me with binoculars (if this was anywhere other than a birding area, it would be really creepy!). I just assumed that it must the Allen and began waving for him to come over.  Once both Allen and Charlotte got to the beach we tried out best to inch a little closer for a better view.   The last (and only time) I have seen Whimbrel before this was on Lake Ontario at my field site, and it was a very fast flyby.  So this was certainly a treat!!

Whimbrel

Back in the South Point Trail parking lot I met Keith Burk, another Chatham-Kent birder who has compiled the Rondeau Christmas Bird Count for the last 40 years.  We heard word of a Worm-eating Warbler and made our way back into the trail. While we weren't able to find it, I was able to finally get a decent photo of the Hooded Warbler.  Keith was also a sweetheart and took his time to try and find me an Orange-crowned Warbler.  While we had no luck with the Orange-crowned or Worm-eating, it was so fantastic to spend the day birding with some awesome birders and learning from them.  It is one of my favourite parts of birding...the amazing network of people and learning from them.

Hooded Warbler

Hopefully I run into all these birders again the next time I am birding in the area!  Thanks again to Allen, Keith, Steve, and all the other amazing people I met that day who chatted with me, directed me to a bird, told me neat bird facts, or gave me camera tips.  Friendly and excited people always make an outing that much better.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Rondeau <3

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there!

I am so lucky to be able to share so many interests with my Dad, from musical tastes, sense of humour, and love of nature.

From a baby, my family would bring me to my cottage.  Looking through old photographs, I see photos of my Dad teaching me how to swim, teaching me to fish off the dock, bringing me on hikes along the trail, feeding birds and chipmunks. Even when back home we would go on bikes to see the horses down the street or buy me mass amounts of peanuts so I could feed the Blue Jays in my backyard.  It really is no wonder that I caught a bit of a nature bug.

Going into the environmental field and especially becoming a birder, I think came as a bit of a surprise...especially as in high school I always talked about music or at least a field with less "science" in it.  All of my jobs were a bit more unconventional, especially as a young female.  I am so lucky to have a father who pushed me to believe that I can do anything I want to do, even in a male-dominated field.  I've pushed, gone out of my comfort zone, wondered MANY times what I got myself into, but all along the way he's never failed to be curious, show interest, and tell me how proud he is.  Just hearing that makes me know that while I think I'm crazy, he just may think I'm crazy awesome. 

During my field season last year, my Dad came out with my to my field site and got to see me in action.  It was so much fun being able to share what I love to do (and let him see some places few people get to!).  During my visits home, we have been making a small tradition of going out on short birding trips. Its gotten to the point now too where both him and my mom will send me texts about birds in the backyard or during their drives places! I am incredibly lucky to have two parents who take interest in what I do and push me to be a better person and a better person in my field.

So on Father's Day...Thank you Dad.  Thank you for always being there for me. For always taking interest in what I do.  For raising me to believe that I am interesting, smart, and that I can do anything.  In just two weeks I will be heading off to Coat Island and work in the Arctic for six weeks...something that I never thought I would get the chance or have the guts to do.  I can't wait to share stories and photos with you and Mom!

Dad rocking the early 90s moustache

Day in the Pelee Area

It's been a little while since I've been able to catch-up on my postings, but here I am trying, yet again!

While visiting home in Chatham, I was given the opportunity to spend a day banding and birding in the Point Pelee Area from two birding/banding friends Emma Buck and Jeremy Bensette. I'm a little embarrassed to say that even though I grew up in Chatham-Kent...I have only ever been to Point Pelee National Park once during a Grade 4 field trip.  But, with this chance to head down there, I took it and boy am I so glad that I did!

I begun the morning early at Hillman Marsh with Emma for some banding.  We set up nets and eagerly waited for the first net run. Flying over us all morning were flocks of Black-bellied Plovers (my first of the year...or FOY). It their first really busy day at the station, so I was incredibly happy that I was able to come out, help, and band some awesome birds in the process.  During our net runs we caught high numbers of Common Yellowthroats, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Yellow Warblers.

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I was really excited too to see a handful of other bright warblers such as the: Black-and-White, Nashville, Palm (my first in the hand!)

Black-and-White Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Palm Warbler

  

Northern Waterthrush

We then had three REALLY special guests show up into the nets...a Canada Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler and a Rusty Blackbird!  These two warbler species are always a "favourite" I would say amongst the birders I know and are definitely a treat to be able to see them in the hand.  A group of people had stopped by to watch at this point and the "oooohs and ahhhs" from the crowed were certainly there!

Canada Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Rusty Blackbird

Some of the last birds at the station were a group of Warbling Vireos that we had caught together in a net, which obviously makes for a great group photo!

Once the nets were closed at Hillman, we drove off to the Wheatley station.  Before we arrived there, we decided to stop quickly at the harbour because there had been recent sightings of Willet, a type of shorebird, on the beach.  We were incredibly lucky as we spotted them almost immediately after getting out of our car!  They were life species #239 for me.

From here, we went to the Wheatley Station where I was so lucky to participate in quite a bit more banding!  I banded my first Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, Blue Jay, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and White-crowned Sparrow! 

Second Year male Orchard Oriole

Can see the different coloured wing feathers

Second-Year male, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

It was certainly a little terrifying taking a Rose-breasted Grosbeak out of a bag, I mean, look at that bill.  Anything made for crushing seeds can cause some serious pain to skin. Luckily I managed to only get bitten once, and boy did it leave a mark!

