A Day Off Calls for an Afternoon of Birding

A recent article in the St. Catharines Standard not only prompted a May 28 posting but also reminded me that I had yet to visit Niagara Shores this year. The last time we were there was during the Niagara Falls Christmas Bird Count and we did not get far. Travelling in John Black's car we would get stuck in the snow and ice that covered the gravel road. Our time was spent freeing the car with the help of additional birders following in a second vehicle . Once we freed the automobile we would continue our count elsewhere.

With the snow long gone and a temperature well above freezing, we picked up some meatloaf sandwiches from a local take-out restaurant and headed for the conservation area to sit under the shade of the trees and look out onto Lake Ontario, observing a large number of the latest species to be added to the year list, the main purpose for this visit.

300+ Bank Swallows (#150 for the year) were flying above the lake and the conservation area while we ate our lunch.

Before we would finish and start exploring the park, an Osprey (#151) was observed flying along the shoreline, in an easterly direction, towards the old town.

We descended a path in the 200-300 metre wide bluff to reach lake level. As you can see, the Bank Swallows are living up to their name.

It was tedious and down right impossible to capture an image of the swallows as they entered an exited their nest burrows. We'll let John Madden take over on the play by play of the next image.

"Thanks Bob. Another beautiful day in the Niagara Region and today we are looking at some bluffs along the Lake Ontario shoreline, close to the historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. What we got here Bob, is 2 Riparia riparia in a pattern to enter their nests. They are totally oblivious to the humans on the beach. A third Bank Swallow, from what I can determine, has exited its nest to join the hundreds of other swallows flying above. I don't like the looks of this bank over here. What's it like to be a Bank Swallow flying through the air, capturing insects on the fly and returning to the nest, I don't even want to think about! It freaks me out! Back to you Bob."

"Thanks John." Jean and I returned to the open field above the beach and headed for the fence line dividing the conservation area from the Parks Canada land. I believe the proposed amphitheatre will be further east, on the former rifle range of the Department of the Defence.

Yellow Warbler were observed while walking the foot path along the fence. The many trees to the right and large amount of brush on the left provide an excellent environment for birds. Some staying well hidden. The territorial call of a male Ring-necked Pheasant was heard as we walked further along the path but the brushy area was too thick for any chance of viewing it.

A Magnolia Warbler popped out of this tree on the other side of the fence.

No other warblers this day.

Returning to the parking lot, we walked along the edge of the open field bordering the forested section of the conservation area. A Warbling Vireo and Indigo Bunting would finish off our day of birding here.

A quick stop at some settling ponds on the way home produced no new shorebirds for the year. 3 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Sandpiper, and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs were spotted along the edges of one pond. The other pond's water level was rather high and only contained families of Canada Geese.

To my surprise, I had picked up a hitchhiker, most likely during the visit to the conservation area. The grass was quite long along the fence line. While entering the day's observations on eBird Canada, I felt something crawling under my shirt sleeve. Yep, a Brown Dog Tick. Damn, I hate those things. Once you find one tick, you think every little itch felt is another. Ah, the perils of birding.

Addition to the Yard List

A bird's song emitting from the trees in a neighbouring yard caught my attention Friday morning. I spotted the warbler-like bird in the branches of a tall Walnut tree but required a pair of binoculars to identify the species. A yellow crown and chestnut brown sides. A male Chestnut-sided Warbler. Only the third species of warbler observed from my yard. Living within walking distance of the downtown, warblers are hard to come by. Thankfully, the handful of trees in the neighbourhood attract the occasional migrant. The yard list now stands at 44.



For me, the bird does not have to be within the boundaries of my property. If I see a bird flying in the distance while I am in the confines of the yard then it counts. That's how Double-crested Cormorant ended up on the list. Migrating Broad-winged Hawks soared directly over the yard last year while Jean and I were gardening.


Birds visiting the feeder in the back yard usually include, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, House Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco (October-April). Unique visitors found at the feeder include 4 species of sparrow, Song, Chipping, White-crowned, and White-throated and 2 species of finch, House and Purple. Though they are on the list, we'll have to set up a Niger seed feeder to attract American Goldfinch to the yard.


What bird will be next, I cannot say for sure. Possibly another warbler, thankful for the stand of trees that allow for a refueling and rest period. Another migrating raptor? Time will tell.

An Ecopark in NOTL?

With the return of the former Department of Defence site to Parks Canada, there have been proposals brought forward on how the land should be used.

