Held 6:45 pm Friday, 16 May to 6:45 pm Saturday, 17 May, 2008
We were very honoured to be selected the OFO Celebrity team for the Baillie Birdathon, and determined to raise lots of money. Our plan was to start in Middlesex County, on Friday evening, where we had knowledge of nesting species. There were ideal conditions, a wonderfully calm, sunny evening. We started at 6:45 pm near the London airport where Ian had scouted some areas. A number of wet spots held ducks and shorebirds and we made the rounds of the nesting raptors: Osprey, Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Peregrines and Merlin.
Being successful, we headed out to Komoka Provincial Park, where we knew a number of species could be located in a variety of habitats. Grasshopper Sparrow and other field species as well as ducks and shorebirds were found. Amazingly we got 12 Whimbrel there, and picked up 3 Ring-necked Duck and luckily saw a Common Nighthawk.
Our next stop was the Delaware Sportsman’s Pond (a.k.a. “Anhinga Marsh”), which disappointed this year as only Sora was obtained for the list. After an unsuccessful hunt for owls, due to the noisy Delaware Speedway, we turned in for a quick sleep.
The following morning we were on the road by 5:00 am, with a successful stop for Eastern Screech-Owl and getting a bonus Whip-poor-will. The morning started rather clear and not too windy, but a noticeable change was occurring and our attempts at Great Horned Owl were fruitless. It was overcast and windy by the time we got to Skunk’s Misery, our potentially make-or-break location, and we became concerned. Seeking out the more sheltered locations, which unfortunately also held hordes of mosquitoes, we picked up the usual species, including Hooded and Cerulean Warblers, Acadian Flycatcher and Pileated Woodpecker. We were pleasantly surprised by getting Broad-winged Hawk and a female Hooded Merganser. Alas, not too many migrants were located so we headed to Rondeau.
We had ended up with 104 species before we left Middlesex County. Along the way, we stopped at various habitats known to us, and picked up a few species, notably Greater Scaup in a small farm pond beside the road. As we traveled down to the lakeshore from Morpeth we picked up a few lake birds including Common Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, and several gull species.
We had hoped that there would be lots of migrants in Rondeau, but it didn’t pan out that way. We did pick up lots of species, mainly because we were lucky with a glorious pocket of warblers near the Maintenance Buildings which included an Orange-crowned Warbler and several Wilson’s Warblers. We also got a Yellow-breasted Chat near the Pony Barns, thanks to several local birders. While looking for the Yellow-breasted Chat, we got a pair of Tufted Titmice, and at the feeders at the Visitor’s Centre a couple of Pine Pine Siskins were grubbing. Unfortunately we “dipped out” on Prothonotary Warblers, and the Worm-eating Warbler that were said to be around. So with the wind swirling, we headed out of Rondeau to try other spots. As tradition dictated, as we left, we managed to each down a quadruple-scoop tub of ice cream from our favourite spot.
We worked our way over to Erieau and there we picked up Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstones, which were numerous in the fields. In fact, large flights of those species were coming across the lake from the south. Only common species of gulls at the harbour produced nothing new, so we headed up to the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. We were seven species richer in waterfowl when we left there which included a Bufflehead and Horned Grebe.
We found a number of species at the Hillman Shorebird Habitat, thanks to the large group of birders there who helped us out; thanks everyone! We were standing there in short sleeves, as it was sunny and fairly warm, though there was a breeze. Unfortunately, the Mottled Duck wasn’t there at the time, nor did we encounter the King Rail from over on the road, but we got Willet, Little Gull, and Wilson’s Phalarope among others. Many shorebirds were noted coming in from off the lake. At one point it was quite an exciting sight to see all the clouds of shorebirds scared up by a passing Peregrine.
After gleaning information about Point Pelee from the birders we encountered, as well as reading the Pelee Ontbirds Report on our PDA, we decided to make only a short visit there because we had already observed most of the species being reported there and as it was getting on in the day, we thought it would be more profitable to head north to investigate two more marshes. We birded Sanctuary area only. Then off we went.
North of Tilbury is a marsh which you can look at through a fence, and we could see Common Moorhen, but the wind was blowing a gale, we had to bundle up again, and scopes were not able to be used. It soon rained, so we gave up and headed north to Angler Line marshes. Stocking up on gas and supplies, we drove through sun, wind and rain on the way there, watching a beautiful rainbow, and odd cloud formations, wondering if this weather would end our luck. No sooner had we arrived but the Yellow-headed Blackbird called and flew about. The sun had burst out and the winds were light here, so we also heard Least Bittern. Then, just down from that location we saw a Green Heron. Just as time was running out at 6:43 pm, I walked over to a ditch along the road, and a Black-crowned Night-Heron flew up and we watched it fly over to settle into the marsh, our last bird, the 172nd species in our odyssey. After about 18 hours of birding and travelling over 450 km we were pretty exhausted.
We were pleased with this total, which on such a “weather day” with relatively few migrants being seen, seemed even more satisfying. We even were able to get 23 warbler species, including goodies as mentioned, but missing Black-throated Blue and Cape May – yikes.
We really enjoyed our father-son outing while raising money for the OFO and BSC. Again, we thank OFO for allowing us to represent them in the Baillie Birdathon this year and a huge thank you to all the birders who helped us along the way and to the many who sponsored us with their pledges for OFO and BSC.
Good birding!
Pete Read for the Grippers: Gavin, Rob, Ian & Pete
