It's a beautiful day in the county and the birds are quite happy after the past cool and dreary week. I ran into birders everywhere I went today.
One group of birders had excellent views of a Peregrine this morning - it was low enough to clearly see that the crop was very full. Thrush numbers have increased with lots of Swainson's, Hermit and Veerys in the bush. About 19 species of warblers were observed today, although there weren't significant numbers of any particular species - Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Northern Parula, Tennessee, Yellow, Chestnut- sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black- throated Green, Yellow-Rumped, Pine, Palm, Black- and-white, Redstart, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Mourning, and Common Yellowthroat. (Oops - can't count - 20 warblers) Great Crested, Yellow-bellied and Least Flycatchers were all active. Scarlet Tanagers seem to be everywhere. Blue-headed vireo was a new arrival along with Clay-coloured sparrow, Rusty and Brewer's Blackbird. Eastern Kingbirds are also back. Lots of breeding evidence already! House Finchlets have fledged. Robins, Tree Swallows and Song Sparrows are on eggs. Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night- herons are all feeding young. There's no where to go but up from here. Don't forget the Huron Fringe Birding Festival, at MacGregor Point Provincial Park May 27 to June 5. Good birding, Cindy Cartwright Saugeen Shores -
