Hello Ontbirders - While kayaking the Rondeau Bay marshlands and barrier beach on Wednesday May 26th I encountered 2 flocks of Whimbrel each of which alighted on the barrier beach at the south end of the Park, adjacent the bay, approx 2 km east of the village of Erieau: one with 24 birds, the other with ~ 40 birds. Also observed were 2 Sandhill Cranes which landed in the south end of the marsh, 1 Black Tern, 50+ Black-bellied Plover on the barrier beach, with 1 Ruddy Turnstone. Marsh Wren are common through-out. One American Bittern was heard calling. On the island at the south end of the bay were thousands of gull spp including mostly Ring-billed and Herring with smaller numbers of Bonaparte's. Double-crested Cormorant are attempting to nest on the island again with approx 46 nests observed. Abundant dead Rainbow Smelt line the outward side of the barrier beach.
Rondeau Provincial Park is located in Chatham-Kent County, accessible via Hwy 3 ~ 12 km east of the town of Blenheim, and ~ 1 hour north-east of Point Pelee National Park. Michael Malone Pelee Wings Nature Store 636 Point Pelee Dr, Leamington www.peleewings.ca _______________________________________________ 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/
