Hello Ontbirders. The Rondeau Provincial Park spring birding program will run from Saturday May 1 through to Victoria Day. There will be daily Bird Hikes and a Birders' Breakfast.
A cool morning in the park has yielded an impressive number of good birds. Recent arrivals include Common Tern, Marsh Wren and Red-eyed Vireo. A total of 19 species of warblers were tallied so far today. Extremely early Blackpoll Warblers were seen yesterday on Harrison Trail /Pony Barn and today at Spicebush Trail. On the South Point Trail, sightings included Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue-winged Warbler, White-eyed Vireo and Summer Tanager. News from Tulip Tree Trail of a Prothonotary Warbler entering a nest cavity was welcome indeed. Also seen there was a White-eyed Vireo. Maintenance Loop birders reported Tennessee Warbler and Northern Parula. Along Bennett Road, Yellow-throated Vireo, Northern Parula and Blackburnian Warbler were observed. A Blue-winged Warbler was also seen on Rondeau Road north of Bennett Road. On the Marsh Trail yesterday evening, we found 3 American Bittern, a Sora, 2 Sandhill Cranes, a Greater Yellowlegs, 4+ Whip-poor-wills and numerous American Woodcock. My 1:00 pm bird hike today will visit the nearby Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. Close to the park, the Cattle Egret intersection of Erieau Road and Bisnett Road was present up to at least 5:30 pm yesterday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Bird Hike schedule has been changed slightly from last year. I will lead a guided hike twice daily from Saturday May 1 to Monday May 24, inclusive (fee $5), as follows: Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 7:30 am and 1:00 pm Tuesday and Friday at 7:30 am and 7:00 pm; Wednesday at 7:30 am. All of the 7:30 am and 1:00 pm hikes listed above will meet at the Visitor Centre. The 7:00 pm hikes will meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail. A second hike on Wednesday at 1:00 pm will meet at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. New for this year, permits for the Sewage Lagoons will be available from the Rondeau Visitor Centre The Friends of Rondeau will provide a Birders' Breakfast for a small donation (coffee, tea, bagels, soups and treats) daily from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Visitor Centre. There will also be a special new program on Saturday May 15, at 7:00 pm. This evening presentation will focus on spring migration at Rondeau. Tickets are available from the Visitor Centre. Please note that there will be no bird hike at 1:00 pm on this day - Saturday May 15. The birding competition is 24 consecutive hours during the weekend of May 7th-9th. For details on this bird-a-thon, contact the Visitor Centre. More information on the park's nature programs and the Friends of Rondeau is available at the Friends' website: www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca. Directions for park: Take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. Turn right and follow the signs to the park. The Bird Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board and other relevant information are located at the Visitor Centre (open 7:00 am to 5:00 pm from May 1 - 24. To reach the Visitor Centre from the park Gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to Gardiner Ave., then follow it around the bend to the parking lot. Directions for Sewage Lagoons (courtesy of Irene Woods): Blenheim is on #3 H [Talbot Rd]. in Chatham-Kent. Take # 3 H West out of Blenheim, about 1 km. You will see a car wash at the corner of Lagoon Rd., turn right [ North]. Go about 1/2 km. and you will see a small locked gate [ see below]. Enter at this gate only. Please park on the lagoon side of the road--only. Permit required (available from Rondeau Visitor Centre, etc.) Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
