Jaeger time

It's finally that glorious time of the year where we get the zodiac out and go bother Jaegers on Lake Ontario. The first run of the year was done on less than idea conditions (Aug 30, with my Dad), yet we still managed to bag a nice adult (light) Parasitic Jaeger...

Jennifer and I had some better luck the next day on some gentle east winds:

2 Long-tailed Jaegers (1 adult, 1 juv)
1 Parasitic Jaeger (light adult)
~36 Red-necked Phalaropes (7,20,3,2,3,1 - all juveniles)
3 Bonaparte's Gulls (1 adult, 2 juv)
1 probable Question Mark (butterfly)

and some other expected birds. (Common Terns, Loons etc)


As you may remember, I broke my 100-400mm lens last year when Jenn and I went to Moosonee, so I was somewhat limited for photo chances... Yet the adult Long-tailed Jaeger was so darn cooperative, I still managed some shots: (with this one being my favourite by far):

Adult Long-tailed Jaeger -Aug 31, 2011 

The coolest part by far being the fact that I took the above photo with my 70mm lens (and it's full frame)... Kinda fun having a stunning bird like this fly a few feet above your head. (70mm = about 1.4x Magnification - or barely more than what our eyes see). 

I only took 1 quick video, but here's an example of the bird flying around Jenn and I:

Hopefully many many many more Zodiac adventures to come this fall. I'm dying to get out more into October and November -- which is pretty tough with the poor weather - but here's hoping.

One last look at my beautiful darling girlfriend Jenn enjoying some "up-close" Phalaropes:

Oct 10th Zodiac Trip - Long-tailed Jaeger

Floated Jenn out into the boat early on Sunday morning. Short on time (Turkey dinner in the evening), we launched from Van Wagner's. We threw bread for a few hours, but didn't have too much (Bonaparte's, C Loons, 1 Juv. Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Parasitic Jaeger that didn't come in).

Jenn headed for a 3 hour work session around 11am. I went back out, and eventually continued the bread-toss. More distant Parasitic Jaegers, a Red-throated Loon, Another Lesser Black-back and more common birds until a small Jaeger did a quick fly-past .

Snapped some photos, and they confirmed my suspicions - my 11th Long-tailed Jaeger of the fall:

Juv. Long-tailed Jaeger, 

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I think I wanted Pomarine Jaeger, so I continued to throw bread - even when the weather was clearly telling me to look for Red Pharlies and Pacific Loons. Next time I get out, more will happen!

-- Should also mention the huge flocks of White-winged Scoters (and lesser #'s of Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoters) - WAY out on the lake. Looking forward to future chances to scan them! 

Arctic Tern!!!! wooo

After spending years at the old lakewatch, I can finally get my name next to an Arctic Tern. A striking Juv! Stu Mackenzie spotted the small sterna heading our way, and it thankfully came within 20/30ft of shore! Pausing to pick at the surface a few times before heading south.

PERFECT views to see all juv ARTE features - what a beauty! A bird I had long searched for... gorgeous

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Other birds seen yesterday:

1-2 Pomarine Jaegers (1 bird I called a light adult (distant), one juv).

6+ Parasitic Jaegers (hard to say how many, but at least 6),,, more adults than juv's.

3+ Jaeger sp's (some stay distant)

Black-legged Kittiwake - 1 - first of fall! - a juv

Short-eared Owl - 1 !!! doing the crazy-SEOW thing of flying way out over the lake...

Peregrine Falcon - 1 .. crossing the lake

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 - juv's.. One hung around close to shore for a while.

Pied-billed Grebe - one bird offshore in the huge waves!! Crazy bird...

Brant - 15 close to shore .. another possible large flock waay offshore...

---- also a heavy waterbird movement in the morning.. both Loons, WW and surf scoters, most puddle ducks, most diving ducks, mergs, a few Bonaparte's gulls, etc etc..



What a day!!!!!!

Brant! All birds thanks to 20-25 knot NE winds

Frigatebird odds for Lake Ontario just went from 0.2% to 2.8% !!!

Yesterday (Sept 30) was just one of those days.

The morning started out very birdy in the woods, turning up some late-ish migrants (13 Warbler Sp's etc). Highlighted by no fewer than 5 Orange-crown's (not late)...

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In the afternoon, I got my beautiful girl out in the boat. From 4:30ish to 6:30ish.. A rather short-lived trip but the results were over the top.

First up was 6 Red-necked Phalaropes just offshore (inside the wave tower). The water was coated in tiny flies, which made the pharlies happy. Unfortunately we were throwing bread, which had the Ring-bills around, and they chased them frequently before we were able to get too close for views.

--- After confirming the ID (was hoping for Reds) were were getting ready to bread-toss again when a juv. female Peregrine Falcon came cruising across the lake. She lined up the poor little pharlies on the water, and gave the flock heck for 30 seconds. She eventually picked one individual out, and chased it upwards to a great height (200+ ft?) before we lost track of them. Was pretty exciting!


-  Bread tossing then resumed, as we traveled out into the lake. First up was juv. Parasitic Jaeger which chased our entire feeding frenzy away. Photos were difficult, and the bird stuck to the distant edges of the group. After 5  minutes of distant passes, it finally headed for the horizon - just as a second juv. Parasitic Jaeger made a fly-by behind us.

After the 2-Parasitic chase, we were left with a small and nervous bunch of gulls. Numbers eventually built back up in time for our 3rd Paraisitc (light adult) to chase them all away again. It was joined by a juv. Parasitic within a few minutes, but again they didn't really come close enough for any really good photos. Not bad for a short visit!

--- The final highlight came in the form of a striking juv. Sabine's Gull which spent a good deal of time in the area, and eventually came right into the boat and ate some bread. This incredible gull was nice enough to pose for some photos, and gave Jenn some over-the-top views for her first SAGU experience.

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Hopefully more pelagic fun this weekend. It's really all I want to do! Still hoping for Red Phalarope, and Arctic Tern. I photographed 11 Terns yesterday from the boat, all of which were Commons.....

taken yesterday

Pelagic year-count and Google

Well I found out today that google listed my site as dangerous, thanks to my on-going problems... Woo! I think I know how to fix it, but it might take a few days.

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Since I didn't get out birding today.. I decided to do a year-tally of the pelagics I've seen this year (Since it seems to be a huge year)... I've missed the last 2 "boat weather" days, but will hopefully get out for the next ones!

So yeah, year tally so far, mostly from the boat:

Red-necked Phalarope - 45
Sabine's Gull - 17
Jaeger Sp - 5
Parasitic Jaeger - 7
Long-tailed Jaeger - 10!



And those are the ultra-conservative counts. For future trips, I'm expecting to hit the bulk of the Parasitic Jaegers. Kittiwakes should be on their way, and Pomarine's will hopefully be some of the most cooperative boat-birds.

Arctic Tern and Red Phalarope are the target species. I actually think Red Phalarope will be quite easy - just need a "calm as glass" day.

More to come! I have to work Monday-Thursday first though...

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and on that note.. I'm re-adding the photo of the LT Jaeger chasing the G Black-backed Gull from a week or so ago.. Some people didn't get to see it thanks to the virus problems:

- who says LTJA's never chase other birds.