Spring 2006 Sightings Archive
Index
Who We Are
Migration
Monitoring
Long-term Studies
of Tree Swallows
Long Point
Wetlands and
Waterfowl
Research Fund
Come Visit Us
Volunteer
Opportunities
at Long Point
3 - 9 June
Migration has been slow this past week but June was not about to disappoint entirely. Breakwater was closed for the season on June 2nd.
During the morning census on June 8th an adult Little Blue Heron flew over the Old Cut parking lot heading west.
Shorebirds continue to move through the area. Over 30 Ruddy Turnstones and Semipalmated Sandpipers were at the Tip on the 5th. Five Little Gulls, mostly 2nd year birds, were at the Tip on the 4th. The shorebird of the week was a Red Knot at the Tip on the morning of the 6th.
Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos are daily visitors to the Tip and Old Cut and the odd Common Nighthawk still flies over at dawn and dusk.
Traill's and Yellow-bellied flycatchers continue to trickle through along with the occasional Least Flycatcher and Eastern Wood Pewee. Eastern Phoebes were present at both the Tip and Old Cut this past week as well.
The Tip has been getting some rather strange observations this past week with two White-throated Sparrows banded (assumed to be local breeders) and a Brown Creeper observed on the 3rd. Two Red-breasted Nuthatches were also banded on the 5th.
A White-eyed Vireo was singing incessantly around the Old Cut woodlot on the 8th.
Warbler diversity has become quite low with the last migrants consisting of American Redstart, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Canada, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, Mourning, Northern Waterthrush, Wilson's and Yellow. A beautiful female Prothonotary Warbler was observed then later banded at the Tip on the 8th.
June was not about to be the only month this spring not to produce a great rarity. At approximately 9 a.m. on the 6th, the Tip crew banded LPBO's first Townsend's Solitaire. This bird represents the first spring record and fifth overall for Long Point.
The spring migration monitoring season will officially be complete on June 10. The LPBO sightings board will start up again after the fall season begins on August 15 and will be updated during the summer if something unusual shows up. Good birding!
27 May - 2 June
Migration has slowed substantially in the past week at Long Point. There was still a decent movement of late warblers and flycatchers prior to the latest heat wave but things have ground to a halt since.
Shorebirds have continued to move through in small numbers. A White-rumped Sandpiper was at the Tip on May 26th along with a small group of Whimbrel. An Upland Sandpiper flew over the Tip on the 30th. A Laughing Gull was at the Tip on the 27th along with a 2nd year Little Gull which hung around till the 28th.
Both Cuckoo species have been moving through in small numbers. The first rush of Common Nighthawks came through Long Point on the 28th when 10 were flying around the Old Cut field station at dawn and dusk. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds peaked this past week as well when 50 were recorded at the Tip on the 27th.
Least Flycatchers have pretty much all moved on although a few stragglers were around until the 28th. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers have been the most abundant followed by Traill's. An Acadian Flycatcher was banded at Old Cut on the 29th and an Olive-sided Flycatcher was found at the back of the Long Point Provincial Park on the 28th.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets have been lingering with one or two hanging around at the Tip and Old Cut until May 30th. Thrushes were quite abundant from the 28th to 30th with about 30 individuals at Old Cut on all three days. Swainson's Thrushes are the most abundant followed by Gray-cheekeds. A late Wood Thrush blessed the Old Cut woodlot on the 30th.
Cedar Waxwings continue to move through with a few hundred recorded daily. Red-eyed Vireos have been one of the most abundant migrants while Warbling Vireos have been more numerous than in past weeks. A Yellow-throated Vireo was banded at the Tip on the 29th.
Warbler diversity remained high this past week with 30 species observed though numbers have been low. Many early migrants such as Black-throated Greens, Black and Whites, Yellow-rumpeds and Nashvilles were still present . Four Hooded Warblers were banded at LPBO this past week and they are now common on the mainland. A female Prothonotary Warbler was found at Breakwater on the 27th and a Prairie Warbler was at the Tip on the 30th.
The migration monitoring season ends on June 10th and will resume on August 15. The Old Cut Field Station will be closed Friday June 2nd and Tuesday June 6th.
20 - 26 May
The spring has certainly shaped up to be an interesting one. Late April and early May provided us with some early arrivals and now, in the last week of May, we are still seeing decent movements of temperate migrants that typically push through in the first two weeks of May.
Common Loons have been trickling through daily and two Red-throated Loons flew by the Tip and Breakwater on the 19th. Red-throated Loons were also observed at the Tip on the 22nd, at Old Cut on the 23rd and at the Tip on the 25th. There have been a few lingering Black Scoters on the lake with six at the Tip on the 21st and five on the 24th. A White-winged Scoter flew by Breakwater on the 21st.
A Peregrine was observed buzzing the shorebirds at BSC's HQ ponds on the 25th. HQ's resident kestrels are now busy trying to feed hungry nestlings. The resident swallows and blackbirds are making life pretty miserable for the adult kestrels as they hover above the field searching for prey.Shorebird numbers have been steadily increasing over the past week. Dunlin were the most abundant shorebird on the Point until the Whimbrels started flying on the 20th when seven flew by Breakwater. Since then Whimbrels have been a daily occurrence. A giant flock of 300 flew by Breakwater on the 24th and flocks of 25-50 have been regular at the Tip.
