The World Outdoors: Rondeau offers sweet surprises
By Paul Nicholson, Special to QMI Agency
Caitlin Sparks, one of Rondeau Provincial Park’s naturalists, says the park staff are excited to be welcoming birds and bird watchers for the May 3 kickoff of their “Festival of Flight.” The park’s spring migration festival continues to May 19. (Paul Nicholson/Special to QMI Agency)
Disappointed in my bid to add new warblers to my year list on a return to Rondeau Provincial Park, a cool day of birding in Kent County did however result in finding many other good species.
Caitlin Sparks, one of Rondeau’s Natural Heritage education specialists, confirmed warblers were generally a bit slow in arriving through April. “A contributing factor was the temperature. They’ll start to pour in now.”
While I hiked through the park, some birders even remarked on the slow development of apples and other plants.
There were good sightings of many birds that I expected to see such as hermit thrushes and Eastern towhees. There were also some new migrants moving in such as blue-grey gnatcatchers. Other seasonal sightings included a bluebird, brown thrasher, Sandhill cranes, and purple martins.
Any day of birding at Rondeau will have some nice surprises. A merlin perched in the sun on a dead tree. Other raptors in the park included a mature bald eagle and, of course, turkey vultures.
Maris Apse, who with Donald Pye led an Ontario Field Ornithologists’ field trip at Rondeau last weekend, was equally surprised about the warblers. “Even the total count of all birds was surprisingly low for the day.” Apse remarked to me.
Sparks and Emily Slavik, another of the park’s naturalists, are enthused about all of the daily programs that are running through to May 19 during the “Festival of Flight.” They range from the birder’s breakfast and lunch available every day at the Visitor Centre from 7 a.m. to the twice-daily hikes led by Reuven Martin.
If you have never tried bird watching and feel a bit daunted, you can join a Friday hike “for absolute beginners” led by Rondeau resident and great friend of the park, Ric McArthur.
All of the park staff have a tremendous, welcoming energy. “If you’ve never been to Rondeau, try us out,” Slavik said.
There is other good birding when you are in Kent County. You can check out the variety of waterfowl on Rondeau Bay or you can bird from the pier at Erieau. The Blenheim lagoons about 1 km. west of Blenheim are always fruitful.
This week at the Blenheim lagoons there were pectoral sandpipers, dunlin and other shorebirds, coots, many duck species, swallow species, plus good views of less common birds such as a horned grebe.
Regular entrance to Rondeau Provincial Park on Lake Erie is either $16 per day or by annual park pass. There is a small additional charge for some migration festival programs. For details, visit rondeauprovincialpark.ca or call the Visitor Centre at (519) 674-1768.
Access to the Blenheim lagoons is by permit only. To get a free permit call the Chatham-Kent municipal offices at (519) 676-5405.
Nature notes
An early morning Nature London-led hike through Westminster Ponds in south London will start at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The public is welcomed. There is no cost. Go south from Commissioners Rd. on Western Counties Rd. then turn left at the “T” intersection and meet in the gravel parking area. Visit naturelondon.com for other details.
The18th annual Optics Expo and sale will be hosted by Pelee Wings Nature Store just north of Point Pelee National Park May 10-11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. It is an excellent chance to try binoculars and scopes from a dozen manufacturers. The store’s feeders also attract tremendous birds.
Enviro-Friends of Coldstream have planned a morning of nature hikes and a pancake breakfast Sunday at Coldstream Conservation Area off Marsh Lane. A bird hike is set for
8 a.m. and a wildflower hike is set for 10 a.m. Call (519) 666-0461 for more information.
Larkwire is a birdsong app that is useful and fun. Because it is interactive and customizable, you can focus on the songs of a particular set of species rather than listening to an entire uneditable collection of calls on CDs or checking one song at a time on a bird identification app or website. See larkwire.com
Paul Nicholson can be reached at g.paul.nicholson@gmail.com
Twitter @NicholsonNature
Full Article can be found here: http://www.lfpress.com/2014/04/30/the-world-outdoors-rondeau-offers-sweet-surprises
