OFO Convention Trip- September 27- October 1, 2018

Point Pelee

September 27

This is the fourth Ontario Field Ornithologists convention we have attended with fellow birders Colin and Hilda Wooles. On Thursday, September 27, we drove from Ottawa to their home in Toronto.



We enjoyed an exploration of High Park together. Highlights were a discussion with hawkwatchers, Tom and Tim who were having a slow day. While talking with them, Rosie, a Red-tailed Hawk resident in the park entertained us by dropping onto the ground and capturing a Praying Mantis.

On our hike around the park we also saw several birds in and around Grenadier Pond. A good warm up for the upcoming convention field trips.



Hilda was excited to spot some large black, yellow and white striped caterpillars feeding on milkweed. As a retired teacher, she knew these would create a chrysalis on their path to become Monarch butterflies. She popped into the Grenadier Cafe and got a plastic cup so she could could capture a few and we could view this transition, perhaps during our OFO trip at Point Pelee.



That evening, before dinner, Barbara and Hilda hiked to the nearby park to collect some milkweed leaves to feed the caterpillars. Note that we were always on the lookout for milkweed to feed them on our OFO trip centred at Point Pelee National Park.

September 28

We were up early to get ready for our birding day.

It was a four hour drive to our first OFO outing at the Two Creeks and Kopegaron Conservation Area north of Wheatly. This was an interesting hike led by brothers, Mike and Ken Burrell. Although the sightings were low, we did enjoy our hike with fellow birders. Highlights were a Red-bellied Woodpecker and some warblers. The Burrells identified many more by sound with only brief looks. We did have a nice selection of butterflies and caterpillars as well.



There was still plenty of time, so we decided to check out nearby Wheatley Harbour.



At the parking area, Hilda was collecting milkweed leaves again, when she discovered another caterpillar for her collection.

Late afternoon we drove to our hotel, the Days Inn, in Leamington. This was a departure from our usual choice to camp. As we entered Leamington, Hilda spotted a dark Red-tailed Hawk in a tree by the road, which we initially misidentified as a Red-shouldered Hawk.



The Friday Evening Birds and Beers banquet at the Roma Club in Leamington was a super way to get in the Convention spirit. Individual birding related displays were interesting. Highlights were an entertaining presentation by Jeremy Bensette on his Ontario Big Year and a very challenging and clever Birding Quiz by Sarah Rupert.

September 29

Saturday was a very full day with field trips in the morning and afternoon and the Saturday Evening Banquet.

We were very interested in having the opportunity to see the Ojibway Nature Centre in southern Ontario, near Windsor. We weren't disappointed, as these grasslands were new to us. An excellent guide from the centre led our group.

Our best sighting was a Bay-breasted Warbler that was right overhead on the trail.

We had lunch at the nature centre picnic area, with our caterpillars enjoying the shade under the van. After lunch, we went to the Essex Lagoons with guide Pete Read.



Next we drove down to Lake Eire to check the beaches near Kingsville, but the only birds of note were Bonaparte's Gulls.

The evening Banquet was a spirited event - many birders exchanging their stories over dinner. The evening included the OFO Annual General Meeting, awards, homage to distinguished birder Alan Wormington, raffle ticket draw winners and Tom Hince as an entertaining Keynote Speaker.

September 30

On a rainy Sunday morning we stopped to bird at Rondeau Provincial Park with guides Blake Mann & Steve Charbonneau. There was a good variety of birds, including lots of warblers, but hard to get photos because of the rain. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was in a tree at the meeting place, but it only gave us glimpses and no chance for a photo in the steady drizzle. Best birds on our hike were a quartet of Rusty Blackbirds.

Luckily the rain stopped so we could enjoy our picnic lunch.



We made a quick trip to the Visitor Centre to check out the feeders. A nice bonus was a number of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. We bought a Monarch container to transport home one of the caterpillars for our grandsons.



Our final birding stop was the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons where we used our binoculars and scopes to see Ruddy Ducks, Northern Shovelers, a Horned Grebe, a Ring-necked Duck, a Pectoral Sandpiper, an American Wigeon - and a muskrat.



We returned to Toronto and enjoyed a super hot meal prepared by our hosts and we toasted our OFO adventure together.

October 1

It was another rainy day. We had a good breakfast and bade goodbye to our friends Colin and Hilda. The caterpillar that Hilda had given us had just attached itself to the top of the container in preparation for forming a chrysalis.



We got through Toronto without much difficulty, after stopping to put some air in a tire.

We decided to get off the 401 at Port Hope to see the salmon on the Ganaraska River at the Corbett Dam and Fishway. One of the leaping salmon had a lamprey attached!



We birded the trail around the fishway, and found a Blue-headed Vireo and a Chipping Sparrow, among others.



We decided to drive to the Port Hope waterfront for a look around. At the end of the breakwall, we saw a few Sanderlings and a Spotted Sandpiper. Having enjoyed our stop, it was time to head for home.



Once again, the OFO Convention had enriched our birding experiences in Ontario.