Birders at Rondeau have reported a good variety of warblers on our
trails this morning. Highlights include Northern Parula on
Maintenance Loop and South Point Trail; Blackburnian on Maintenance
Loop and South Point Trail; Blackpoll on Maintenance Loop and South
Point Trail; Northern Waterthrush on South Point Trail; Mourning on
South Point Trail and at Pony Barn; Wilson’s at Maintenance Loop and
on South Point Trail; and Canada on Maintenance Loop and South Point
Trail.
As for other passerines, our first Olive-sided Flycatcher of the
season was observed at the deer exclosure off Gardiner Avenue. An
Orchard Oriole was found on South Point Trail. A Yellow-throated
Vireo was seen at the Pony Barn. Two Willow flycatchers were calling
persistently on the Marsh Trail yesterday evening.
Among raptors, a Merlin was seen on the Maintenance Loop. An adult
Bald Eagle was photographed on South Point Trail this morning.
Yesterday evening, we saw American Woodcock performing display flights
and heard several Whip-poor-will calling.
Despite searches by land and sea (well – Honda Civic and pontoon boat,
actually) park birders could not relocate the Piping Plover seen at
Erieau beach on Thursday afternoon. On and offshore of the south
shoreline of the park yesterday afternoon were a range of waterfowl,
including a pair of Ring-necked Duck, 3 Redhead, 1 Ruddy Duck, and a
pair Long-tailed Ducks (in the channel at the breakwater). Birds seen
on the extreme south beach of the park (viewed from the Erieau docks)
included 2 Ruddy Turnstones and a flock of over 200 Bonaparte’s Gulls.
On Erieau beach, I saw a flock of 125 Black-bellied Plovers, 7 Ruddy
Turnstones and 1 well-scrutinized Semipalmated Plover. Nearby, the
fields northeast of McGeachy’s Pond were covered with shorebirds: 400+
Black-bellied Plovers, 100 Dunlin, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper and
several Ruddy Turnstones.
Our appreciation to all of those who have taken the time to provide
sightings for this report.
Good birding