My buddy Robin from Newmarket and I took a tour of Mud Lake (Britannia) and
Shirley's Bay on Sunday to see what was on the wing. It seems it is getting to
be a tradition as he visits close to my BD each year. In 4+ hours of
leisurely birding we got 70 species with a few challenging warblers and peeps.
Mud Lake and area produced Night-herons, Green Heron, Pied-billed Grebe and on
the ridge there were small flocks of migrants; Red-eyes and Warbling Vireos,
Magnolia, Yellow, Redstart and Bay-Breasted. The BB occupied us and another
troop of birders for quite awhile given the fall plumage. There was one
Great Egret on the Quebec side of the river and one possible Caspian Tern on a
rock in the river but we never got a good look.
At Shirley's Bay there were both shorebirds and warblers. The usual crew of
Yellowlegs, Pectoral, Solitary, Least and Semi-palm in small numbers on the
flats. There was one Western which also took a lot of effort but after looking
at many pics on the net and seeing the several clear diagnostic markings we
concluded it was a Western. Also saw another Egret. The dyke had a fair
number of warblers; Yellow-rumped, Nashville, and Yellows. We witnessed a
Merlin fly in, cause panic and it looked like it got one bird after a 90 deg
turn, possibly a peep. In the distance we also picked up a Harrier.
On the way back we saw one possible Least Flycatcher, but with poor light in
the woods and no calling there is doubt.
Any day birding is a good day!
iain and robin, DSBC (NC)
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