Young Bonaparte's Gulls moved through in decent numbers this last week with over 1000 birds at the Tip up until the 24th. One was even banded on the 19th. A Laughing Gull was reported at Port Rowan harbour on the 23rd. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at the Tip on the 20th and one was at Breakwater on the 22nd.
On the 25th another exciting Dove showed up at the Tip when a Eurasian Collared Dove was observed flying around the light house. If accepted by the Ontario Bird Records Committee, this will be the first confirmed record for Long Point. Black and Yellow-billed Cuckoos have been observed regularly but only in ones and twos.
Chimney Swifts have been moving through in good numbers. A flock of 50 flew over Old Cut on the 24th. At 1345 on May 21st, 9 swifts flew by the Tip low over the water fighting against strong north-west winds. From about 200m, one of the swifts immediately caught the attention of the two observers. The bird was heavier set, had shorter, stronger wing beats and was much darker than the accompanying Chimney Swifts. The bird veered west along the beach as it reached the shore exposing a completely dark underside and throat, broad wings and a square tail unlike the Chimneys which had light throats, a cigar shaped body and short rounded tails. The bird was followed for about a minute or two before it was lost down the beach. This Black Swift was no doubt the bird of the year and will constitute a first record for Long Point, Ontario and possibly eastern North America if accepted by the Ontario Bird Records Committee.Sketch by Dave Brown
Flycatchers have finally started to pick up a little bit with big movements of Least Flycatchers from the 19th to 23rd of May. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are the second most numerous followed by Traill's which are slowly moving through.
Following in the tradition of many other temperate migrants, there was a good movement of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, mostly young females, this past week and a few Red-breasted Nuthatch are still holding on as four were banded at the Tip on the 23rd and five at Breakwater. A Sedge Wren was at the Tip on the 25th and 26th.
Thrushes have finally started to move through in decent numbers. Swainson's Thrushes are the most numerous followed by Veerys and Gray-cheekeds. On the 18th and 19th of May, all five of the common thrushes were observed at the Tip.
Cedar Waxwings just picked up in the past few days with small flocks flying over the Point. On May 25th, Breakwater estimated 1200 flying east in flocks of 40 to 200 for most of the morning.
Another typically early migrant still being observed fairly regularly has been Blue-headed Vireo. Warbling and Red-eyed vireos are much more numerous now and numerous Philadelphias have been observed daily.
Warbler numbers and diversity were phenomenal this past week as days with less than 20-25 species were rare. Tennessees have been extremely scarce this spring but a few were observed this past week. The majority of the movement was made up of Magnolias with a good mix of the other species including Yellow-rumped Warblers which have still been one of the most abundant warbler species during the past week. Palm Warblers have also been surprisingly numerous with up to a dozen at the Tip on the 20th, 23rd and 24th. Northern Parulas have been a daily observation at all three field stations and Orange-crowned Warblers have also been somewhat regular. Four were banded at Old Cut on the 20th, two at the Tip and one at Breakwater. Hooded Warblers have been fairly regular at the stations as well with a single bird banded at Old Cut on the 22nd, a male was at the Tip on the 24th and a pair was observed at Old Cut on the 25th. Also heard on the 25th was an extremely secretive but vocal Connecticut Warbler that frustrated more observers than it pleased. A young female Prairie Warbler was banded at the Tip on the 24th and another Prairie was observed at Breakwater on the 25th.A busy day at the Tip
A few Scarlet Tanagers are still moving through and the Tip banded a young male Summer Tanager on the 23rd. Rose-breasted Grobseaks have totally fallen off as have most of the sparrows. On the 20th, there was a huge influx of White-crowned Sparrows mixed with some White-throateds. A Clay-coloured Sparrow was present at the Tip from the 21st to 23rd and there was one at Breakwater on the 25th. Bobolinks have also picked up this past week with flights of 50 to 200 over the Tip on most mornings.
Another highlight of the week was a Western Meadowlark singing on the lawn of the Tip on the 23rd. It was heard from the banding lab then observed gleaning insects from the grass.
Good numbers of Baltimore Orioles continue to move through but very few females have been observed or banded thus far. Orchard Orioles have been daily visitors to the field stations with mostly young males being observed and banded. And last but certainly not least was a young male Yellow-headed Blackbird present at the Tip on the 21st.
With the high proportion of early migrants still lingering and relatively low numbers of some of the later migrating species the last week of May and early June could still prove to be fairly productive.
13 - 19 MayMigration stalled a little this past week although there were definite moments of excitement. Several days of rain and winds likely prevented many birds from moving north across the lake and into our area. The Long Point Birdathon on the 13th resulted in a wide variety of birds found in the area.
