It looks like the massive front that pushed through has brought some good birds with it.
Yesterday morning, I slept through my 3:00 AM alarm, opting for the 5:00 AM one instead. That cost me a Least Tern, as Alan Wormington found one flying by the tip at 8:40 AM! I instead arrived in the Pelee area by 10:00 AM. This is about the 6th or so record for Ontario, and the second for Point Pelee.
Despite that huge miss, birding has been pretty awesome this weekend! I've found 4 rarities of varying levels so far, and hoping for another couple.
Red Phalarope: flyby at the tip yesterday just before noon. It came racing down the west side of the tip, crossed over, and headed east. Only my 3rd REPH for Ontario.
Glossy/White-faced Ibis: this is one that got away! After using the facilities at the Hillman Marsh shorebird cell, I was just getting back to my car when I saw an interesting bird heading towards me...it looked like an ibis, so I sprinted the last 5 steps to my car and grabbed my binoculars. Unfortunately by the time I got on the bird, it was heading east away from me and I couldn't tell which species of dark ibis it was. Glossy is usually more likely in Ontario, though this weather system rolling in from the west, along with the presence of a few western birds in the province (Least Tern, Franklins Gulls) make me think it could have been a White-faced. I searched the Hillman area for an hour or two with no luck. My guess is its hanging out at the Couture Dyke, or feeding in one of the flooded fields in the area.
This was the first ibis I've found in Ontario so it was frustrating to not be able to pin it to species. Hopefully it's re-found this weekend!
Worm-eating Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler: these two beauts were in the same foraging flock of warblers at DeLaurier this morning. I actually saw them about 3 minutes apart, in almost the exact same spot! The Worm-eating was my first autumn record for Ontario and only perhaps the 5th or 6th I've seen. The Golden-winged Warb was my second autumn record, with my first coming a few ago at Point Pelee with Kory Renaud.
The skies are clearing and the wind is shifting north - maybe it's time to do some hawk-watching. I still need Swainson's hawk for Ontario...
No comments:
Post a Comment