We left the station a little early so that we could meet up with Jeremy Bensette at Point Pelee NP.  We took the "bus" to the tip and began the evening birding from there. Birds, were immediate. We heard stories from people that entire day talking about how "warblers were dripping from the trees", and while we missed this extent there were still birds everywhere we looked.  It was...to say the least...amazing.  During this first part of the evening I was able to see my very first male Bay-breasted Warbler, and lifer Cape May (bird #240!).

Male Bay-breasted Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Cape May Warbler

During this trip I decided that I wouldn't even bother taking any in-flight photos. Mainly because, quite frankly, I suck at them.  Every time I attempt a shot it always comes out as a colourful blur and I still don't know camera settings well enough that I can change them in that instant.  However, one thing I learnt during this trip is that, if I don't prepare and try to get perching shots...apparently I get ok in-flight photos instead!

Blackburnian Warbler

Cape May Warbler taking off

We saw many other birds during out walk including Magnolia, Yellow, Palm, Black-throated Blue and Green Warblers, thrushes too such as Veery and Swainsons, and also happened to spot Tree Swallows who were potentially beginning to built a nest in a tree cavity (or were already taking care of young!).  

Magnolia Warbler

Another Maggie

Curious Palm Warbler

Veery

Tree Swallow

We then packed up and headed a little closer towards the Marsh Boardwalk area as the sun was about to set, hoping to pick up just a few more birds.  One that was particularly on my list to see this year was a Red-headed Woodpecker.  I do remember seeing one once in Grade 4 here, however since then I've only ever seen one in Illinois!  Much to my delight, we noticed a crowd of people taking photos of a bird....which was a Red-headed Woodpecker!  

Afterwards we walked a little more towards the lake where I then saw my lifer (#241) Lincoln's Sparrow.  With a really crappy record shot to boot!

It was such a beautiful day out and a much needed break!  Thank you so much to Emma and Jeremy for bringing me out both banding and birding!  And big thanks too to the Wheatley banding crew for letting me come over to your house and have a wee bit of fun!

Happy Birding everyone!

Birding with Dad at Rondeau

One thing I love so much about birding is that it is an activity that you can easily share with other people. Its also an easy hobby to get interested in and slightly addicted to! Over the last year, I've tried to introduce my parents to birding a little more, whether it is through pictures I bring home or through pointing out things while out with them.  My mom often will spot birds in the yard and has been really good at noticing things that "aren't like the others"!  In fact, the other week she managed to spot a Blue-headed Vireo in our backyard tree.  My dad, who's becoming a bit of a lister, set his binoculars on it and gave me the description, but his "grey head with a yellow body and white eye ring" just lead me in circles around a Nashville Warbler until I was actually home to see it. My parents got me a lifer!

Blue-headed Vireo in our backyard

 Last week I took my Dad out birding at Rondeau Provincial Park.  I have been home in Chatham for a little over a week, and wanted to take him out for a night of some birdy fun, especially since it is migration and he hasn't seen many of the fan-favourite colourful warblers!

We walked into the park, so while we were not able to make it too far before sunset, we did make it to the marsh trail and back to the gate.  We saw a total of 51 species just within this area!

Trees were full of warblers that evening, especially Yellow Warblers.  We were able to spot Nashville, Parula, Yellow-rumped, Redstart, Black-and-white and Blackburnian all within a short distance from the front gate.  All of these were lifers for my father! We also we not able to walk anywhere without hearing Baltimore Orioles...they were everywhere!

Northern Parula

Nashville Warbler

Closer to the Park Store, we noticed a few birds hopping around in the grass.  There were a variety of sparrows (Chipping, White-crowned, White-throated), as well as some warblers!  A few Yellow Warblers were feeding on some of the insects they could find in the grass, and then amongst them was my very first Palm Warbler (109th species of the year)!  

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler jumping

Have you ever noticed that you can see a bird for the first time (even after a year of searching for one) and then suddenly you see them, quite literally, everywhere?  This was definitely my experience with Palm Warblers.  As soon as I saw my first one on the Park Store lawn, suddenly there were about 15 more.  Then the next day at Pelee, I saw a couple dozen more!   It makes me wonder how I never noticed them before.

We then began chatting with a park visitor from Whitby who had seen a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers on the bay.  I began showing him the different birds that were around us and giving him their IDs, when out of my eye I spotted something blue.  It was a Eastern Bluebird!!  Another first for my Dad and it definitely made this visiting couple very happy as well! This little guy flew from branch to brach giving us some amazing views.

On our walk out of the park we were stuck with 49 species.  I was pretty determined to get us an even 50, however with the sun setting and it getting dark it seemed like it would be rather difficult to do!  As we continued to walk, my father and I talked about all the different birds we had seen, what ones I thought we missed and what could potentially be our number 50.  He was astonished how within about two hours we had seen that many, especially since we had barely made it into the park.  Then, a few steps before the gate, we heard our #50. "Peeeeeent".   An American Woodcock.

Driving home to Chatham, we took the highway through Blenheim, Ontario.  As we drove down the road my dad suddenly came to a screeching stop and pulled into a gas station as he excitedly started screaming "OHHHHHH MAN THERES AN OWL!".  Sure enough, on the top of a telephone pole, there was a Great-horned Owl.  It swooped and grabbed a dead squirrel before flying off into the park across the street. Of course my camera settings were not at all prepped for this (not that I am great at night photos to begin with!), so my photo turned out...a little eerie!

Beam me up Scotty! (Great-horned Owl)

Hope everyone is having a great migratory bird day and enjoying the greatness of spring migration!!!  I am a few days behind on my blogging, so I will be trying my best to catch up.

Our full checklist can be found at : http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29528470