Common and Red-throated Loons are still being seen on the lake though they have thinned considerably in numbers. Least Bitterns have been heard calling in the marsh surrounding Breakwater and at Big Creek on most days. Low numbers of waterfowl are still being seen; the Birdathon turned up several Ruddy Ducks, both species of scaup, Ring-necked Ducks and Red-breasted Mergansers. Long-tailed Ducks have been trickling through at the Tip and the Inner Bay, with a high count of 13 seen on the 17th. Also on that day 12 Surf Scoters were seen at the Tip. Three Tundra Swans were seen in the marsh at Breakwater on the 19th and a very late Rough-legged Hawk was seen flying over Breakwater on the 16th. Wild Turkeys continue to make their presence known on the Point with a single bird being seen at Breakwater on the 17th and 18th.
A Virginia Rail was found at the Tip on the 13th. Shorebirds over the past week at the Bird Studies Canada Headquarters wetland included Semi-palmated Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin, Solitary and Least sandpipers, and both species of yellowlegs. An American Golden-Plover was seen at Breakwater on the 18th. Several Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Little Gulls have been seen at the Tip and Breakwater over the past week. On the 18th a Laughing Gull was seen flying directly south over the lake from Breakwater. The first and only gull to be banded this season season, a Bonaparte’s Gull, was trapped at the Tip on the 19th. Forster’s and Black terns have regularly been seen flying around Big Creek. On the 18th, an Arctic Tern was seen at the Tip, providing Long Point with its third record.
Photo: Mike Boyd
The White-winged Dove at the Tip was still around on the 13th, flying around with a small flock of Mourning Doves. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was at the Tip on the 18th. Rare on the Point itself, a Hairy Woodpecker was found at Old Cut on the 17th while one was banded at the Tip on the 19th. The 18th saw a good push of Least Flycatchers with many banded at all three stations. Female Ruby-crowned Kinglets finally pushed through Long Point this past week, with the odd male still present in the mix. Vireos are now well represented at all of the stations with the first Philadelphia banded at Old Cut on the 19th.
Warblers were the big story over the past week with 33 species reported. Tennessee and Orange-crowned warblers are starting to show up. The Tip had an interesting day on the 19th with Blue-winged and Golden-Warblers plus both hybrids, including a banded Lawrence’s backcross. Yellow Warblers and female Yellow-rumpeds made a big push into the area this week with many banded at all three stations. A beautiful adult male Cerulean Warbler was seen on Courtright Ridge near Breakwater on the 17th. Not to be outdone, the Tip banded a female on the 19th. A Pine Warbler appears to be setting up a territory at Old Cut as it has been heard singing almost everyday. A Mourning Warbler was banded at Breakwater on the 14th, the second Prothonotary Warbler of the season was seen flying towards the Tip on the 15th, and a Connecticut and a Prairie Warbler were at the Tip on the 16th. The Louisiana Waterthrush that was hanging around Old Cut was last seen on the 16th while another was seen at the Tip on the 18th. A Hooded Warbler was banded at the Tip on the 13th while on Birdathon day a Hooded Warbler was found at Old Cut along with a Yellow-breasted Chat.
White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows made a late push this week. A Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow that was seen visiting the feeder at Old Cut on the 16th. A Grasshopper Sparrow was found at Breakwater on the 16th and the last Dark-eyed Junco was reported at Breakwater on the 19th. Orchard Orioles are quite regular at all stations and Baltimore Orioles continue to migrate through though in lower numbers. The last of the Rusty Blackbirds were seen this week on the 17th.
With migration largely stalled because of the weather for the past week, expect big numbers, high diversity and good rarities for the upcoming week. Who knows what might show up next.
6 - 12 May
Migration has not slowed down a bit at Long Point. This past week saw a huge influx of migrating warblers, orioles and grosbeaks mixed with the last of the temperate migrants.
Common Loons were not observed moving on many occasions, but Red-throated Loons on the other hand were very abundant, particularly at Breakwater where 46 were observed on May 9th. A number of Horned Grebes were on the lake off Breakwater on the 5th, and a single Red-necked Grebe was observed off Breakwater on the 9th. Least Bitterns are regularly being seen at Breakwater and on the 8th one flew by low over old Cut. Two were observed at Big Creek NWA on the 9th. Great Egrets have also been observed at all three field stations. Black-crowned Night Herons were observed at Old Cut on the 9th.
Gull action at the Tip has been slow though a 3rd year Lesser Black-backed Gull was present on the 10th and 11th. The first major accumulation of Common Terns also occurred at the Tip on the 11th when 500 roosted there.
Shorebirds have begun to pick up this past week. The Townsend sewage lagoons are very productive and the Bird Studies Canada headquarters pond has been drained to create a mud flat. A beautiful female Wilson's Phalarope is at Townsend along with a selection of Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper and both Yellowleg species. A similar mix can be found at BSC.
A few more Black-billed Cuckoos have been observed at all three field stations this past week and the first Common Nighthawk was observed at the Tip on May 9th. Early morning on the 12th, a White-winged Dove was found at the Tip and was later banded!
Chimney Swift numbers have continued to increase with a high count of 56 at the Tip on the 11th. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, mostly adult males, have also been moving through steadily.
