Ontbirders - A 4 hour hike led by Paul Pratt on a cold and blustery Saturday Apr 17th at Point Pelee National Park and vicinity produced 63 species of birds including -
Blue-headed Vireo Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Chipping Sparrow both species Kinglet Brown Creeper Wood Duck Ruddy Duck east side of tip - all 5 species of our common Swallows west side of tip in high waves - 1,000s of Scaup Concession D at Rd 19 - Dunlin Pectoral Sandpiper American Golden Plover Bald Eagles (also note that a Ruff was observed here last week) Wildflowers are appearing ~ 2 weeks early - Dutchman's Breeches, Spring Beauty, Stemless Yellow Violet; in bloom - Spicebush and Fern sp. Water temps east side - 42 F west side 46 F The Hillman Marsh Conservation Area Shorebird Cell currently is quite dry due to drawdown for recent dike reconstruction; we expect ERCA will be pumping it up soon to attract shorebirds; I'll post updates as conditions there improve. Water levels are also low in the main (Hillman) marsh providing some shorebird habitat visible from the paths east of the Visitors Centre. Point Pelee National Park is located at the southern tip of Ontario on Lake Erie. The 1,000 acre Hillman Marsh Conservation Area is located on the NE side of the Point Pelee peninsula, 4km north of PPNP. Birders are encouraged to chalk-up their regional sightings on the exterior sightings board here for the benefit of visiting birders checking this board early in the morning or evenings. Michael Malone Pelee Wings Nature Store 636 Point Pelee Drive, Leamington ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
