The calming weather which occurred a little sooner than I had expected took a few of the birds with them but the variety was still good throughout the park.
Again, many ORIOLES, TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS, and CATBIRDS. LEAST FLYCATCHER'S appear to be everywhere in the park along with VEERY'S and WOOD THRUSHES. Again around 20 species of warblers were recorded in the park including two seperate HOODED WARBLERS, one at the intersection of Tulip Tree Trail and Harrison and one bopping around the Campground, CERULEAN WARBLER @ Spicebush Trail, as well as a few PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS off of tulip tree trail and Bennet Rd. Both cuckoo's are present in the park as well. But enough of that I'll just talk about what everyone wants to hear. The BLUE GROSBEAK was found again at the base of South Point Trail on the beach in the region about 200m east of the east end of the wash out! Luckily many people were able to get views of the bird today even video! It is still spending its time on the edge of the beach where the marram grasses are present on the edge of the dogwood bushes. A young LARK SPARROW spent the better part of the day in the field adjacent to the childrens hut off of Lakeshore Rd. across fronm the churches. The Blenheim Sewage Lagoon were quite productive this afternoon with many Ruddy Ducks, hundreds of swallows(all five species) and many Bonaparte's Gulls. A few shorebirds were present along the banks of the ponds. SOLITARY SANDPIPER (2), LEAST SANDPIPER(1), SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (8). Other notables at the lagoons were BLACK and FORSTERS TERN's. The group was also lucky enough (if you want to call it that) to see a group of RING-BILLED GULLS fighting over who got to eat a dead SCARLET TANAGER which one of them had probably found weakened somewhere. On the drive back to Rondeau PP from the Lagoons I spotted an adult MISSISSIPPI KITE hanging in the wind over the woods just north of Bennet Rd., then it dissapeared in the forest. Upon my return to the Visitor Center I learned that it had been seen earlier near the start of South Point Trail. Keep an eye out on the horizons for it hanging in the wind or darting through the tree tops of the park. There was a CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW singing in the visitor center parking lot first thing this morning along with an Orchard Oriole. Lastly, yesterday morning myself and a few birders on the morning hike observed a Least Flycatcher attempting to eat a small earthworm that it had found on the ground. The first time I had seen anything like this and I've never heard of this occurence. Stu Mackenzie Friends of Rondeau DAILY BIRDING HIKES WITH AN EXPERT (free): May 1-19 and May 23-26 inclusive Each day there is a morning hike at 7:30 a.m. -- meet at the Visitor Centre. Each day there is also an afternoon OR evening hike, as follows: Mondays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park - meet at the Visitor Centre Tuesdays: 1:00 p.m. at the Blenheim Sewage Ponds - map available at the V.C. Wednesdays: 6:00 p.m. in Ridgetown -- meet at the Native Trail, Scane Road just south of Golf Course Line Thursdays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre Fridays: 7:00 p.m. on Marsh Trail -- meet at parking lot Saturdays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre Sundays: 1:00 p.m. in the Park -- meet at the Visitor Centre For Additional Birding Events at Rondeau, visit the “Friends” website at www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines. ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