One group, Project Niagara, would like to build a 2000 seat outdoor amphitheatre for music festivals to be held from June until September. Upon hearing this proposal last year, I thought a conservation area would be better suited for the site. Niagara Shores Conservation Area is west of the Parks Canada owned land and I believe it to be beneficial to all if the boundaries of the conservation area were extended to include the 100 hectare site as there is not much land left on Lake Ontario's shoreline that is accessible to the public.

An article in the May 27 St. Catharines Standard suggested just the very thing we birders would like to see become a reality. Randy Busbridge, a spokesman for the Harmony Residents Group, proposed the idea of an ecopark to Niagara-on-the-Lake town council Monday night.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=niagara+on+the+lake+ontario&sll=43.157052,-79.245178&sspn=0.007013,0.013733&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.256549,-79.106369&spn=0.015002,0.027466&z=15

It would appear that Parks Canada is open to the idea if they asked Randy Busbridge to develop more concrete plans. Though I do appreciate the arts, I would rather support an ecopark at this location. Urban sprawl is occurring at an alarming rate and we in the Niagara Region need more areas devoted to conservation.

A visit to the Niagara Shores Conservation Area this weekend may be in order. I was planning on a visit soon as I can count on observing Bank Swallow on the bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario.

Shorebirds of 5th Avenue

Despite its name this rural St. Catharines road does not have the trendy shops found in New York City but birding is a different matter.


I picked up Jean from work on Sunday afternoon and headed to west St. Catharines, once again in search of Bobolink. This time we would travel its entire length of 2.5 kilometres. From 7th Street Louth to 5th Street Louth we did not find anything too outstanding. Red-winged Blackbirds, House Sparrow, European Starling, and American Robin, the usual fare. The most exciting was an American Kestrel on a utility line and a Great Blue Heron in flight. The next block, 5th Street Louth to 3rd Street Louth, more of the usual fare. The best avian sightings have occurred in the last block, 3rd Street to 1st Street Louth and today was another exciting one.


This is my first attempt at pasting a map on a post. I hope it works. If not, I guess you can click on the link.


http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=st+catharines+ontario&sll=40.78704,-73.965454&sspn=0.116455,0.219727&g=fifth+avenue+new+york&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.14662,-79.285841&spn=0.015029,0.027466&z=15


In the field where we recently spotted the Least Sandpiper, more shorebirds were found. Close to the road we saw 2 Killdeer and 1 Spotted Sandpiper. It appeared that more Spotted Sandpiper were further away in a flooded section of the field but smaller birds were there as well. I set up the spotting scope and of course the peeps flew away before we could identify them all. Something had spooked them. All the shorebirds in the field took to the air as a Red-tailed Hawk, with a Red-winged Blackbird on its tail, flew over.


Savannah Sparrow and Horned Lark played in the ploughed field as another species caught our attention. It was in the brush lined ditch that separates the two fields. The bird was brownish on the back, with 2 wing bars, and a whitish throat and belly. It was an Empidonax flycatcher for sure but which one? The eye-ring was lacking so that eliminated the Least Flycatcher. We listened to its short call, "wheet", as that is the only way to distinguish some of the Empids. After noting its field markings and voice we reset the scope on the shorebirds that had returned to the flooded field. An uninterrupted look this time, we determined that the peeps were 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper, #149 for the year list, and 1 Least Sandpiper.


While we were observing the shorebirds a pick up truck pulled up beside our vehicle. Another curious passerby? Cyclists had stopped to inquire what we were looking at through our scope. The gentleman in the pickup truck however was curious for another reason. The farmer had seen us from the other side of his field and noticed that I had left the tail gate of the Subaru open. There is evidence on this road of illegal dumping and he suspected we were up to the same terrible act. Rather than properly dispose of their trash, there are still some losers out there that choose to dump their garbage on a country side road. Once he saw our spotting scope he knew we were OK. He informed us of a family of coyotes that appear near the brush every evening at 8:00 PM. While we were talking another car pulled up behind our vehicles and the owner immediately honked the horn. The farmer would say goodbye and drive away to allow the car through. As it pulled up beside me it appeared the driver and passenger would have similar questions. Not this time. "Do you know it's illegal to block a road?" the driver yelled out at me as he slowly passed. "Ah, yeah.", I replied. I really don't believe my vehicle by itself was blocking the road. It could have been closer to the shoulder but there was plenty of room for vehicles to pass safely, even with the slight narrowing of the road to cross over a culvert. 5th Avenue is not even a major city or regional road. Would a parked farm vehicle evoke the same reaction? Lighten up buddy! I noticed how the driver did not make the same remark to the farmer who was twice his size. Sure, pick on the harmless birder. I have had many encounters like this while cycling on a club ride, "Get off the road!!", with an expletive or two for added effect, but never when I was birding. This was a first.


