May Birding: Long Weekend

The Victoria Day weekend, aka "The May Two-Four", was established as a legal holiday in Canada after the death of Queen Victoria. In my much younger years, I would watch the firework displays on a Sunday or Monday evening, but now that I'm a birder, I take the opportunity to add an extra day of birding to my weekend. There were still warblers to be found, including another attempt at the Hoodie. Can Hooded Warblers be called "Hoodies"?

Saturday May 21

Jean and returned to Malcomson Eco Park in St. Catharines. Something was odd though. It was sunny.

The precipitation encountered the last three weekends was nowhere to be seen.

Nashville and Yellow Warblers were observed, but still no Blue-winged, Blackburnian, Cape May or Canada (all species observed last year) for the 2011 list. We did get one treat though. A FOY Yellow-billed Cuckoo sat in a tree, very close to the trail. We've seen one in Ontario every year since we started birding and I would have to say this was the best observation of the bunch. It was very close and the view remained unobstructed as the cuckoo moved slowly from tree to tree.   

Sunday May 22

The sunny weather continued the next day and we went to Niagara Shores in Niagara-on-the-Lake for an easy tick. As expected, hundreds and hundreds of Bank Swallows were excavating nesting cavities along the Lake Ontario shoreline.



The fence line at the eastern edge of the conservation area is one of my favourite spots to look for migrants in the Spring. You may pick up the occasional tick or two (the eight-legged variety) while walking along this path but chances are good that flycatchers, vireos, thrushes and warblers will be found here or in the neighbouring property (formerly owned by the Department of Defence).

Warblers seen this day included, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Magnolia, Yellow, Chestnut-sided and Wilson's. Blue-winged are not easily found but the absence of Blackburnian from our year list was starting to annoy me. Before leaving Niagara Shores we added Gray-cheeked Thrush to the year list. This was only our second observation of this thrush species and a first for our Niagara list.

    

Monday May 23

For the holiday Monday, Jean and I headed to the southern end of the peninsula for a second attempt at observing a lifer Hooded Warbler. It could be a firecracker day. There was the possibility of an additional lifer in Fonthill. A Greater White-fronted Goose was reported on ontbirds. It seemed slightly odd that this species would be at the St John's Conservation Area trout pond but I was not about to pass by the area without a quick look.

At first, all we could see were Canada Geese.

We walked along the path an spotted the reported goose standing near the edge of the pond.



Jean' suspicions were confirmed. It was a domestic Graylag. Though the goose had a slight white band at the base of its bill, it lacked the black belly markings found on the Greater White-fronted Goose.



A variety of birds can be found while hiking the trails in the conservation area but we returned to the parking lot after walking around the pond and heard a song Jean and I suspected was a Pine Warbler. The song was coming from a cluster of pines at the top of a slope, above the parking lot. What else could it be? It continued to sing but the warbler did not make an appearance. We've seen this species a few times, so hearing its song without seeing it was good enough for a tick.

Once at our destination, we walked along the gravel road to the spot where we had heard the Hooded Warbler the previous weekend. It did not take long for us to hear the song again and this time, we both got on the bird as it moved above the Skunk Cabbage. The lifer Hooded Warbler moved towards us and placed itself on a branch hanging over the road. Its yellow face, black hood and bib and yellow underparts were easily observed as it sang from its perch. An excellent view for a lifer tick! A female Hooded Warbler appeared and the pair moved on. 

After viewing the Hooded Warbler pair, we stopped at a couple of spots in Fort Erie and found nothing new for the year until we started our drive back along the Niagara Parkway.

7 Great Egrets (FOY) and 2 Great Blue Herons were hunting in Frenchman's Creek. Fish travelling upstream from the Niagara River did not stand a chance.



Overall, it was a great weekend of birding. The Hooded Warbler was the third lifer of the year and I expect them to occur less often, now that we are above 300. The days of adding 10 or more species at a time in southern Ontario are gone. Until Jean and I can plan a road trip out of the province, we'll continue to peck away at the lifers while birding in the Niagara Region and on OFO trips. Last year we picked up 5 lifers while on the OFO Carden Alvar trip. I was looking to repeat these species for this year's list on May 29. Adding a lifer or two would be an added bonus.

Big Nickel Birding: A Sudbury Sunday Night

July 17

It was our first evening in the region of Greater Sudbury, not quite as exciting as a Sudbury Saturday Night but it would do just fine. After dinner, my brother returned to work and he suggested Jean and I check out a neighbourhood trail for an evening stroll. The Robinson Lake Trail is an easy one kilometre of gravel path and boardwalk.

We accessed the trail from a municipal park and ticked Cedar Waxwing, American Goldfinch and Song Sparrow as we walked towards the boardwalk.

