This was our day to take the tram to the tip, so we were up at 5 am in order to eat, get ready and drive to the Visitor Centre to catch the 6 am tram. We made it!
The tram got us to the tip just as the sun was rising. Beautiful.
There were so many birders in front of us, mostly from Quebec, that we could barely see the birds at the tip. It was no big deal, because there was nothing special – except for a few plovers and Bonaparte Gulls along with other gulls and many displaying Red-breasted Mergansers.
We met other birders that we know, including Bruce Di Labio and Dave & Liz Milsom.
We started back along the road, but were surprised at the lack of land birds. So, we decided to cut through the Sparrow field. This too was quiet, except for Ruby-crowned Kinglets, which were throughout the Park. We did see our first Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
We connected to the Redbud Footpath, which was also quiet. This led us back to the Woodland Trail. We checked the expected bridges for Prothonotary Warblers, but all we got were yellows. Fortunately, Dave Milsom and Jean Iron came back from seeing them at Bridge F. Off we went as fast as we could. Success!
We met Ezra, one of the young birders doing an Ontario Big Year. He was so helpful in showing us a White-eyed Vireo.
Things were picking up, as we got a Common Yellowthroat, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Hermit Thrush and Brown-headed Cowbird. Whew!
We went back to the Visitor Centre for lunch in the tent, and Hilda checked the sightings board. We ran into Bob Cermak from Ottawa and then Jane Burgess, Barb Chouinard and Susan Goods. A happy reunion.
We hiked Tilden Trail again hoping to see the Yellow-throated Warbler, but there was no sign of it. But we did get a Black-and-White Warbler and a Swamp Sparrow.
Well along the loop trail, another birder alerted us to a seasonal side trail where he had seen an Ovenbird and a Wood Thrush. We missed the former, but we had great view of a couple of Wood Thrushes and bonus Rusty Blackbirds. We also looked for a reported Whippoorwill, but could not find it.
Driving back to our Air B&B, we saw cars stopped along the road. Colin lowered the window and asked Bruce what they were looking at. Distant Sandhill Cranes! So, we parked and had a look too.
Back at our Air B&B, Barbara explored the extensive grounds and found House Sparrows and an American Robin sitting on a nest which was on an eavestrough downspout right outside Colin and Hilda's bedroom window.
This was our night for pizza, so Colin and Bill drove into Leamington to get one at Pizza Pizza in Walmart. It was very good.
