The late May shorebird migration is underway in Elgin County.
On May 21, one flock of 180 Whimbrel flew northwest over our place at
8:45 p.m [we live in north central Elgin about 30 kms north of the Lake
Erie shoreline] .
On May 22 starting around 8 p.m., Carol Parafenko saw 20 small flocks of
Whimbrel totaling 300 to 400 individuals heading inland towards the
northwest as she drove from Hawk Cliff Road west towards Port Stanley.
This morning, we checked Port Stanley beach and breakwalls and found
just 1 Ruddy Turnstone but shortly after we arrived 20 Dunlin landed on
the beach. Scanning the lake we noticed a couple of flocks of small
sandpipers that were too far out to ID [probably Semipalmated Sandpiper
or Dunlin].
We decided to move over to Port Bruce [10 km east of Port Stanley along
Dexter Line] where there is a greater field of view to watch shorebirds
in flight.
From 1130 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we counted ten flocks of shorebirds moving
quickly to the west barely above the water [into northwest winds] and
parallel to the shoreline.
60 Whimbrel in flocks of 40 and 60
25 Semipalmated Sandpiper in 3 flocks of 5, 10 and 10
56 Dunlin in 5 flocks ranging in size from 1 to 20 birds
2 Black-bellied Plovers together close to shore
Surprising for this time of year there were very few gulls and no terns
at Port Stanley [100 Ring-bills and 30 Herring Gulls] or at Port Bruce
[50 Ring-bills, 25 Herring and 30 Bonaparte's]
1 Lesser Scaup was the only duck observed.
2 Common Loons were seen in the air at Port Stanley and 3 at Port Bruce.
1 Eared Grebe in full alternate plumage was riding the waves off Port Bruce.
Port Stanley is south of St Thomas on Lake Erie. Exit 177 at Hwy 401 and
head south on Hwy 4 through St Thomas to the lake.
Port Bruce is south of Aylmer on Lake Erie. Exit 203 at Hwy 401 and head
south on Hwy 73 through Aylmer to the lake.
Dave Martin & Linda Wladarski
[email protected]
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