This past Saturday, April 6 2019, twelve birders from across southwestern Ontario joined me for a very successful full-day outing in the Point Pelee area! We totalled 70 bird species between 7:30 am and about 5 pm in very comfortable sunny weather. Such nice weather that I now have a sun burn! I appreciate the great turnout, especially to those who came from a few hours away for the outing. Below is a summary of the day.
We started at 7:30 am at Mersea Park at the intersection of Point Pelee Drive and Mersea Rd C where we spotted a small assortment of diving ducks and Horned Grebes on Lake Erie. eBird checklist link for Mersea Park and Point Pelee Drive: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54701251 We then ventured into Point Pelee National Park, stopping at a couple patches of savannah habitat in the park to enjoy a few Eastern Bluebirds, singing Field Sparrows and Carolina Wrens, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. At The Tip we studied thousands of diving ducks including great views of Surf and White-winged Scoters. From there we stopped briefly at the DeLaurier Homestead parking area and then walked the Boardwalk that had been partially rebuilt this spring. eBird checklist link for Point Pelee National Park: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54696567 After lunch we made our way to Hillman Marsh Conservation Area where we built up quite the list of dabbling ducks as well as Pectoral Sandpipers, Dunlin, and a Forster’s Tern. eBird checklist link for Hillman Marsh: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S54701175 If anyone who came along would like a copy of the group photo from the beginning of the day please contact me privately. Again, thanks so much to everyone who came out. You all added to a great day, and I look forward to crossing paths with you again this spring! Jeremy Bensette Leamington _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
