Thursday 5 May 2011

Day 5 (or is it 6?) at Pelee

Lots of great birding still to be had and lots of new birds for the year and the life list rolling in. Picked up some good ones over the past couple days including Snowy Egret and Worm-eating Warbler. Found 2 Long-billed Dowitchers yesterday late afternoon and re-found them this morning and afternoon. I also managed to get on a Black Tern as it flew around the distant side of the marsh. And this morning while out scouting some hiking trails with the other hike leaders we found a Clay-coloured Sparrow! So my year list has been climbing up and I'm sure the next couple of weeks will add some good birds.

Anyway, enough bragging, more pictures, I know what you're thinking!

After chasing Hooded Warbler sightings around the park several times I finally found my own male one morning and then by the end of the day I had seen 4 different individuals! It seems that once I find one I find a bunch. Same thing happened with White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler....etc

Female Hooded Warbler:

Male Hooded Warbler:


And with the Yellow-breasted Chat too. I found this guy just after seeing a Prothonotary Warbler and while enjoying a White-eyed Vireo! I know, it's just too good here. I may as well go home.



There must be at least 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers in the park:

There were several Eastern Bluebirds on one of my hikes that I led and I managed this photo just before the hike began:


Same with this Yellow-throated Vireo:

I managed to mooch a ride to see this Snowy Egret in ... I don't know where actually. Somewhere West of the park. It had a super long bill! This blurry photo doesn't show it well though.



I've also been enjoying the butterflies and flowers in the park and have been learning a lot!



Lots of people out today in the warm weather at the tip:


The Great Horned Owl nest at the North of the park is doing well and I saw an owlet from another nest out walking around the branches.

This orange variant Scarlet Tanager was neat. From what I understand/remember from Bridget Stuchbury's books is that they eat some sort of red berry down South to get the red pigmentation in their feathers. They can't produce it themselves so if they can't find any of those berries they'll be orange! Which I suppose you could say is their 'natural' colour. Someone else thought it ate too many cheesies. Who knows.


Lots of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers around:


More migrants to come overnight I hope, as does everyone else at the park!