Thursday, May 16, 2013

Pelee Birds May 15!



My FOY BC Night Heron... My Dad and I probably found this not long before Barb Wire and Dave "the Machine" found themselves a Kirtland's Warbler (at least we got to see it)...


We were treated to a massive (400+) Baltimore Oriole reverse migration in the morning, along with serveral other species (but still generally lacking in good numbers of warblers).. 


I'm a bit behind on my writing (and don't fully remember everything)... Here's our ebird checklist for the day:



The Carolina-like Chickadee showed up at the very tip during the reverse. It stands out like a sore thumb. Peter Burke spotted it earlier in the morning by the tip tram loop.... You can pick it out because it lacks white on the median coverts, has less white edging on the flight feathers - and also appears to be missing several tail feathers... Waiting for expert comment!




I made the wrong call in parting from Barb and Dave for an ill-fated jaunty along the east shore north of the park.. They found this beast, but thankfully 90mins later we were able to view it. Thanks guys!






In the evening there was an INSANE spectacle of shorebirds at the Hillman cell... From our ebird list below: 



Black-bellied Plover 5000 huge numbers
Semipalmated Plover 50
Killdeer 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Willet 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 25
Ruddy Turnstone 200
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 5
White-rumped Sandpiper 1 seen close, heard calling - nice alternate plumage
Dunlin 400
Short-billed Dowitcher 1500 - INSANE count...
Wilson's Phalarope 1 male


A few times they all flushed, flying close and far... Really a spectacle... Photo below:



Just a fraction of the flocks in flight... 


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