Least Flycatchers are now more abundant with a high of 36 estimated at the Tip on the 11th. Great-crested Flycatchers and Eastern Kingbirds were also abundant at the Tip on the 11th with 12 and 85 respectively. The first Traill's Flycatcher was at the Tip on May 8th.
Aerial foragers took advantage of clear skies and moderate winds this past week to make some impressive movements. Bank Swallows swarmed Old Cut by the thousands on the evening of the 5th and 7th. The Tip had a moderate movement of Bank and Barn on the 12th with 795 and 300 estimated respectively.
A few Winter Wrens have been lingering in the Old Cut wood lot with the last individual observed on May 11. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, mostly young females, continue to trickle through slowly.
Hermit Thrushes have pretty much finished and are being replaced by Swainson's Thrushes. Veery and Wood Thrush have been the dominant thrushes of the past week. Wood Thrushes have continued to be quite abundant, at least at Old Cut with 19 banded and 35 estimated on the 10th. Gray Catbirds have also been increasing steadily over the past week.
Blue-headed Vireos are still the common vireo though Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo are now daily visitors. On the 11th of May, the Tip recorded all the vireo species that regularly occur at Long Point. The season's second White-eyed Vireo was present along with 4 Yellow-throated Vireos. Another White-eyed was observed carrying what was thought might be nesting material in Long Pt. P.P. on the 11th. The first Philadelphia Vireo was observed at Old Cut on the 9th.
Brewster's WarblerLong Point has now recorded 34 warbler species for the season. A Brewster's Warbler was banded at Old Cut on the 5th. The first Blackpoll Warbler of the season was observed at the Tip on the 10th. Cerulean Warblers were present at Old Cut on the 8th and 9th. Another was at BSC headquarters on the 11th. Prairie Warblers have returned to the St. Williams Forest Station territories. Also on the 8th, an extremely early Connecticut Warbler sang briefly outside the banding lab. The first Kentucky Warbler of the year, a young male, was found in the Provincial Park early morning on the 12th. A Louisiana Waterthrush was singing outside the Old Cut banding lab on the morning of the 12th. The first Mourning Warbler was observed at Old Cut on May 9th. The first Prothonotary Warbler of the season was observed flying off the Tip early morning on May 10th. A Worm-eating Warbler was present at Old Cut on May 5th. All in all, warbler migration has been fantastic. The Old Cut woodlot and the Long Point area in general have been crawling with at least 20 species daily.
Mourning WarblerScarlet Tanagers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks moved through in great numbers this past week. On May 10th the Tip recorded 108 grosbeaks. On May 11th, they recorded 800! Indigo Buntings had their first wave on the 11th as well with 95 recorded at the Tip.
White-throated Sparrows have continued in good numbers with mostly female and tan phases moving through now. A Clay-coloured Sparrow was present at the Tip and banded at Breakwater on the 6th. The first major movement of Bobolinks occurred at the Tip on the 12th when 400 were recorded. Accompanying these Bobolink were two Dickcissels which were heard and observed flying off the Tip.
Partial Melanistic Swamp SparrowOrioles have been slowly accumulating throughout the week and the flood gates broke on the 11th when 2500 Baltimores were observed. Birds were everywhere and flocks of 50 orioles were flying up and off the Tip one after another all morning. Two Yellow-headed Blackbirds were also observed on the 11th while a few straggling Rusty Blackbirds have been observed throughout the week at all three field stations.
With unstable weather predicted for the upcoming week it will be interesting to see what bird movements occur. There is a high probability large concentrations of migrants occurring on the Point.
30 April - 5 May
The past week at Long Point has been fairly productive as large numbers of sparrows moved through with a good mix of early May warblers and many new arrivals.
A Red-throated Loon was observed flying by Breakwater on April 28th and two were floating offshore there on May 5th.
Three species of swan were recorded in the Long Point area this past week. Mute Swans are regularly found on the Inner Bay of Long Point and there is still one Tundra Swan. On May 1st, a lone Trumpeter Swan flew in and landed at the Tip for a short while. Green Herons have become a more regular visitor with birds flying by Old Cut daily.
Virginia Rail and Sora have been heard regularly in the Long Point Company marshes from Breakwater. Both species can also be found fairly easily at the Big Creek Marsh.
Raptor movement has continued to be slow, but the Tip banded a beautiful female Merlin early on the morning of the 5th.
Chimney Swifts are slowly becoming more regular though no more than five individuals have been recorded at one field station on any given day. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have also started to move through with a few individuals observed daily. The first Black-billed Cuckoo was found at the Tip on May 4th.
A few more Great-crested Flycatchers have been observed over the past week and Least Flycatchers are becoming more common. On May 4th, Breakwater had the seasons first Eastern Wood Pewee. The Say's Phoebe was last seen at the Tip on April 29th.
A mix of young male and female Ruby-crowned Kinglets have really pushed through this past week with a few hundred counted at each field station daily. The odd Golden-crowned Kinglet can still be found in the Old Cut woodlot.