Common Yellowthroat were calling from all directions in the marsh and a family of Mallards had found a spot for the night in the stream that empties into Robinson Lake. Yes, I was ticking birds for a new county list. Mallards, Double-crested cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls were not overlooked. 

Walking through the stand of birch, I hoped to find a more worthy tick. No FOY warblers or a much sought after Pileated , but the Northern Flicker and Hairy Woodpeckers (2) were a nice accompaniment to the robins spotted in the small patch of wild in northern suburbia.  

After a couple of incidentals and some birding on a Sudbury Sunday Night, the county list stood at 13 species. Jean and I would have 3 full days available for Big Nickel Birding so adding birds to the list was not going to be a problem. Finding the target species was another matter. 

May Birding:2011 May BOS Count

So I find myself obtaining more tales but I'm slow to post them. After spending a few days at a cottage with family and friends, I now have some Lake Huron tales to share. For the time being, I'll continue with the month of May and my visit to Sudbury.

May 15

It was time for the May BOS count. The previous day, we added 17 species to the 2011 Ontario list and came close to ticking a lifer Hooded Warbler while birding spots along the Lake Erie shoreline. After a couple of slow weekends at Malcomson Park, it felt good to finally get out of our birding slump.

An overnight rain continued at the start of our count while birding the Port Weller West Pier with Kayo, Dan and Brian.

We spent almost two hours scanning the brush on the pier and observed a total of 36 species. Warblers added to the year list included, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Wilson's, Orange-crowned and Northern Waterthrush. Dan pointed out the songs of an Ovenbird and Lincoln's Sparrow. Two species needed for my life list. The warbler was hidden deep in the brush and we had a quick glimpse of the sparrow but it was nowhere near enough to observe its field markings. No lifer ticks if they're not seen.

Before leaving for our assigned area in Section 2 of the BOS count, Jean and I added Veery, Swamp Sparrow and Least Flycatcher to the year list. The weekend haul was looking good.

The rest of our count was a mixture of travelling along roads and walking through parks within the the city of Niagara Falls. We found a Spotted Sandpiper while driving along a rural road on the Niagara Escarpment and then moved on to Firemen's Park. The wind storm that occurred in late April uprooted a few trees on the Bruce Trail.

Even though a tree fell as we approached the wooded area of the park, we ventured onto the trail, determined to find additional FOY warblers.

Birds of interest found in the Niagara Falls park included, Baltimore Oriole, Hermit Thrush, Magnolia Warbler (the only warbler species found in the park during our hike), Eastern Bluebird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a first-of-the-year Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Before starting our drive along the Niagara Parkway towards the Falls, Jean and I usually check a stretch of road that runs along the base of the escarpment. From the road-side, we observed Barn Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows (FOY) flying over a small pond.

We continued up the road and found a few of the usual species, but upon reaching the dead end, we spotted an unusual bird in the vineyard. The bird was almost entirely white! Its head was speckled grey, the beak yellow and from the shape of the body, it appeared to be a species of thrush.

It was a leucistic American Robin. Leucism (caused by a genetic mutation) occurs when the pigment is not properly deposited in the feathers. Since the beak and legs had colour, this was not an albino bird. Though it was cool to see our first leucistic bird, it still only counts as an American Robin at the end of the day. Time to move on.

From Queenston to Chippawa, we travelled along the Niagara Parkway with stops at the Lilac garden and the arboretum at the Niagara Parks Horticultural Gardens.

No more firsts-of the year until the bridge in Chippawa. It's a reliable spot for Cliff Swallows and after standing in the rain for what seemed a rather long 10 minutes, I spotted a Cliff Swallow for the 2011 year list amongst a few Barn and Northern Rough-winged Swallows. I needed that after finding a disappointing number of species at the Peter Street feeders. The rural roads near the Welland River did not produce much either. Once back on the QEW, we soon concluded another BOS count.

The third weekend in May turned out to be very productive. No lifers, but a total of 30 species for our year list. The next weekend in May was the Victoria Day weekend. An extra day to find FOY's in the Niagara Region and another chance at ticking a lifer Hooded Warbler. My glass was starting to look half-full again.

The Birding Magic of Giant Water Bugs

It was a usual morning on Friday. Drive to Jean's work for 7:00 AM, then walk 10 minutes to my work and read until my 8:00 AM start. The stretch between our buildings is all pavement and box stores and I was somewhat surprised to find a Giant Water Bug in the parking area of a grocery store. This species of insect is frequently found under street lights and the large parking lot has quite a few light standards. Luckily for the bug, I found it before the tires of a car did.


