Black Terns at Marshville, Point Pelee

These rather intimate shots were taken on Monday this week at Marshville.  There are over twenty Black Terns (American) at this marsh but these two were getting a bit cosy last week.  They were seen swapping fish.  But on Monday things had advanced a bit more.   That old fish must have done the trick as she now seemed pretty receptive, as can be seen by the images below.  The final image made be smile as he flies off into the distance.

Birding at Point Pelee, Canada, last full day

Today was our last full day at this very special National Park.  Migration is my favourite aspect of birding and this place is perfect for it.  My wife and I have spent ten days here, often up to twelve hours a day in the field.  Totally exhausted, but well worth the effort.  The people are friendly and polite and the Canadian culture is very different to ours.  The birding of course is second to none and I would have no hesitations in recommending this place.  At the time of writing, I haven't completed a full list but it must be in the 200's.  My main aim was to see North American leaf warblers and with one more today (Golden-winged Warbler) our total is now 27.

Below are some of the images taken today in the park:

Tree Swallow - common species

Black-billed Cuckoo - scarce passage migrant - three seen today

Blackpoll Warbler - only three seen all trip, two today.

Fem Cape May Warbler

Ad male Bay-breasted Warbler - four yesterday and two today were the only sightings.

Ad male Common Yellowthroat - very common.

Black Tern, 22 seen today. The two birds above were pair-bonding with gifts.

Birding at Point Pelee

Today has been the quietest day of the two week trip.  Last night was a clear night and there has been a massive clearout of numbers of passage migrants.  Birding has been quite hard work with another eleven hour effort.  That said, I still managed three lifers and one good personal find in our second Orange-crowned Warbler, on the Tilden Woods trail.  Cerulean Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler and Swamp Sparrow were all new today.  The warbler total is now an impressive 26 species.

This might seem incredulous, but to the local birders, this was a quiet day:  4 Bay-breasted Warblers, 2 Parula's, 5 American Redstarts, 3 Black & White Warblers, male Cerulean Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Canada Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, numerous Yellowthroats, 6 Swainson's Thrush, 2 Veery's, 2 Scarlet Tanagers (males of course), 2 Indigo Buntings, 2 Red-eyed Vireos, Blue-headed Vireo, Eastern Kingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird plus many other "commoner" species too lengthy to mention!

Below are some images taken over the last couple days:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird nectaring from a feeder

Swamp Sparrow

Ad male Common Yellowthroat

First summer male Indigo Bunting

Ad female American Redstart

Cedar Waxwing, one of a flock of ten.

Catbird, fairly common in the park.

Birding at Point Pelee - top day

Today we have had a good day!  Not only have we seen Prothonotary Warbler, but the female shown below collected nesting material within 15 feet of us and then looked at the camera for several seconds.  Perfect.  In addition, we have seen Worm-eating Warbler as well.  As can be imagined, there was a massive rugby scrum to see this bird.  I didn't get any images though, as I would not have been the most popular Cornishman in Canada.  We also saw Black-billed Cuckoo, Sora Rail, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Bald Eagle, Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Orchard Orioles, and many Baltimore Orioles.

Fem Prothonotary Warbler

Ad male Baltimore Oriole

The rarest and the commonest

Ad male Yellow Warbler

Below are a couple images of the rarest and the commonest leaf warblers in Pelee.  The Yellow Warbler breeds in the park and passes through as a passage migrant.  There are hundreds in the park.  In comparison, the rare Prothonatory Warbler (below) has caused quite a stir here.  A pair have been seen building a nest in the Carolininan forest, which is dark and wet; the only viewing access is from a boardwalk.  Add to that a couple hundred birders and you have a mad scene.  Not dissimilar to a big twitch back home.  There are only twenty pairs breeding in Canada, thus the locals are pretty excited.  That said, so am I, as this was one of my target birds to see. 

Female Prothonotary Warbler