A visit to Walmsley Sanctuary today produced very little. Heavy rain stopped play at midday but I did manage to get some shots of this pair of Stock Doves.
Wednesday 20 June 2012
Sunday 17 June 2012
Ontario and Point Pelee Trip Report
A two week birding trip to Point Pelee in May 2012
Ad male Long-tailed Duck, common offshore at Toronto. |
Ad male Black-throated Green Warbler, a stunning gem of a bird. |
Marshville, breeding territory for Swamp Sparrow, Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird and Black Tern |
Ad male Common Yellowthroat on territory. |
Ad fem Yellow-rumped Warbler, second commonest warbler behind the Yellow Warbler. |
The Prothonotary Warbler twitch |
Ad male Nashville Warbler |
American Robin, abundent in woodland, parks and gardens. |
We flew via Air Transat from Exeter direct to Toronto at a very reasonable £315 each. The seven hour flight also picked up at Newcastle to fill the plane, but for £300 or so, I was quite content with that. We hired a nearly new Mazda at the airport for another £450 (all in). Expedia is the online booking site we used and will re-use them in future. Everything is confirmed by email. With all emails linking to the smart phone, there's no need these days to print everything off. Ideal. I also took a small laptop. With wi-fi everywhere, this was vital when booking up our next accomodation in advance, I also downloaded a TomTom GPS app. for £39 and this was the best £39 I've spent for a while. It was invaluable and saved on those many arguments you might have with your wife because she's navigated wrongly.
Downy Woodpecker, common in suitable habitat. |
Yellow Warbler |
Moving on from the tinsel town of Niagara, (becoming like a mini Las Vegas), we headed off to what the Canadian birders call their "Deep South". Point Pelee is the southerly tip of Canada and its here that the locals look for their own country's rarities. After booking in to the HoJo (Howard Johnson version of an upmarket Travelodge), we drove the last five miles to the magnet. I had been warned that it would be busy. In fact 25,000 migration pilgrims pass through here each May. All searching for the big one.
Ad male Baltimore Oriole, common in the park. |
Typical flooded swamp habitat, ideal for Ovenbird, Waterthrush and Prothonotary Warbler. |
Storm clouds gathering, ideal for downing migrants |
Looking south over Lake Erie |
Map of Essex County in southernmost Ontario, Pelee is in the SE corner. |
Point Pelee map at the Visitor Centre. |
Typical daily log book at the Visitor Centre. |
Solitary Sandpiper, just one seen at Hilman Marsh. |
Our first day at this magical place must surely go down as one of my Top Ten birding experiences. Barely away from the visitor centre, we were greeted with male dendroicas in full song, cuckoos in the canopy calling, orioles singing from every tree, tanagers in the high canopy, four vireos in song, flycatchers, phoebe's, wood thrushes and kingbirds. Of course, first day in a new place means a lot of "mopping up". But apart from a couple quiet days when everything moved out, the migration was a continuation of good numbers of migrants.
Lesser Yellowlegs, common at Hilman Marsh. |
Male Red-winged Blackbird, abundent in every habitat. |
American Bittern, one only roosting high in a cork oak.
American Black Tern, up to 30, 20 plus resident at Marshville.
Sora Rail, one on 11th May
American Avocet, five at Hilman Marsh, 9th May.
Greater Yellowlegs, 7 at Hilman 9th May.
Short-billed Dowitcher, 10 at Hilman on 9th.
Parula, uncommon, less than six seen all trip.
Worm-eating Warbler, one on 11th May caused quite a stir with the locals.
Prothonotary Warbler, three seen with two building a nest on 10th May.
Blue-winged Warbler, one on 10th.
Yellow-throated Warbler, one male at Rondeau on 10th feeding on fat balls. A major breeding rarity in Canada.
Yellowthroat, a few migrants in the park, 10 on 12th; common on territory at Marshville.
Black-throated Green Warbler, seen every day with a max of six.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, seen every day, all males with a max of 10 at Rondeau on the 10th.
Yellow Warbler, common, 50 to 75 daily, max of 100. Breeds in the park.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, common, males predominated earlier, followed by females. 40 on 8th May.
Blackburnian Warbler, seen daily, all but one were stunning males, three on 6th.
Palm Warbler, mainly seen early May. Four males on 6th May.
Magnolia Warbler, seen daily in small numbers. Six on the 8th May.
Tenessee Warbler, uncommon, three on 6th.
American Redstart, seen daily in small numbers.
Cape May Warbler, scarce, two on 9th.
Mourning Warbler, scarce, one male on the 9th.
Orange-crowned Warbler, two seen, one at Rondeau.
Cerulean Warbler, one stunning male on 12th. The star bird.
Canada Warbler, just three seen, one at Rondeau NP.
Bay-breasted Warbler, seen later on the trip, max four on 12th May.
Nashville Warbler, seen daily in small numbers but five on the 8th May.
Black-throated Blue Warbler, ten males seen all trip plus two females.
