Hello Ontbirders. Our warbler du jour put on a command performance at the Rondeau Visitor Centre this morning. At 7:10 am, the Yellow-throated Warbler fly-catched for 15 minutes about the treetops, then descended to the suet feeder. Yesterday, it was seen at both the Visitor Centre and at various cottages along Lakeshoe Road, both to the north and south of the VC.
Good warblers were reported from a number of trails this morning. Highlights included Blue-winged on South Point Trail; and Northern Parula on Bennett Road, at the Pony Barn and on Maintenance Loop. Other interesting songbirds include White-eyed Vireo on South Point Trail and Yellow-throated Vireo on the Maintenance loop. The Merlin was seen again on South Point Trail this morning, near post 7. A Willet was on the beach east of the Visitor Centre at 8:15 am. A single dead tree near the tip of South Point Trail hosted a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers entering a cavity as well as a Northern Flicker male peeking out of a different cavity. A woodpecker condo, apparently. Outside the park, a Surf Scoter was seen on Rose Beach Line across from Wildwood yesterday at 4 pm. At the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons yesterday, there was one Wilson's Phalarope. Observers also saw a Horned Grebe, but there were no reports of the Eared Grebe seen previously. Proud winners of the Big Day Birding Competition were Steve Charbonneau and Mac McAlpine. Within a 24 hour period on May 7- 8, they observed a remarkable 142 species, all within Rondeau Provincial Park! Congratulations to our winners and all of the participants. I would like to thank all of the birders who have taken the time to report their sightings to us, and help to make these Ontbirds reports as comprehensive as possible! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rondeau Provincial Park welcomes birders! We have morning coffee and snacks waiting for early birders. Our Bird Hikes and Birders' Breakfast start Thursday May 5 and go through to Victoria Day. I will lead a guided hike twice daily from Thursday May 5 to Monday May 23, 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; as well as 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. The Friends of Rondeau will provide a Birders' Breakfast/Lunch 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 14, at 7:00 pm. Peter Middleton of Quest Nature Tours will give a presentation entitled "Gardens and Birds." He will focus on how to do your gardening ecologically. Tickets are available from the Visitor Centre. A second special presentation that day will be offered by renowned birder and nature photographer Jean Iron. She will be giving us an in-depth look at northbound shorebirds. You had better pay attention, too - this is an interactive program and there WILL be a test afterwards! Contact the Visitor Centre for additional information. Good birding! Steve _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
