DAY 2 Friday, May 22, 2015
Loving Lagoons in Lower Bruce
Bird of the day: American Redstart
We met Colin and Hilda at the Visitor Centre at 6:15am. Judith King introduced our group to our day together visiting local lagoons...
Huron Fringe Birding Festival:
DAY 2 Friday, May 22, 2015
Loving Lagoons in Lower Bruce
Bird of the day: American Redstart
We met Colin and Hilda at the Visitor
Centre at 6:15am. Judith King introduced our group to our day
together visiting local lagoons...
| Loving Lagoons in Lower Bruce Judith King A02 6:30am to 4:30pm Explore the Ripley and Kincardine lagoons, then continue up the shore of Lake Huron. The emphasis will be on warblers, with as many as 20 species possible at the lagoons. Pockets of migrating warblers may be found along the shore. You may be walking up to 2 kilometres. Species: warblers Difficulty: EASY -- Walking leisurely on groomed and maintained trails. Walking shoes are recommended. You should be able to walk up to 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) without any problems. Bring Drinking Water, Bring Lunch, Bring Walking Snacks, Car-Pool <200km, Outdoors, Suitable for Beginners, Washroom Stops |
Ripley lagoon
Soon we were at the Ripley Lagoons. It was very cool and breezy
in the early morning but the light was good and we spotted birds
in and around the lagoon. Scopes were helpful.
• on the ground - Brown-headed Cowbird, American Robin,
Canada Goose, Red-winged Blackbird, Savannah Sparrow, American
Goldfinch, Spotted Sandpiper and Killdeer
Also spotted, but not photographed, Barn Swallow, Mourning Dove,
Chipping Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Eastern Kingbird
and Yellow Warbler
• in the water - Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveller,
Wood Duck and Northern Pintail
Also spotted, but not photographed, Semi-palmated Plover and
Dunlin
Then, as the sun got higher, we hiked through a beautiful forest
featuring flowering apple trees
Kincardine forest/lagoon
Mid-morning we drove towards Kincardine and hiked a trail home to
many colourful birds.
Some birds, Hairy Woodpecker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and American
Redstart, greeted us as soon as we parked.
We heard birdsong in the trees and we spotted more colour among
the young leaves. American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo
Bunting, Baltimore Oriole, Northern Flicker, Gray Catbird and
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
We also spotted two species, Swamp Sparrow and Northern
Waterthrush, in the marsh.
Finally, when we came to a fenced lagoon, we were greeted by a
Northern Shoveller with ducklings.
Also spotted, but not photographed, Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
Double-crested Cormorant, Veery, Canada Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Great
Crested Flycatcher
Overall, it was a perfect spot for birding. And we warmed up in
the shelter of the trees.
Lake Huron
We had lunch with a singing Pine Warbler at Inverhuron Provincial
Park on Lake Huron. Then we hiked a short way down a trail where
a Green Frog was near the shore. A previously seen Kirtland's
Warbler was not around for our pleasure.
A short drive to the shore got us back in the cool and wind
again! The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station dominated the bay.
Gulls and Common Terns flew overhead. At the shore two Turkey
Vultures were eating a carcass while a gull waited. Our shoreline
birding added a Killdeer to our lake list. On our return through
the forest we saw an Eastern Phoebe and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.
A few flowers showed their colours in the grass.
Back to camp for a quick supper and off to our evening
presentation.
| Evening Tips & Techniques on Waterfowl Identification Fred Jazvac A09 7:15pm Headaches caused by difficult waterfowl identification can’t be solved by aspirin. Fred will present tips and techniques that can be used to deal with the complications that waterfowl present to the birder. Indoors |
Thanks, Fred. You gave us some very useful tips.