Breakwater had their first Veery on April 29th and scattered individuals have been present since then. Hermit Thrushes were very numerous on April 30th and May 1st with 81 and 40 birds respectively in the Old Cut woodlot alone. Over one dozen Wood Thrushes have also been at Old Cut this past week on most days.
The first Gray Catbirds arrived on April 30th and Brown Thrashers have been moving through in decent numbers. In fact, the Tip caught six in one run of our giant Heligoland trap on May 1st.
Four species of vireo were recorded this past week. The first Red-eyed Vireo of the season was singing at Old Cut on May 1st and the first Warbling Vireo was found at Breakwater. On May 4th, the Tip and Old Cut both had Yellow-throated Vireos while Breakwater banded a second-year White-eyed Vireo.
Twenty-three species of warbler have been recorded to date in the Long Point area. New additions since our last update include a Yellow-breasted Chat at Old Cut on April 30th, a Worm-eating Warbler was banded at the Tip on May 1st and another singing individual was at Old Cut on May 5th. Eight Blue-winged Warblers have been banded to date and Breakwater had a gorgeous male Golden-winged Warbler on May 4th. A Brewster's Warbler was present at the Tip on the 4th along with two Prairies and one Hooded. There have also been two separate Hooded Warblers at Old Cut this past week. Other new and interesting warblers include Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Cape May and Northern Parula. Yellow-rumped Warblers have been the most common warbler though we have yet to see any really big movements.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrived at the Tip on April 29th and on May 1st at Old Cut. A lone male Evening Grosbeak flew over the Tip on May 4th. The first Indigo Bunting of the season was observed and banded at Old Cut on the 4th. The first Scarlet Tanager was observed at Old Cut on May 1st and the season's first Summer Tanager (a second-year male) was at Old Cut mid-day on the 5th.
White-throated and White-crowned sparrows made up the bulk of the birds banded over the past week. On May 4th, the Tip was swarmed by both species and banded around 100 of each contributing greatly to the 320 birds banded that day. Chipping Sparrows are still very abundant and a single Clay-coloured Sparrow was at the Tip on May 2nd and 4th.
The first Bobolink flew over Old Cut on May 4th. Baltimore Orioles arrived at the Tip on April 28th followed shortly thereafter by the first Orchard Orioles on the 30th. Orchard Orioles have been a daily observation at the Tip and Breakwater since then.
The Old Cut field station is open to the public seven days a week so be sure to stop by and check out the migration - in hand.24 - 29 April
More north-easterly winds have stunted migration here at Long Point, but it hasn’t stopped a number of new and interesting species from showing up.
These moderate winds stimulated some Loon migration with our highest count day on the 27th, 51 Common and 2 Red-throated loons flew by the Breakwater. Also observed off of Breakwater that day was 20 Surf Scoters, 9 Black scoters, 4 Horned Grebes and 1 Red-necked Grebe.
Turkey Vultures have been the dominant migrating raptor followed by Osprey, surprisingly enough. Four separate Osprey were observed at Breakwater on the 27th including one that decided to munch on a fish just on the edge of the census area.
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continue to move through in small numbers and the only Red-bellied Woodpecker of the week was at Breakwater on the 25th. Northern Flickers continue to be the most dominant woodpecker.
There has been very little action on the flycatcher front. The Great-crested Flycatcher at Old Cut was last seen on the 21st. The first Eastern Kingbird was found at the Tip on the 25th. The first Least Flycatcher was observed the morning of the 29th at Breakwater. A number of Eastern Phoebe’s were observed and banded at Breakwater but no doubt the flycatcher and bird of the week was a Say’s Phoebe at the Tip late afternoon on the 28th. The bird was photographed before it disappeared along the dunes of the south beach. This bird was the first spring record and third record for Long Point.
The first Whip-poor Will of the season was found at the Tip on 27th.
Swallow numbers have increased in the past week. Tree and Bank swallows are much more numerous as are Barns. The first Cliff Swallows of the season were observed off the dyke at the Old Cut field station on the 28th.
Winter Wrens are still the dominant wren as only a few House Wrens have begun to arrive. There are still a few lingering female Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are slowing building.
Hermit Thrushes are bountiful on most mornings especially at Old Cut. The first Wood Thrush of the season was observed at the Tip on the 27th. Old Cut had its first Wood Thrush singing first thing in the morning on the 29th while Breakwater had the first Veery of the season the same day. Eastern Bluebirds have also picked up this past week with 7 at the Tip on the 27th and 4 at Breakwater on the 28th.
The first of the Blue-headed Vireos are still trickling through but we have not had more than 2 a day in any location. Warblers on the other hand are slowly starting to pick up. LPBO has recorded 11 species thus far. New species for the past week include Cape May, Magnolia, Nashville and Northern Waterthrush. Another first for the season was a Louisiana Waterthrush found foraging frantically in the aquatic vegetation surrounding the Breakwater ponds. We were even fortunate enough to observe it hunt, catch and eat a minnow about the size of its head.
