2022 OFO Convention Trip: September 21-26

Day 3: Point Pelee, Onion Fields and Hillman Marsh, September 23


We were up early to meet our group at the first tram, but we had to go back twice as both Barbara and Bill had forgotten their cameras at the B&B. We arrived about a minute late to see the tram leaving without us. However, we got the next tram 15 minutes later and caught up to our group led by Jeff Skevington. Since it was still pretty dim, we did not miss a thing. We were soon at the Tip with many of our birding acquaintances.
As the sun rose in a clear blue sky, viewing conditions were excellent. Bald Eagles and Sharp-shinned Hawks soared overhead, while Sanderlings scurried about the Tip. Jeff also pointed out a Black-bellied Plover. He led us back to the forest where we saw some warblers and other passerines. Back at the tram stop, we had an amazing spectacle of large numbers of Monarch butterflies huddling together in the trees, waiting for some thermals to carry them over Lake Eire on their way to Mexico.

We made a tour of the Sparrow Fields and made our way back to the West Beach. We had lots more raptors passing overhead and some good warblers and other passerines in the trees – Wilson’s, Black-throated Green, Cape May and Blackburnian Warblers, and Philadelphia Vireo.




Returning to the Tip, we saw an unbanded Piping Plover, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Blackpoll, Nashville and Tennessee Warblers and others. Quite a morning!



After lunch, we met Jeff again at the Roma Club for our afternoon tour of the Onion Fields and Hillman Marsh. After the morning’s great sightings, the afternoon was a dud with very few new birds for our list. We did not realize that Hillman Marsh is drained after the spring and planted in soybeans.




We went back to the B&B to freshen up and then head over to the Portuguese Club for OFO’s Birds and Beers, where we met our friend from Ottawa, Barb C. The food was good, and Sarah Rupert’s diabolical quiz was lots of fun.