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.
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.
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
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 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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