I carried the bug on top of my book as I continued the short walk to work. Though the large legs can propel the insect through water, they are practically useless on dry land. It was too exhausted to fly, so it was not going anywhere. Once at work, I placed the bug in a suitable container for the day. All morning it lied motionless at the surface, but by the afternoon it began to move around and was ready for release back into its natural environment when Jean picked me up at the end of my work day. We took it to a nearby pond, the same pond Jean returned another Giant Water Bug in April of this year.

We bird this spot throughout the year and it seems that returning Giant Water Bugs to the pond adjacent to 12 Mile Creek brings some good ticks. In April, FOY Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Hermit Thrush were found.

This summer evening, we spotted an Osprey flying overhead and directly across from the spot I released the aquatic insect, stood a Black-crowned Night-Heron.

We soon observed a second Osprey as the first called out to it. Jean and I watched the raptors soar overhead and disappear from our view as they headed north towards Martindale Pond and Lake Ontario. A Northern Flicker on the opposite side of the creek finished the evening's observations. What will the magic of the next Lethocerus americanus reveal?

Big Nickel Birding:Travelling North

July 17


It was only mid-morning and the temperature was already at the daytime high when we left St. Catharines for Sudbury. I was looking forward to getting away from the humidity for a few days but after only 30 minutes of driving, we stopped for a brief moment in Hamilton. It was a planned stop. An American White Pelican had been observed in a few locations in Hamilton Harbour over the last few weeks and though it had not appeared on a recent post, a quick stop to look for the pelican from the parking area of the Canada Centre for Inland Waters seemed worthwhile.


I thought our best chance would be the three small rocky islands north of the centre. In August of 2008, Jean and I observed an American White Pelican (it could be the very same one seen this summer) near one of the islands. In October of the previous year, we observed our first Ontario American White Pelican at Cootes Paradise (the west end of the bay) while walking along a Royal Botanical Gardens trail known as "The Willows" to birders in the Hamilton area. This year we would not be as lucky. Only gulls, terns and cormorants on the islands. The pelican may have been relaxing in the Dundas Marsh but that chase would have to be put aside for another day.


We continued on through the regions of Halton and Peel and I thought of some of our memorable ticks as we passed the locations of the observations. In May of 2009, Jean and I travelled to Brittania Road to tick a lifer Ruff. At this time, only 13 species are required to reach my goal of 100 for Halton County. It seems I've caught the fever to observe 100 species in each county. Further east along the 407 is the region of Peel where we had observed another lost bird in November of 2009. It was a Phainopepla. Yes, a very lost bird and only the second record for Ontario. In addition to the silky flycatcher, Jean and I have also seen a Western Grebe and Harlequin Duck in Peel County. Only 16 species on a total of two checklists, so a great deal of birding is still required in Peel County.

Once we passed through Simcoe and Muskoka Counties, Jean and I were in new territory. Our first county was Parry Sound but sightings were limited to those seen from Highway 69. We observed only 5 species while in this region of Ontario, the best being a Broad-winged Hawk perched on utility pole near Byng Inlet.


The next county came as a surprise to me once it was entered on eBird Canada. We stopped at French River Provincial Park and when looking at my road map, yes I said road map, it appeared I was still in the region of Parry Sound. According to eBird Canada and maps found online, this area of French River P.P. is within the boundaries of Manitoulin County.





The provincial park follows the routes of voyageurs from Lake Nipissing to Lake Huron and we spent a 30 minute break in a small section of the park adjacent to Highway 69. We observed a few species, including Chestnut-sided Warbler and Warbling Vireo but nothing new was found.


Returning to our car, we heard a loud call that could only be from a member of the Picidae Family. Based on the woodpecker calls we have heard, I quickly eliminated all but the Pileated Woodpecker. This was a species we have observed only once. Though lifers are exciting, it was a distant view through the scope while on a birding-walk through the Hendrie Valley during the 2008 OFO Convention in Hamilton. I wanted to get a good look at this Pileated Woodpecker before committing to the tick. There were some dead trees with large holes near the parking area that suggest the woodpecker could be found at this spot. The bird disappeared deeper into the woods so we planned a return visit later in the week.






Once across the French River, we entered Sudbury County and upon reaching the city limits of Sudbury, we were in the region of Greater Sudbury. The county where the majority of our vacation ticks would occur.

May Birding: A Change of Scene

Species encountered in the region of Greater Sudbury will soon be revealed but first, I still have some May ticks to discuss.



May 14

Rain was forecasted once again for Saturday morning. After two weekends in a row of birding in the rain I was looking for a change of scenery and an area that did not have me walking too far from the car.



Jean and I decided to try the the southern end of the region. Our first stop, a lane in Fort Erie we birded for the first time while checking the hot spot routes for John and Kayo's book, Niagara Birds.