Continuing on with our birding we would not observe any Bobolink in the field of grass so we returned home to verify our observation of the Empid flycatcher. Listening to the Genus' songs and calls on the All About Birds site and reviewing our field guides (Yes, I did not have one with me in the field). Hey, I was looking for Bobolink and didn't think a guide was required for 15-30 minutes of birding. The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America describes the call of the Willow Flycatcher as a liquid wit. An Alder Flycatcher's call as a loud pip.


We concluded that the Empid was an Empidonax traillii, the Willow Flycatcher, LIFER # 260!



Not too bad for 45 minutes of birding along a country road. Two species for the year list and a lifer too. Only 40 more and we'll be at 300. Oh, and 1 irate driver. Hey, it is like NYC, well maybe more like Toronto.

NOTL Birding

On Thursday evening Jean and I would spend some time birding two sewage lagoons that have been converted into a nature area. The Wetland Ridge Trail is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake and is maintained by the staff and students of Niagara College.

A grassy trail runs around the perimeter of the lagoons and had been recently cut. Good! Less chance of a Brown Dog Tick hitching a free ride. During previous visits we have found these ticks crawling on us.

A young rabbit sought protection in a rock wall as we walked down the gravel road to reach the lagoons.

This Eastern Black Swallowtail was feeding from the nearby flowers.

A pair of Eastern Kingbirds were seen on the branches of a small tree as we looked east towards the sewage lagoons.

In the north lagoon, 2 Pied-billed Grebes and a few Canada Geese were spotted as well as a pair of Wood Duck, as we approached the east end of the lagoon. In this east end we can usually find a shorebird or two. This evening, on the mat of debris, mud and algae, we found 3 Spotted Sandpiper (#145) and 1 Least Sandpiper. The Wood Ducks would fly away to the safety of the south lagoon. There are nesting boxes set out for Wood Duck and we have observed a pair with young in previous years.

We continued our walk along the eastern edge of the lagoons and observed additional waterfowl species in the south lagoon. 2 adult female Mallards were tending to their many young as Bufflehead repeatedly dove under the water in the background.

We walked along the south side of the southern lagoon finding American Robin, Gray Catbird (big surprises!) and a Hairy Woodpecker in the woods on the escarpment slope. Birds observed in the college's vineyard, using our spotting scope, were identified as American Goldfinch.

Back on the gravel road, we found a male Orchard Oriole (#146) as we were leaving the lagoon area.

Additional birds ticked during the short walk included, Killdeer, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Northern Flicker, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Yellow Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow and House Sparrow.

As with the pond on the recently birded Merritt Trail, we would find no herons in either lagoon. We are sure to come across both Black-crowned Night-heron and Green Heron during future walks, if not here then some where else in the region. I would love to see the Common Moorhen again. Our only Ontario observations (3) have occurred at the Wetland Ridge Trail, the last being in 2007.

Victoria Day Birding

On the holiday Monday Jean and I returned to the section of the Merritt Trail we birded on May 14. That day we did not reach the pond. So on Victoria Day we would start at the south end of the trail to look for any herons hunting along the edges of the small pond, its water levels controlled by the adjacent Twelve Mile Creek. If we had arrived sooner, we most likely would have ticked a Black-crowned Night-heron. Before we reached the pond, a photographer showed us a photo of the heron he took earlier that morning. Unfortunately it was no longer there.


All that we found near the pond were two families of Canada Geese, one family resting on the path that separates the creek from the pond.


While we surveyed the pond, Jean's Dad and his partner Ruth were slowly approaching us. They were on their daily hike and clean up along the trail. Frank and Ruth should be commended for the work they do in keeping the trail clean. Every day is Earth Day to them.


They would leave us to continue picking up any trash while we searched for any new birds for the year list. As you travel north along the trail, the pond on the left narrows and fills in with brush and fallen trees, becoming quite boggy. From this environment we would hear a short, one note call. Our best vantage point was off the trail in an open area of the woods where the bog-like habitat ends. We would eventually spot the bird, as it moved under and between the decaying logs, slowly noting each distinguishing field mark. The light yellow eyebrow, dull pink legs and constant bobbing of its tail clinched the i.d. of this thrush-like bird. We have observed Swainson's Thrush and the warbler Louisiana Waterthrush on this trail in the past but this time we had a another species of warbler, the Northern Waterthrush (#143).