The numbers of sparrows have been picking up this last week with the first wave of White-throated Sparrows moving through (mostly white-morph males). Chipping Sparrows have also been incredibly abundant. White-crowned Sparrows have also arrived in small numbers this week. The highlight of the week on the sparrow front was a Lark Sparrow banded at the Tip on the 26th. Also at the Tip that day was a LeConte’s Sparrow observed on the morning census.
With northerly winds forecasted for the next week it is unlikely that any major movements will occur. As May approaches however, there comes a point where the birds can’t wait any longer so any break or southerly breeze will probably be taken advantage of. Hope to see you down at Old Cut.
16 - 23 April
There has been a bustle of activity here at Long Point in the last week. North and east winds halted migration on a number of occasions but that did not deter the first waves of temperate migrants that have started to flood through. The Tip station was opened on April 15th and we wasted no time getting things up and running. Breakwater remains closed but we hope to open it up early this week.
Common Loons have started to increase in number with observations of half a dozen or more daily at Old Cut and the Tip. The Tip had 11 on the 18th and the season's first two Red-throated Loons on the 19th, and another on the 20th. A small number of Horned Grebes have been observed on the Inner Bay during boat trips to and from the Tip. These boat trips have been very productive for other waterfowl as well, most notably White-winged Scoter, scaup, Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser. Over 2000 Red-breasted Mergansers were staging off the Tip on the 18th and 19th and 110 Long-tailed Ducks were also off the Tip, many of them displaying.
There are still many of American Wigeon at the Lee Browns waterfowl management pond accompanied by Blue-winged and Green-winged teal. From the causeway, small rafts of divers, mostly Ruddy Ducks, can be seen along with a few hundred American Coots.
The season's first Great Egret was observed at the Tip on the 16th and Sandhill Cranes continue to be observed daily at both stations. Up to six have been seen several times at BSC headquarters. The first Black-crowned Night Heron of the season was observed at Old Cut on the 18th and the first Virginia Rail was heard at Old Cut on the 16th. Another three Virginia Rails were heard on the 21st.
Raptor movement has been slow though many Turkey Vultures are still moving through the area along with the odd accipiter, harrier, kestrel, Merlin, or Osprey. The Tip banded the season's second American Kestrel, a male, on the 20th. For the first time since installing a kestrel nestbox in 2002 at BSC headquarters, a pair appear to have taken up residence.
Greater Yellowlegs continue to be the most abundant migrating shorebird. The first Spotted Sandpiper was observed on the 22nd. American Woodcock and Wilson's Snipe continue to display around Old Cut. The shorebird highlight of the week was undoubtedly an Upland Sandpiper at the Tip on the 19th.
Thousands of Bonaparte's Gulls are still moving through the area. The Tip had 1658 on the 18th and up to 9 Little Gulls were observed last week in the Port Dover harbour. On opening day at the Tip, a lovely adult Glaucous Gull was observed and has been seen every day since. On the 17th, a second-winter Glacous Gull was also observed. Iceland Gulls were observed on the 19th and 21st. There was an adult Laughing Gull at the Tip on the 19th.
The majority of Yellow-bellied Sapuckers have moved through but there are still stragglers observed almost every day. Northern Flickers are by far the most numerous woodpecker with 42 estimated at the Tip on the 18th. The Tip also banded two Flicker intergrades on the 19th. There has been a small movement of Downy Woodpeckers through the area and the Tip had a Hairy Woodpecker on the 19th.
All of the swallow species with the exception of Cliff have returned to Long Point. Local Barn Swallows arrived last week as did Northern Rough-winged. The first Bank was observed at Old Cut on the 15th. Purple Martins continue to increase daily.
Black-capped Chickadees are around in greater numbers than most springs due in part to a large wintering population and returning young birds from last fall's eruption but we have yet to see a major resurgence. The last wave of Brown Creepers moved through last week as did Golden-crowned Kinglets which take a bit of work to find these days. Ruby-crowned Kinglets quickly replaced them and are increasing daily.
Following a stretch of north-easterly winds between the 17th and 19th a huge influx of temperate migrants arrived at Long Point. A second wave of Winter Wrens hit with 28 estimated to be at Old Cut on the 21st. The second House Wren of the season was also banded at Old Cut on the 21st while the Tip had two.
Hermit Thrushes also began pushing through with 28 banded at Old Cut on the 21st and 57 estimated for the day. The Tip observed an equal rise in numbers. Eastern Bluebirds have been a daily fly-over there. Brown Thrashers also picked up this past week with 9 banded and 22 estimated at the Tip on the 21st.
The season's first Blue-headed Vireo was banded at Old Cut on the 21st and the Tip got their first on the 22nd. The Long Point warbler count is up to six species. Yellow-rumped Warblers have been steadily increasing with a high estimate of 33 on the 23rd. The season's first Palm Warbler was observed at Old Cut on the 19th and the Tip had one on the 20th. Two Yellow Palm Warblers were at the Tip on the 21st, one of which was banded. A Yellow Warbler was heard singing near Old Cut on the 19th while the season's first Black-and-White Warblers were observed on the 23rd at both Old Cut and the Tip. One or two Black-throated Green Warblers have also been around Old Cut this past week. Pine Warblers have been abundant this spring with three banded and four observed at the Tip on the 20th and there were four separate individuals at Old Cut on the 23rd.