It was mid-May, surely we would get more migrants than we had earlier in the month. Of the 20+ species observed in the trees north and south of the lane, we added Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo and Rose-breasted Grosbeak to the year list. A surprise fly-by Osprey was a last minute addition before we headed east towards the Niagara River.


Our next stop was a Fort Erie municipal park and beach to find a woodpecker species that continues to elude us along 12-Mile Creek in St. Catharines. The tick proved to be just as easy as it did last year. The pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers were quickly found as they foraged for insects in the branches above the park. At the western edge of the park there is a narrow stream (it could also be described as a ditch) that flows into Lake Erie. Occasionally, it produces some good birds and on this overcast morning, we spotted White-crowned Sparrow for the year list.


In the corner of the park, I noticed some birders we knew from the counts we have done over the past few years. We then found ourselves birding the woods east of the park with Marcie (St. Kitts CBC compiler), Peter, Tim and Rick. Birds were zipping through the branches above during our search of the forested area that was once an amusement park many years ago. The only reminder of the park are the concrete steps and footings that can be found in several locations of the wooded area.






With a little help from our fellow Niagara birders, Jean and I ticked Scarlet Tanager, American Redstart, Tennessee Warbler, Indigo Bunting and Swainson's Thrush for the year list. Tim picked out the song of a Hooded Warbler as it moved quickly through the brush and fallen trees but it proved difficult to capture in the field of view of our binoculars. This was a possible lifer for Jean and I, so in order to tick it, we needed to see it. The bird appeared to be taunting us at it circled the area where we stood. We would change position as it moved, anticipating where it might stop next. The warbler remained out of sight for Jean and I so Marcie suggested a spot known to produce Hooded Warbler.


We followed Marcie and Peter to a road west of Crystal Beach. The road is another spot of many along the Lake Erie shoreline that can be found listed in Niagara Birds.


A Black-throated Blue and Green were heard and seen as we walked along the gravel road. In addition to the 2 warbler species, we added Great-Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo and Wood Thrush to the 2011 Ontario list.




We stood at the edge of the road listening for the song of a Hooded Warbler. Though the floor of the damp wooded area was entirely covered with Skunk Cabbage, we could still see a fair distance into the woods. Our chances of spotting a lifer had increased slightly.


As we did at the last location, we had no problem hearing the song of Wilsonia citrina. Based on its appearance, you would think a bird with a bright yellow face and underparts would be easily observed. Not this day. Playback of this species' song could not coax it into the open.


Finally, there was a glimmer of hope. Peter spotted a male Hooded Warbler and began to describe its location. Jean was able to get on it as it stood on a Skunk Cabbage before it quickly moved on. A little too quickly. The four of us had spent a little more than an hour looking for this bird and I was the only one unable to view it. Marcie and Peter's effort to find my next lifer was appreciated. The Hooded Warbler is known to breed in this area of the region so there was still a chance if a subsequent attempt was made.


Ticking a lifer Hooded Warbler would have to wait until the following weekend. The next day, Jean and I would assist with the May Buffalo Ornithological Society Count. Of course rain was forecasted for the Sunday. A rainy weekend in Port Weller was becoming a very unlikeable trend.

Return of An Unwelcomed Guest(s)

The day before I was set to leave for a vacation in Sudbury, I discovered my yard had a visitor. In fact, quite a number of visitors. Insects from the order Coleoptera had decided to feed on the leaves of the Corkscrew Hazel, Sand Cherry and hedge in my yard. These beetles are native to Japan and were first recorded in Canada in 1939. Since then, the Japanese Beetle has caused problems for farmers, nurseries and home owners in many states and provinces.



Last year, Jean and I found only a few of the invasive pests in our garden. This year however, the numbers have increased greatly and they have acquired a taste for the leaves of a Corkscrew Hazel tree in the backyard. At first, I tried to pick them off of the tree but for every 1-2 I removed, another 8-10 would emerge from the inner branches and leaves to escape placement into an empty yogourt tub. Knowing I could not win this battle, I took the garden hose and sprayed the entire tree with a good dose of H2O. With travel plans the next day, my options were limited and spraying the tree would help temporarily.


A grape vine that has crept over the fence from the neighbour's yard was also harbouring some Japanese Beetles. When searching for additional Popillia japonica, I came across this large orange beetle. It appears to be from the Scarabaeidae family, the same family that contains the Japanese Beetle and the Asiatic Garden Beetle. After a little searching, I identified this large insect to be a Grapevine Beetle.

A few years ago, this beetle caused heavy damage to my mother-in-law's ornamental grapevine. So, I quickly disposed of this specimen as well.

The next day, Jean and I left for Sudbury. Taking action to prevent further damage would have to wait. I had some Big Nickel birding to do.