We continued our walk north along the Merritt Trail and found a pair of Wood Duck on the opposite side of the creek near an outtake pipe below the General Motors plant. Jean and I would eventually catch up to her Dad and Ruth and accompany them to the spot where we had observed a woodpecker pair a few days ago. Once again, we would see the Red-headed Woodpeckers flying from tree to tree. Other than the two Cedar Waxwings (#144) in a flowering Hawthorn, no other new birds were seen this day. I did not realize that these waxwings were our first sighting for 2009 until entering the day's observations on eBird Canada. We have yet to see our lifer Bohemian Waxwing but we'll have to wait until the winter months in this part of the country. Comparing sightings from last year, we are ahead by 12 species. Here's to maintaining that gap.


On the way back we would stop and find the Northern Waterthrush for Frank and Ruth to observe. In return, they would show us a ditch that a beaver had created south of the pond. The gnawed trees along the trail also provide evidence of a beaver's presence on the creek.


A day of birding done, we would join Frank and Ruth for lunch discussing the birds and other wildlife we have encountered so far this year. I'm not sure if we'll return to this trail soon. To get more warblers there are some better spots in the region. Please be patient, our warbler encounters will soon be posted.

Birding with the Next Generation

No, Jean and I were not birding with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Counselor Deanna Troi (ah man that's terribly corny and/or geeky), we took our nephew and niece birding on the Sunday morning of the holiday weekend.

We received letters from them both a few weeks ago, thanking us for the last adventure, feeding calves and horseback riding at a friend's farm. In their letters they expressed an interest in a day of birding with their Aunt and Uncle. After looking at the event filled calendar, (theirs, not ours) a morning of birding at a local provincial park was planned.

Our nephew birded with us twice last year, including the guided walk in Algonquin Provincial Park. That time he had overheard Jean and I discussing the walk and he asked to come along without any influence from us or his parents. He immediately made a friend of the park naturalist and was a dutiful assistant, opening and closing the spotting scope's protective bag. What amazed me on this trip was our nephew's observations when viewing Cedar Waxwings through the spotting scope. The park naturalist asked if he could see the red on the wings, our nephew replied yes and indicated he could also see yellow on the tail. It looks like we may have a future birder in the family.

On the way to Short Hills Provincial Park, we asked what they would like to see. Turkey Vulture, Crow and Chick-a-dee-dee-dee were called out from the back seat. OK, we'll see what we can do.

Before we even left the parking lot, the young birders would observe their first Eastern Kingbird, #139 for our year list. En route to Swayze Falls, we would observe, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow (#140), Yellow Warbler and Black-capped Chickadee, the only species called out from the back seat we would see. Hard to believe no Turkey Vultures flew over while we were there or American Crows for that matter.

We looked at Swayze Falls from the park's viewing platform and continued our search for birds along a narrow foot path where we encountered a small toad.

The kids told me to add it to my list of birds we had observed. In addition, the following was added to the list, butterfly, sparkly rock and snail's shell. It would be hard for any additional bird observations to compete with the likes of a sparkly rock. While the kids were building a dam in the gravel path, Jean and I heard the song of a Blue-winged Warbler. It would continue to sing, remaining unseen, as we walked back to the parking area. Other birds observed during our next generation hike, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe (#141), House Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown-headed Cowbird and Chipping Sparrow.

Our nephew and niece know us too well. "When are we going to Tim Hortons?" was asked before we were half way through the hike and shortly after an inquiry on the presence of snacks. No snacks but a stop for a doughnut or muffin with chocolate milk was in order.

It seems Auntie Jean and Uncle Bob did a good job. The kids still want to go birding, well as long as a stop at a large Canadian doughnut chain immediately follows the outing.

On our way home, Jean and I stopped to look for Bobolink in a grass field where we have observed them in the past. In a small ditch of a farmed field, immediately west of the grass field, we observed a Least Sandpiper (#142) in beautiful breeding plumage. That's a first. We usually see our first in the late summer.

Many Red-winged Blackbirds would pop out of the grass and a few Savannah Sparrows were flying across the road to get to the other side but there was no sign of Boblinks on this day. We will return to this spot in the rural west end of St. Catharines to tick Bobolink but for now we will concentrate on the warblers passing through the Niagara Peninsula. Results will be posted soon. I'm starting to sound like a broken record. Is that saying still allowed in the 21st century?