OFNC Point Pelee and Rondeau Journal 2016 Submitted by Roy John, for Martha Farkas, John Cartwright and Jon Ruddy

With additonal notes and photos by Barbara & Bill Bowman

Thursday May 12

Because everyone arrived on time, we were loaded and left Lincoln Fields at 0555.

We stopped at Oshawa Second Marsh, staying for over an hour. We entered by the main gate and went south to the bridge. Unfortunately the bridge was closed, so we continued on the path. This, however, did not get us to the causeway along the marsh edge. In the time we were there we did see many migrant birds including orioles (a single chestnut Orchard Oriole), terns and warblers. The highlight was watching a pair of tiny Blue-grey Gnatcatchers building their skillfully-disguised nest.

After the long drive east we made for Hillman Marsh Conservation Area (Essex Region Conservation Authority). With the hour available to us, in the cold, driving wind, we concentrated on the Shorebird Cell. There were lots of terns, gulls, ducks and shorebirds, but nothing very rare.

We arrived at Leamington and signed in to the Comfort Inn. A number of us went shopping for groceries and carried them back to the bus. After supper across the street, some ofuswent down to the pier to check out the birds.

Friday May 13

After a buffet breakfast at Comfort Inn we boarded the bus at 0530 to head for the first shuttle to the point at Point Pelee National Park.

We reached the Visitor’s Centre at 0555, but the tram to the point had left a few minutes earlier and we had no option, but to wait. Once at the point we realised it was still cold and windy and waterfowl were far offshore. The weather meant there were not a large number of birds, but we were alerted to a first year, splotchy-plumaged, male Summer Tanager - our first rarity. We headed north finding new species as we walked. We sorted out warblers, orioles and other birds [Orchard Oriole and many Rose-breasted Grosbeaks for example]. Although we did not see anything exceptionally rare we did get a good list of brilliantly-plumaged spring migrants. Once on the road we took a look around the tram circle. And then some of us continued along the main road and through the Sparrow Field.

We saw our friends Colin and Hilda from Kitchener, who were birding with a group led by Bruce DiLabio. We also saw Ottawa friends Rick and Hedrik.

Our group was near the end of the tram loop area when we received a tip about a male Cerulean Warbler working the canopy along the shoreline of east beach. Without much hesitation we were off in search of it. Along the way we encountered the first alternate (first breeding plumage) male Summer Tanager yet again and simply had to stop to take it in some great views. A few hundred meters along east beach we encountered the male Cerulean, first by song, then by sight. Upon close inspection we could see it was a first alternate male given its flaring white brow and lighter blue to its upperparts compared to an adult male. The entire group took in eye level views of this stunning bird; a highlight for all.

After taking in views of the Cerulean, we headed west from the beach and began to walk along a seasonal path. Noticing a crowd gathered in an area we dropped by and asked what the birders were looking for. “Hooded…..and Wilson’s” said one observer. A nice combo for our group! We spent the next 10 min patiently waiting on both birds (both were really skulking) to give us a somewhat decent view and in the end, our patience was rewarded and the entire group had a look at both species.

The Sparrow Field (a well-known specific Pelee location, now so overgrown that most sparrows don't really care for it!), had some good species and the trail brought us back to the Visitors Centre and its precious washrooms. We were told of a Worm-eating Warbler "just past the Screech Owl!" in Tilden's Woods. We hurried off and found a crowd looking at a rufous morph Screech Owl. Following directions from Justin Peters and then Jean Iron we saw the stripe-headed Worm-eating Warbler really well - another rarity and a lifer for some. We also watched a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak going through a red, black and white courtship display to an un-interested brown female.

We returned to the parking lot to join up with the splinter group and set up a lunch buffet on some picnic tables near the bus.

After lunch we re-traced our way through Tilden’s Woods. We re -observed the owl (a tiny bundle that looked last winter's dried leaves), but could not find the warbler. We did see Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers and a mixture of passerines. Most of the group went on a northward path, while some of us returned to the bus to drive to the Delaurier Homestead. There we took the Delaurier trail, where we watched a Yellow Warbler building a nest.

