My dad and I arrived early on. It was a gorgeous day, and with the sun to our backs, it really lit up the bay. A Common Loon was present upon our arrival.
After a little bit of searching, the target species popped up, quite literally!
With that bird out of the way, I wanted to check out Canatara Park. It was the birdiest morning I had had all year, even if diversity was relatively low. Seems like today was really good, and some nice birds popped up (including a Kirtland's Warbler, which I have never seen)! I had nine species of warblers, including my first of year Magnolia and Orange-crowned. Just to give testament to how slow the spring has been, that Magnolia literally took my breath away when I spotted it! My other first of the year was a Gray-cheeked Thrush. Almost seems early, even though its late! I haven't had a Swainson's Thrush yet.
After Canatara, I opted to head south to Sombra. I stopped in at a few places along the way. At Guthrie Park there were a couple Common and Forster's Terns. Cathcart Park proved to be quite birdy! The place was covered with Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, as well as many swallows. A few shorebirds in the form of yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpipers were sprinkled throughout, along with some mergansers and terns of three species; Black, Common, and Forster's.
Not too much along the Sombra riverfront, but there were a few Purple Martins and a Forster's Tern.
My next stop was the Sombra Sewage Lagoons. Lots of birds to sort through! There was a great number of shorebirds, including Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Sanderling, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Least Sandpiper.
Also a great number of Black Terns, I counted 76. It was amazing to see.
A Peregrine Falcon ripped through a few times, and kept the terns and shorebirds on their toes.
Some Common Gallinules were calling nearby. Additionally, I also had my first Bobolinks of the year. Dad spotted a Red-tailed Hawk nest nearby.
I cut inland from Sombra, and went to the Sydenham River Nature Reserve. I had a few birds here, including a singing Yellow-throated Vireo. My main target here however was the Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). I saw some last June when I was here for a breeding bird blitz, but they were well past their prime. Seems I caught the peak this time around!
False Mermaidweed (Floerkea proserpinacoides) was also abundant.
I picked up a few birds on the drive between there and Strathroy, including Eastern Bluebird, American Pipit, and House Wren. I made a quick pit stop into the Strathroy lagoons. A few lingering ducks and a couple rails, both Sora and Virgina.
In the evening, I went to check out a population of one of my favourite wildflowers, the Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum). This is a very rare plant in Canada, with only two known populations, both in Middlesex county. A nice ending to the day.
I wasn't really doing a big day, but still managed 109 species. Probably could have made it 110 with American Woodcock, but I was too tired to bother!
Today was quite good, and we got our first big push of migrants in a week and a half.
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| Last night |
Perhaps more on that later...
