Last Chance in Bruce (or more aptly named, Misses in Perth)

OK. This post is slightly out of order. We jump back to August for a moment. Shorebirds were on the move and the waters of Lake Huron were warm enough for swimming.

August 18

Three days had past since Jean and I observed our lifer Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and that's one tick I will surely never forget. We were now relaxing on the shores of Lake Huron. Hiking the Tower Trail at MacGregor Point produced no first of the years but we may have influenced a young lad from Michigan to pursue a life of birding. 9 species were added to the Bruce County list, including Wild Turkey observed in a field after leaving the provincial park. South of MacGregor Point, we scoured the rocky shoreline near Brucedale Conservation Area. No birds but the glacial deposited rocks were interesting though.

The morning of the 18th, we hiked the dunes in the nearby Inverhuron Provincial Park. Last year we observed a Swamp Sparrow on the banks of the Little Sauble River. The bird was an addition to the 2009 list and I was looking for a repeat this year.

No Swamp Sparrow north of the bridge this year. Only Song and Chipping Sparrows made appearances this fine morning.

While hiking the dunes of Inverhuron P.P. we observed many Black-capped Chickadees flying across our path. Mixed in the conifers with the chickadees were a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Heading towards the park's beach, we found some Black-throated Green Warblers (3) east of the bridge.

After birding Inverhuron, it was time to take it easy at the public beach.

A relaxing twitcher reading The Reluctant Twitcher.

August 19

Our vacation in Bruce County would soon be over. A pleasant sunset was enjoyed in Kincardine the previous evening but any chance of birding Thursday morning was washed out by a heavy rainfall.

We left Inverhuron and Tiverton early in the afternoon and headed south on Highway 21.

The morning rain had flooded a small section of a field east of the highway. If I had not stopped in a construction lot to obtain an item from the back of the car we would have missed the shorebirds and an addition to the year list. A Solitary Sandpiper (#180) was wading in the pond with a few Greater Yellowlegs, a couple Semipalmated Sandpipers and a Least Sandpiper. A Wilson's Snipe was well hidden in the grass but Jean's keen eyes spotted it as if it was out in plain sight.

We reached the town of Mitchell late in the afternoon and stopped at the same picnic area we did the previous year. In addition to the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found at the Luther Marsh, daily sightings of some exciting birds were occurring at the Mitchell Sewage Lagoons while Jean and I were at the cottage. Though it is a toy I can do without, a Blackberry would have been extremely advantageous in this situation. On the 16th, a birding friend of ours posted that he had seen a Hudsonian Godwit. The next day, another post indicated that along with the Hudsonian, a Marbled Godwit was also present. In all, a total of 14 shorebirds were hanging out at the Mitchell Sewage Lagoons while I was viewing Tree and Barn Swallows flying over Whirl Creek. Arrrgh! Not only would we be past 200 species for 2010 (as of today), the life list would have 2 more birds on it. Next year, a stop at the Mitchell Sewage Lagoons in Perth will be on the itinerary and hopefully the life list will have a couple of godwits.

Birding the Tower Trail

August 17

During a visit to MacGregor Point last year, Jean and I discovered a trail while looking over a map of the provincial park. On that day, we limited our time to the area near the observation deck. Walking the 3.5 kilometre trail around the marsh would have to wait for a subsequent visit. Upon hearing we could vacation with my brother-in-law's family this year, Jean and I reserved a morning for hiking the entire length of the trail.

We accessed the Tower Trail from a public road bordering the southern edge of MacGregor Point Provincial Park. A Merlin greeted us from its perch as we entered the marsh. The small falcon was capturing dragonflies with ease.

This wetland was once a swamp created by beaver activity and in 1989, Ducks Unlimited Canada completed construction on a dike to prevent drainage of the wetland habitat. This was the first habitat development by Ducks Unlimited in an Ontario Provincial Park.

We walked along the dike, stopping occasionally to view the wildlife in the wetland. American Redstarts and Black-capped Chickadees flitted in the trees behind us. Before continuing our hike east of the wetland, Jean and I observed Mallard, Wood Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Belted Kingfisher and Great Egret in the wetland habitat.

Dragonflies and butterflies were abundant on the Tower Trail.

We were hoping to spot a Pileated Woodpecker while in the provincial park. There was plenty of evidence of their presence. Though some of it was very fresh, we neither heard or saw any Pileated.

Dense white cedar stands are common in moist areas surrounding the wetland.

After viewing a few Red-eyed Vireos, we did not observe many birds until reaching the observation deck. Climbing to the top of the platform, we met a family from Michigan viewing the marsh wildlife through their binoculars. The couple's son seemed interested in our scope and when I found a Wood Duck, I offered the budding birder a closer look at the bird. The family were camping in the park and during our conversation on parks and birds, we shared views of Belted Kingfisher, Pied-billed Grebe, and Green Heron. The boy was thrilled to see birds through the scope and I have an idea he may be a naturalist one day. I was even more convinced when Jean and I caught up to the family on the trail and their son pointed out a Monarch caterpillar he found on the underside of a Milkweed leaf.

Our hike concluded with no additions to the year list. We left the provincial park and the Michigan family as they continued their hike along the Tower Trail. Hopefully they had better luck finding a Pileated Woodpecker.