Those on the northward path admired many warblers, thrushes and grosbeaks along the way. At one point three Swainson’s Thrush and one Veery, high in a large hardwood; quite a surprise seeing these species foraging for insects way up in the canopy. The birding was generally a touch quieter along the northward path, that is until we hit a swampy area with some large cedars throughout. We noticed the cedars were holding some birds so we began to work the flock. A few minutes passed and we encountered a handful of warbler species, a White-crowned Sparrow and a Swainson’s Thrush. All of a sudden a large, sturdy yellowish warbler with a green back, grayish-blue rump, graywings and very plain face appeared. A Prothonotary! It was slightly duller yellow than a typical adult male and had an infusion of greenish tones throughout nape and crown, meaning it must be an adult female given these plumage features. We observed the Prothonotary along Chinquapin Trail, E side just S of "Cactus field” and promptly put the word out via OntBirds (provincial rare bird alert) so others could “chase” the birds.

From the Delaurier Homestead we took the bus to pick up the rest of the group and go to the Marsh boardwalk. We took a short walk out on the boardwalk (it has become choked with cattails) and climbed the tower. This gave us amazing views of five species of swallows flying below us.

We drove to Pelee Wings store before returning to the hotel and supper. Colin and Hilda picked us up at the hotel, and we went out to dinner with them at our favorite Mennonite restaurant, the Family Kitchen. Then they drove us back to the park to see the Great Horned Owls we had missed. Following that, we went to DeLaurier to see the American Woodcock displaying at dusk. We also saw a few Common Nighthawks.

Saturday May 14

After our buffet breakfast at the Comfort Inn we drove to Rondeau Provincial Park. We made straight for the Visitor’s Centre, Centre and its washrooms, spending time at the feeders which attracted a number of interesting birds. Then we headed off to the nearby Tulip Tree Trail. This trail runs through a magnificent grove of mature tulip trees, with several boardwalks over ephemeral swamps. This is ideal habitat for Rondeau’s rare, nesting Prothonotary Warblers. Roy John located a bird fairly quickly, but it flew away. He called all the others and we crowded on a bridge and waited . Two of these stunning birds, an adult male and female, appeared at the back of the pond and slowly worked slowly closer until they were overhead. They put on a put on a dazzling display.

These birds almost overshadowed an amazingly cooperative Wood Thrush. This species is normally well hidden, only betrayed by its beautiful song. This bird hopped in front of our cameras.

Back at the Visitor’s Centre a Red-bellied Woodpecker came to the feeder area.

We set off on Lakeshore Road to look for a rare White-winged Dove that had been seen many times. The cold wind kept most birds down low, including a Cerulean Warbler that was nestled on the ground, deep in the grass. We did not find the dove or any Red-headed Woodpeckers. So we returned to the Visitor’s Centre and drove toward the picnic area.

A Mourning Warbler had been seen the day before near Bennet and Rondeau Roads. A number of people got out at this spot, and walked along Rondeau Road to the lunch rendevous. A few of us went to the picnic spot and took the planned walk to the Pony Barn. Sadly there were few birds at the Pony Barn so they returned to the bus to set up lunch. The splinter group caught up and reported seeing several warblers (but no Mourning).

After lunch we decided to try the Marsh trail, but it was too exposed. We then decided to walk Rondeau Road as it had been good earlier, stopping first for a trio of Eastern Bluebirds. We all saw several warblers; nothing new, but some great views of several species.

We drove across country to Hillman Marsh. We scurried along the wet path to the shorebird cell. We were rewarded with a sighting of five Willets as well more common shorebirds, terns and ducks.

Dinner for a large group of us was at Paula’s Place - with a menu featuring several different lake fish dishes.

Sunday May 15

We left the Comfort Inn at 0600 for Highway 401 and bound for home. We benefitted from some light traffic, even in Toronto. We arrived at Thickson’s Woods and walked along the Waterside Trail until we reached the marsh, but saw few birds. As it was so cold and windy we thought the path through the woods would be more sheltered. This proved correct and we saw a good mixture of birds. We returned to the bus and had a windy lunch before we set off for Ottawa.

Note: During the course of this trip we were given a confidential location of an “Endangered” species (meaning it is found in the wild in Ontario but is facing extinction). It is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act. After receiving everyone’s agreement on secrecy we drove to see a pair of well-camouflaged, nesting Piping Plovers. They were difficult to see as they blended into the pale sandy beach. The nesting area was roped off to prevent human disturbance and the nest will be protected against foxes, cats, raccoons and gulls.

We arrived home at 1800. We were on time; we had not had any traffic problems – rare event for the biannual Pelee trip.