Eastern Towhees also arrived in large numbers with 21 estimated at the Tip on the 22nd and at least a half dozen at Old Cut between the 21st and 23rd. The last American Tree Sparrow is still holding on at Old Cut as is the odd straggling Fox Sparrow. It has been an amazing spring for Vesper Sparrows with birds banded at the Tip on the 16th, 17th, 19th and three banded on the 20th. There was a huge influx of Dark-eyed Juncos (mostly young females), White-throated Sparrows (mostly white-phase males) and Chipping Sparrows on the 21st which contributed greatly to the 488 birds banded at the Tip that day!
Blackbird numbers have dwindled down to a daily mix of a few hundred to a few thousand Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. Rusty Blackbirds continue to be found every day at Old Cut and an adult male Brewer's Blackbird was observed along the Old Cut channel on the 20th.
During the next week, we should continue to see new arrivals and increasing numbers of temperate migrant sparrows and kinglets and perhaps the first rush of Yellow-rumpeds but, as always, we are subject to the whims of the weather.8 - 15 April
We’ve had a mixed bag of weather and birds this past week at Long Point. April 11 was our second busiest day to date with 126 birds banded but with several days of rain and cold temperatures not too many birds were banded and migration has generally been slow.
Only one Common Loon was observed last week - April 14. Pied-billed Grebes have been heard calling in the marsh on most days and Double-crested Cormorants have been seen flying over daily. Sandhill Cranes are also seen daily as numerous pairs in the Long Point area are preparing to breed.
There are still plenty of ducks on the Inner Bay but the numbers and diversity are getting lower every day. The Bird Studies Canada (BSC) pond has been host to a number of species including Hooded Merganser, both scaup, Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, and Wood Duck. The Lee Browns pond is still home to well over 100 American Wigeon. On April 14 six Long-tailed Ducks flew over Old Cut. Big Creek marsh and the Inner Bay are still holding on to a few Tundra Swans, but unless they are sick or injured they will probably press on in the next week.
Turkey Vultures had two impressive days with 26 migrating through Old Cut on April 8, and 28 on the 9th. The first Osprey of the season was observed with a fish on April 11 along Concession A while a number of American Kestrels have been observed from Old Cut.
Shorebirds are refusing to increase in diversity or abundance with only a scattering of Killdeers, Greater Yellowlegs, and the local Wilson’s Snipe and American Woodcock performing for us daily. Bonaparte’s Gull’s are present in good numbers on the Inner Bay and the first Forster’s Tern was seen flying over Big Creek marsh on April 10.
Woodpeckers are increasing in numbers, with 22 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers seen on the 11th and 66 Yellow-shafted Flickers seen migrating down the peninsula on the 12th. There was a Red-bellied Woodpecker at Old Cut on the 11th and 12th. Eastern Phoebes continue to move through in low numbers and local birds along Concession A have returned.
Tree Swallows put on a decent showing on April 12 with 135 in the area; quite a few of those tussled around for the nest boxes. The Purple Martin boxes at the BSC headquarters were installed last week and the first returning male was circling overhead before the first box was even on the pole. Another Barn Swallow was found on the 13th and the first Northern Rough-winged Swallow of the season was found near Old Cut on the 13th as well.
There was a decent movement of Brown Creepers this week with 33 banded on the 11th, and a total of 65 seen or heard that day. The trees in the Old Cut woodlot have been coated with creepers spiraling up the trunk occasionally advertising their presence with their high pitched song – ‘I am creeping up here’. Golden-crowned Kinglets have yet to be seen in good numbers, and it may well be that we missed this year's big push. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are arriving with the first one banded on the 11th. A Eastern Tufted Titmouse was "petering" around the woodlot on the 13th.
Hermit Thrushes are still increasing in numbers with 10 banded on April 11. American Robins appear to have peaked with a lot setting up territories in the area. The first Eastern Bluebird of the year was heard on April 13th.
The first Blue-headed Vireo of the season was reported on the 13th and another was seen on the 14th. Warblers are trickling into the area now with the season’s first Black-throated Green Warbler seen on the 14th, up to three Pine Warblers on April 13th, and a handful of Yellow-rumped Warblers seen most days now. The first Yellow Warbler was also seen and heard at Old Cut on April 13.
Sparrows are still very abundant; the most abundant right now are Song Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco. However, Swamp, Field and Chipping sparrows are starting to build and a few Eastern Towhees have been seen around as well. As these species are increasing, American Tree Sparrows have become ghosts, occasionally being caught in the J-trap or ground traps. The highlight on the sparrow front was an early Lincoln’s Sparrow found at the Tip on the first expedition out there on April 11.
Blackbirds are still being seen daily with hundreds passing over Old Cut every morning and evening. A handful of Rusty Blackbirds can be found each day with a little effort and a careful ear. A gorgeous male Brewer’s Blackbird spent the 8th until the 11th bopping around along Lighthouse Crest.
