Pelee time

I'll be leaving for Point Pelee shortly, to spend about 3 days in the area. After a long cold spring, the thermometer is supposed to reach close to 20 degrees tomorrow, and combined with south winds there will be a lot of new migrants in the park.

Species like Forster's Tern, Spotted Sandpiper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pine Warbler, and maybe even Louisiana Waterthrush will make their first appearances of the year.

Sparrows should be around in numbers, and Brown Thrashers will probably be in the park. I should be able to find 4 species of swallows in the upcoming days.

This time of year is not yet prime rarity season, but its getting close. Rarities that occasionally arrive this time of year include Eared Grebe, American Avocet, Willet, Black Vulture, etc. Two avocets were in Ontario yesterday, so I wouldn't be surprised if more arrive. With all the Blue-winged Teal around, it is possible that a Cinnamon Teal or Garganey shows up. Rare gulls can appear this time of year with some likely candidates being Laughing, Franklin's, Black-headed, and California.

Of course I probably won't find any of those rarities, but it is just a small selection of the possibilities this time of year. At the very least it will be fun seeing new year birds and enjoying the warm weather.