Spring Migration at Point Pelee Part II

Spring Migration at Point Pelee Part II



Always An Adventure was this year hired by Road Scholar Canada / Routes to Learning to guide two back-to-back trips to Point Pelee for spring migration 2012. Besides Point Pelee, Ontario’s Birding Hot Spot, we made stops at Long Point and Rondeau Provincial Parks. Each tour lasted 5 days and occurred during the peak of spring migration. Here is the entry for trip #2. Total trip list contains both seen and heard.

Spring Migration at Point Pelee Part II
Scarlet Tanager

Scenery at Point Pelee Marsh
Scenery at Point Pelee Marsh

Big Creek Long Point2
Big Creek, Long Point

Big Creek Long Point3
Big Creek, Long Point

Blackburnian Warbler at Long Point
Blackburnian Warbler at Long Point

Killdeer protecting its eggs at Rondeau
Killdeer protecting its eggs, at Rondeau

TOUR II:

14-19 May 2012

The itinerary of this tour was identical to the previous tour that took place the week before (see previous BLOG entry).

But, we birders follow the birds, so we made a few minor changes to the program. Again, the group contained participants from USA and Canada.

The first full day started in bright sunshine at St. Williams Reserve where we had good looks at a Blue-winged Warbler. At Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, we had Willow Flycatcher and a female Wood Duck with chicks. At Old Cut Field Station we had several warblers including a very cooperative Blackburnian. We had several excellent birds at our picnic stop, including a pair of Northern Parulas, Scarlet Tanager and Brown Thrasher. At Wilson Tract we experienced Hooded Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Bluebird, Grasshopper & Vesper Sparrows. The next morning, we headed for Rondeau. The Tufted Titmouse was still coming to the Visitors Center feeder. At the South Point Trail we had a female Blue Grosbeak (rare for Ontario), Philadelphia Vireo, Magnolia Warbler and hundreds of Bonaparte’s Gulls.

The following day we started at St. Clair Wetlands where we had Least Bittern, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow and American Coot. At Point Pelee, the female Prothonotary Warbler was still working on her nest with the male lurking in the background. Other highlights of the day were a thousand of Black-bellied Plovers, Great Egret and Ruddy Turnstone at Hillman Marsh.

The last day was entirely in Point Pelee Park. Where we had a steady stream of warblers, orioles, and other song birds. Some of the highlights included Mourning, Canada, Tennessee and Cape May Warblers. A highlight for everyone was an extremely cooperative Rufous Morph Eastern Screetch Owl. Our total trip-list came to 145 species of birds.

Marsh Wren2
Marsh Wren

Scenery from Rondeau
Scenery from Rondeau

Field Sparrow at Point Pelee
Field Sparrow at Point Pelee

Point Pelee
Point Pelee

Point Pelee2
Point Pelee

Getting out to the tip
Getting out to the tip!

At the tip mostly Ring billed Herring Gulls
At the tip; mostly Ring-billed & Herring Gulls

Our group at the tip
Our group at the tip

DigiScoped Rufous morph Eastern Screech Owl at Point Pelee
DigiScoped Rufous morph Eastern Screech-Owl at Point Pelee

ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Mute Swan

Cygnus olor

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Gadwall

Anas strepera

American Wigeon

Anas americana

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Blue-winged Teal

Anas discors

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Lesser Scaup

Aythya affinis

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae

Ruffed Grouse

Bonasa umbellus

Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

GAVIIFORMES: Gaviidae

Common Loon

Gavia immer

PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae

Least Bittern

Ixobrychus exilis

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Great Egret

Ardea alba

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

ACCIPITRIFORMES: Cathartidae

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

GRUIFORMES: Rallidae

Virginia Rail

Rallus limicola

Sora

Porzana carolina

Common Moorhen

Gallinula galeata

GRUIFORMES: Gruidae

Sandhill Crane

Grus canadensis

CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae

Black-bellied Plover

Pluvialis squatarola

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus griseus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae

Bonaparte’s Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Black Tern

Chlidonias niger

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Forster’s Tern

Sterna forsteri

COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae

Rock Pigeon

Columba livia

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

Black-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Eastern Screech-Owl

Megascops asio

APODIFORMES: Apodidae

Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica

APODIFORMES: Trochilidae

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

PICIFORMES: Picidae

Red-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker

Picoides villosus

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

PASSERIFORMES: Tyrannidae

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

Alder Flycatcher

Empidonax alnorum

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

PASSERIFORMES: Vireonidae

Blue-headed Vireo

Vireo solitarius

Warbling Vireo

Vireo gilvus

Philadelphia Vireo

Vireo philadelphicus

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae

Horned Lark

Eremophila alpestris

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

PASSERIFORMES: Paridae

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

PASSERIFORMES: Sittidae

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

PASSERIFORMES: Troglodytidae

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris

PASSERIFORMES: Polioptilidae

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa

PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Catharus minimus

Swainson’s Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Wood Thrush

Hylocichla mustelina

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

PASSERIFORMES: Mimidae

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum

PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

PASSERIFORMES: Bombycillidae

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

PASSERIFORMES: Parulidae

Ovenbird

Seiurus aurocapilla

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Blue-winged Warbler

Vermivora cyanoptera

Black-and-white Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Tennessee Warbler

Oreothlypis peregrina

Nashville Warbler

Oreothlypis ruficapilla

Mourning Warbler

Geothlypis philadelphia

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

Hooded Warbler

Setophaga citrina

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Cape May Warbler

Setophaga tigrina

Northern Parula

Setophaga americana

Magnolia Warbler

Setophaga magnolia

Blackburnian Warbler

Setophaga fusca

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Setophaga pensylvanica

Blackpoll Warbler

Setophaga striata

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Setophaga caerulescens

Palm Warbler

Setophaga palmarum

Pine Warbler

Setophaga pinus

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Setophaga coronata

Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

Canada Warbler

Cardellina canadensis

PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae

Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Field Sparrow

Spizella pusilla

Vesper Sparrow

Pooecetes gramineus

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Grasshopper Sparrow

Ammodramus savannarum

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Swamp Sparrow

Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

White-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia leucophrys

PASSERIFORMES: Cardinalidae

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Blue Grosbeak

Passerina caerulea

Indigo Bunting

Passerina cyanea

PASSERIFORMES: Icteridae

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Orchard Oriole

Icterus spurius

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Until next time...2
Until next time…

Ontario’s Birding Hot Spot: Point Pelee National Parkwas organized by

Road Scholar Canada

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“Always an Adventure with Tony and Nina”

Nina Stavlund

Nina Stavlund

Nina is Norwegian, an extensive world traveller, and is now living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She's also a passionate birder and nature lover. She's a professional photographer, graduated from "Bilder Nordic School of Photography" in Oslo, Norway. Her award-winning work appears in many catalogues, magazines, postcards, websites, calendars and more. Nina, & her husband Tony Beck, offer local excursions, international tours and photographic services through their company "Always An Adventure Inc". Nina also conducts photography and photo editing courses.

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Nina Stavlund

Nina Stavlund

Professional Photographer accepting new assignments! After working as an Executive/Personal Assistant for 15 years, mainly in the oil and gas business in Norway, I needed a change in my life. Since photography had been a passion since I was a child, I wanted to do something creative and meaningful in this field. This inspired me to visit Greece for 3 wonderful years. After returning to Norway, I decided it was time to become a professional photographer/artist. In 2010, I graduated from “Bilder Nordic School of Photography” in Oslo. At the same time, I was working full time with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International Arctic Program. In addition to nature & wildlife photography, I also do lifestyle, weddings/anniversaries, portrait and creative photography and I teach photography and photo editing.

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