Migration will probably be a little stalled next week as winds are expected to be northerly. Temperatures are supposed to stay mild however, so the sparrows may continue to build and more Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers may soon test the waters of Lake Erie.Please be sure to visit us at the Old Cut field station. We’re open daily, sunrise to noon.
1 - 7 April
Spring migration has begun! LPBO’s 47th Spring Migration Monitoring season officially began on April 1 but birds have been pouring into the area for the last few weeks. Everyone here is full of anticipation; after such a big year in 2005, who knows what awaits us this year.
Common Loons have been passing through in ones and twos since our start and on April 6 we heard the first Pied-billed Grebe calling from Old Cut. Several American Bitterns are now being heard in the marsh, the first Green Heron was seen on April 3, and a Black-crowned Night-Heron was observed at dusk on April 5.
Waterfowl numbers have slowly dwindled since March but there is still good variety around. A single male Eurasian Wigeon, present at Lee Brown’s since mid-March was seen as recently as April 3. Ruddy Ducks and American Coots are present in the Inner Bay whileand Ring-necked and Wood ducks have been frequenting the canal behind Old Cut along with Hooded Merganser and Blue-winged Teal. There are a few Tundra Swans lingering in Big Creek though the bulk of them passed through very quickly in mid-March.
Highlights on the raptor front this week included an American Kestrel banded on April 6, the first one ever banded at the Old Cut field station. Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers and Merlin have also been frequenting the area.
Shorebirds have been trickling through with Greater Yellowlegs observed on a few occasions, a Pectoral Sandpiper on April 3 in the farm fields west of Hwy 59, while Killdeers are everywhere. There are also lots of Wilson’s Snipes and American Woodcocks displaying around Old Cut.
Gulls and terns have yet to make a big appearance here as only small numbers of Bonaparte’s Gulls have been seen on the lake and flying over Old Cut. The first Caspian Tern was observed off the causeway on April 2.
The most unusual sighting of the week was a very large dark bird that was observed powering over the Big Creek Marsh on April 6. This Wild Turkey was observed flying east over the marsh and headed out over the Inner Bay of Long Point before following the shoreline toward Port Rowan. Wild Turkeys have colonized Long Point over the past few years but the question remained of how they got out there. Obviously, it’s not unreasonable to assume that they flew.
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have been filling the woodlot with their irregular drumming while the white rump flashes of Northern Flickers have started to speckle the landscape though we have yet to see their first big wave. A Hairy Woodpecker, unusual on Long Point, was observed at Old Cut on April 5.
Eastern Phoebes have been increasing daily though on April 5 they didn’t look to happy feeding in the snow flurries. Tree Swallows have been around since day one and are now present in good numbers and are investigating nest boxes all across the area. The first Purple Martin was seen on April 3, but are still few and far-between, and the first Barn Swallow was seen streaking by Old Cut on April 6.
Black-capped Chickadees, which wintered here in good numbers after the invasion last fall, are still present and augmented by birds heading back north. An Tufted Titmouse has also been seen periodically in the woodlot but so far it has evaded the mist-nets. Both nuthatch species have been filling the woodlot with their nasal calls. Red-breasteds have even started excavating a nest hole in one of the old cottonwoods. Three species of wren have been sneaking and singing around Old Cut. The local Carolina Wrens are back defending their territories, and those little balls of chocolate, Winter Wrens, are scurrying around the woodlot. The season's first House Wren was observed on April 3. Also on April 3rd was our first good movement of Golden-crowned Kinglets, with 69 banded. The first Ruby-crowned Kinglets arrived on April 2.
American Robins are littering the lawns in the neighbourhood here; males are pumped with testosterone and are often seen tussling on the lawns. Hermit Thrushes have also being seen daily in the woodlot. The first warbler of the season arrived at Old Cut on April 2nd. A beautiful male Pine Warbler has been singing every day in the pine trees behind the banding lab. The second warbler of the season arrived on April 6 when a yellow-rumped Warbler was found actively foraging in front of the Provincial Park entrance.
Sparrows have been the most abundant migrant dominated by Dark-eyed Juncos and Song Sparrows. White-throated Sparrows are slowly starting to move into the area and Eastern Towhees have been seen or heard most days. Chipping Sparrows are periodically showing up. Whilst a lone Field Sparrow was observed on April 3, a flock of 15 arrived at Old Cut on April 5. Up to 10,000 Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles are flying daily to and from their roosting sites in the marshes of Long Point. Highlights included a Brewer’s Blackbird on April 6 while small numbers of Rusty Blackbirds are observed daily. Eastern Meadowlarks have also been seen on a few occasions flying over Old Cut. Very few finches have been around Old Cut, but several Pine Siskins have been feeding daily in the spruces at the back of the woodlot.
The Old Cut field station will be open every day (6-12) until June 10. The Friends of LPBO and our other dedicated volunteers will do their best to make your visit an enjoyable one. Please note that the Old Cut field station will be CLOSED on April 11 for maintenance purposes.
