Pt. Pelee Spectacle! - 06 Oct. 2007
I arrived at 7:30am and had an hour to kill before meeting the WAS group at the Interpretive Centre. The sunrise appeared like a fireball over the lake and I couldn't resist a pic or two. Stopping at the Marsh Boardwalk I met up w/ a couple of birders who told me that things were quiet there. Walking out onto the wooden trail I immediately began to hear Marsh Wrens all around me. Blue Jays were flying toward the point by the hundreds, and I could hear a small flock of American Pipits overhead. Great Blue Herons were out in open water, as well as a number of Wood Ducks. A flock of (7) Lesser Yellowlegs flew by and disappeared into the lilypads. Both sides of the boardwalk were completely engulfed by cattails, but I still managed to see several Marsh Wrens up close as they chattered and chased each other within a few feet of the deck. Swamp Sparrows were ducking in and out along the boardwalk ahead of me and were also trilling deeper in the marsh. I spotted the first of (4) Soras as the marsh opened up just past the first lookout. I had to stand on my toes to scope the first Sora at 60X as it was far out across the marsh. Several birds were calling in the vicinity, and I managed to ID my bird based on its bright yellow beak.
A small flock of Rusty Blackbirds were feeding and chasing each other amid a small mud mound amid the thick lilypads. I managed a single digiscoped image of a young bird before it flew off and joined a group of immature and female Red-winged Blackbirds.
A small flock of Rusty Blackbirds were feeding and chasing each other amid a small mud mound amid the thick lilypads. I managed a single digiscoped image of a young bird before it flew off and joined a group of immature and female Red-winged Blackbirds.
With Marsh Wrens continuing to call across the small pond ahead of me, I broke out my iBirdPod and tried to lure some out into the open so that I could digiscope them. Just then another Sora appeared at the base of the cattails and I tried to digiscope it for the next 15 minutes. The bird was well camouflaged and rarely came out completely into view, but I managed a couple of keepers. With time running short I reluctantly continued back toward the car. Another Sora appeared just ahead of me alongside the boardwalk, and I managed a single photo of it w/ the D70 and Sigma 400 f/5.6. Another Sora flushed just below me and disappeared before I could even raise my camera. Slow birding? Not from my point of view!
Arriving at the IC at 8:48am I found the parking lot covered with dozens of Blue Jays on the ground and in the trees. I caught up w/ the WAS group just before the tram arrived to take us to the point. Hundreds more Blue Jays were flying overhead, and we were shocked by the numbers. Arriving at the point, birds were now in the thousands! The skies literally sparkled with blue and white flashing wingbeats as flocks flew overhead at all elevations. Among the flocks of Blue Jays were hundreds of Sharp-shinned Hawks flying low over the trees. Some darted in and out of trees looking for a blue-feathered meal. Despite the number of birds, we saw almost no other passerines. Only a single Broad-winged and Cooper's were the only other hawks seen.
Arriving at the tip we were amazed to see it extending out into the lake for almost a 1/2 mile! Folks there were commenting that just weeks ago there was no tip. We spotted a Peregrin Falcon fly by carrying a fresh kill. We spotted (6) Sanderlings about 1/2-way along the spit, and several worked the shoreline toward us until they were within a few yards of our scopes. Among the dozens of Ring-billed Gulls at the tip were a flock of (6) Black-bellied Plovers. We also managed to see a Harrier attempt to fly out over the lake agains the South winds that were trapping all of the Jays and Sharpies at the point. Leaving the point and heading through the woods to the tram stop we managed only a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a fly-by Kestrel, and a single Cooper's Hawk. I stopped to digiscope a Turkey Vulture that was roosting along the shoreline in a dead tree.
Arriving at the tip we were amazed to see it extending out into the lake for almost a 1/2 mile! Folks there were commenting that just weeks ago there was no tip. We spotted a Peregrin Falcon fly by carrying a fresh kill. We spotted (6) Sanderlings about 1/2-way along the spit, and several worked the shoreline toward us until they were within a few yards of our scopes. Among the dozens of Ring-billed Gulls at the tip were a flock of (6) Black-bellied Plovers. We also managed to see a Harrier attempt to fly out over the lake agains the South winds that were trapping all of the Jays and Sharpies at the point. Leaving the point and heading through the woods to the tram stop we managed only a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a fly-by Kestrel, and a single Cooper's Hawk. I stopped to digiscope a Turkey Vulture that was roosting along the shoreline in a dead tree.
After a few minutes stopped at the Interpretive Center we headed to the DeLaurier Trail where we had to work hard to see a handful of Northern Flickers, Chipping Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, a single Catbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren and a possible Swainson's Thrush. The highlight was an immature Merlin that posed in a dead snag out in the parking lot. I took dozens of digiscoped images before we headed back to the Marsh Boardwalk for lunch.
Although Karl did his best Screech Owl imitations to lure in songbirds in the wood, all he could manage was a noon-time Screech Owl that returned his calls and flushed from its roost farther back along the trail! A Red-breasted Nuthatch was the only other bird we heard.
Before the group headed off to Hilmann Marsh a quick stop behind the Pelee Day's Inn yielded a couple dozen Dunlin, a Lesser Yellowlegs, several Killdeer, Great Egrets, and a fly-over Bald Eagle. I took my leave and headed back toward the bridge. It was a mixed day overall, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thank you Cathy, Karl and the rest of the gang for a great day!
Before the group headed off to Hilmann Marsh a quick stop behind the Pelee Day's Inn yielded a couple dozen Dunlin, a Lesser Yellowlegs, several Killdeer, Great Egrets, and a fly-over Bald Eagle. I took my leave and headed back toward the bridge. It was a mixed day overall, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thank you Cathy, Karl and the rest of the gang for a great day!
