Hey Birders,
Well today was a spectacular day! Impressive numbers of birds, with great
diversity (150+ species, including at least 27 species of warblers) were
present throughout the island. There was a huge reverse migration off of Fish
Point this morning that lasted until about 10:30 am. Details on that at the
bottom of the message.
Highlights today:
Kirtland's Warbler - a young male that was seen by a lucky few at the tip of
Fish Point at 8:55 before flying out over the lake. The same or another young
male Kirtland's Warbler appeared again at the tip at 9:35 before it flew out
over the lake as well (or again)!
Prothonotary Warbler - at least 1 male singing in the sloughs along with 1 male
which flew south off Fish Point
Acadian Flycatcher - 1 bird on Henderson Road, north of Brown's Road
Clay-colored Sparrow - 1 bird on Henderson Road
Summer Tanager - 1 bird flew south off of Fish Point.
Blue-winged Warbler - 1 male at the municipal dump
Mourning Warbler - 1 female at Fish Point
Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow - 1 at the Winery and 1 at Fish Point
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 first-year birds at Fish Point
Northern Mockingbird - 1 bird at Fish Point
As for the reverse migration, besides the aforementioned Kirtland's Warbler,
Prothonotary Warbler, and Summer Tanager 5,811 other birds were tallied
including:
2516 unidentified warblers
85 Eastern Kingbirds
4 Yellow-throated Vireos
13 Northern Parulas
407 Nashville Warblers
67 Yellow Warblers
104 Magnolia Warblers
54 Chestnut-sided Warblers
292 Yellow-rumped Warblers
253 Palm Warblers
45 American Redstarts
27 Blackburnian Warblers
24 Black-throated Blue Warblers
31 Black-throated Green Warblers
35 Scarlet Tanagers
304 Baltimore Orioles
87 Bobolinks
Observers left Fish Point this morning having seen over 20 warbler species
(without moving)!
Several firsts of the year were seen today, including; Philadelphia Vireo,
Wilson's and Canada Warblers and Black Tern. Shorebirds continue to trickle in
with Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plovers, Short-billed Dowitcher, Ruddy
Turnstone and Dunlin starting to appear.
Total number of species on the Island since April 25: 215
Good Birding,
Ken Burrell
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pelee Island Heritage Centre West Dock, Pelee Island, Ontario, N0R 1M0 (519)
724-2291 "pimuseum" <pimuseum at hotmail.com> The Heritage Centre is open from
10 am - 5 pm daily. The foyer contains a 'sightings board' listing May bird
sightings (open 24 hours). Lighthouse Point is on the NE corner of the island,
Sheridan Point on the NW corner, Mill Point on the SE corner, and Fish Point on
the SW corner, due south of the West Dock.
Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) continues its daily banding and
censusoperation. Visitors are welcome. For more information about PIBO please
visit: www.pibo.ca or call 519-724-2829.
Pelee Island can be reached by ferry leaving Leamington several times daily.
For times and reservations, call 1-800-661-2220.
The Ninth Annual Pelee Island Bird Race will take place from noon Friday, May
6, to noon, Saturday, May 7. The Springsong Celebration continues Saturday
evening with a 'Talk and Dinner'.
The Bird Race is 'All-Green,' i.e. bicycle or pedestrian travel. All teams
welcome! Contact the Heritage Centre for details.
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