Baltimore Oriole, common, seen every day with a max of 25 on 9th May.
Orchard Oriole, breeds and migrant. 10 on 8th May.
Eastern Kingbird, seen daily but ten on the 8th May.
Summer Tanager, one female on 6th May.
Scarlet Tanager, seen daily, mostly males.
Eastern Towhee, just three seen.
Louisiana Waterthrush, one on 6th.
Black-billed Cuckoo, scarce, three on 13th May.
Blue-headed Vireo, scarce, two on 10th.
Philadelphia Vireo, one on 10th at Rondeau.
Whip Poor Will, one on 9th May.
Blue Jay, common but 18 migrants on 9th May caused some noise in the canopy!
Sparrows: Chipping, Clay-coloured, Swamp, White-crowned, White-throated, Song, Field, Savannah, all seen in small numbers.
In summary, a stunning place, very friendly locals, fantastic birding in a safe environment. Would I return again? Definitly.
Eastern Towhee, just three seen of this declining species. |
Monday 4 June 2012
Great Reed Warbler at Gunwalloe, Cornwall
A Great Reed Warbler was found in the reed bed at Gunwalloe yesterday by Ted Griffiths. This is suprisingly just the seventh record for mainland Cornwall. The last was a bird trapped at Nanjizal and present for a week in April 2011. The site is private and there is no public access so we have to trawl way back to 1988 when one was present for three days in mid May. Thus, this species is sought after and a well-needed county tick. Sadly, the views today were decidedly difficult. Always distant, the most anyone saw was a brief flight view today. It was also heard singing briefly this morning.
The first was at Par Marsh in 1960, then three at Marazion Marsh 1962, 1963 and 1977, Crowan Res 1988, then the trapped bird at Nanjizal 2011.
The first was at Par Marsh in 1960, then three at Marazion Marsh 1962, 1963 and 1977, Crowan Res 1988, then the trapped bird at Nanjizal 2011.
Great Reed twitch, Gunwalloe, image by Bob Davey. |
Sunday 3 June 2012
Continental Black-tailed Godwit at Marazion Marsh
A Black-tailed Godwit was present at Marazion Marsh from the 1st April to 10th April. It mainly fed in the freshwater margins of the marsh, viewable from the road. I took some photographs of the bird on the 4th April and posted them on this blog, remarking at the time that the location was indeed unusual for this species. In fact, I cannot recall ever seeing Black-tailed Godwit here.
An email and conversation with Brian Small has revealed that this bird is in fact the rarer subspecies limosa. Cornwall regularly attracts the islandica (Iceland) race, some of which winter in Cornwall, mainly on the Camel and Fal estuaries. This subspecies breed mostly in Iceland.
The limosa race winters in west Africa and breeds in Holland and further east towards central Asia. A few pairs breed in East Anglia and there are some records from Slimbridge. Thus, this race is indeed rare in the west country. As far as I'm aware, the only previous documented record for this subspecies in Cornwall was a party of seven at Maer Lake, 3rd April 1995. (GPS).
The islandica race tends to have a smaller bill, shorter legs and a more burnt-rufous colouration (extending to the belly) than limosa. The bird in question below is long-legged, long-necked, long-billed and the eye appears set back from the bill, giving the appearance of a large head and open lores. The two races' moult patterns also differ. The bird below is unmoulted in the upper wing coverts and has mainly plain grey coloured tertials and wings with limited new patterning in the mantle.
Thanks to Brian Small for his assistance in preparing this post. Thanks also to Darrell Clegg, the Cornwall County Recorder, who commented on past reports of this subspecies.
An email and conversation with Brian Small has revealed that this bird is in fact the rarer subspecies limosa. Cornwall regularly attracts the islandica (Iceland) race, some of which winter in Cornwall, mainly on the Camel and Fal estuaries. This subspecies breed mostly in Iceland.
The limosa race winters in west Africa and breeds in Holland and further east towards central Asia. A few pairs breed in East Anglia and there are some records from Slimbridge. Thus, this race is indeed rare in the west country. As far as I'm aware, the only previous documented record for this subspecies in Cornwall was a party of seven at Maer Lake, 3rd April 1995. (GPS).
The islandica race tends to have a smaller bill, shorter legs and a more burnt-rufous colouration (extending to the belly) than limosa. The bird in question below is long-legged, long-necked, long-billed and the eye appears set back from the bill, giving the appearance of a large head and open lores. The two races' moult patterns also differ. The bird below is unmoulted in the upper wing coverts and has mainly plain grey coloured tertials and wings with limited new patterning in the mantle.
limosa - note the pale orange hues stop abruptly on the white belly. The barring below is sparse. |
limosa - the plain grey tertials and wing coverts contrast with limited patterning on the mantle. |
limosa - compare the head shape and bill length with the islandica below. |
islandica for comparison - St Clement, Truro. April 2012. Note the extensive patterning on the mantle. |
islandica for comparison - St Clement, Truro. April 2012. Note the dark orange colour extends to the belly. |
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