From Tim Mccarthy <[email protected]>
Hello to the ever growing group of Whimbreleers
Today was a bit of a letdown compared to the action yesterday. There
were no big flocks , the biggest consisting of 64 birds seen at 5:40 am.
Many of the total , 188 birds in all, flew quite low, like they were
looking for their mates. One bird appeared as a solo just after 6 am and
as it passed, was seen to be attacked by a ring billed gull trying to
stab it from behind with its bill. We have seen Whimbrels in years gone
by with injuries consistent with what might have occurred today.
Why the gull would attack a lone Whimbrel is a bit of a mystery as the
birds are not natural enemies. Perhaps seeing a single bird out of its
characteristic flock, or perhaps sensing weakness, the gull was
motivated to attack.
After a mainly pleasant day went by, we ended up with 188 Whimbrels.
There were some non-Whimbrels -3 Great blue Herons, 4 Common Loons, a
Black Crowned Night Heron, , some interesting gulls, including a bunch
of Bonapartes in both juvenile plumage and the less common on our watch,
the Black-headed adult plumage. If that wasn't enough to get your mojo
working up came a Little Gull.
A least Sandpiper, 7 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and 7 Dunlin, while a
family of Minks and a Beaver kept us entertained from the mammal department.
A single Whimbrel, perhaps the one attacked by the gull earlier this
morning flew all around our little bay late in our watch and finally
landed to rest on the rocks on the North edge of Whimbrel Point just
below our feet. it appeared non the worse for wear and stayed to allow
some pedestrians and photographers to commune with its mystical little
Whimbrel spirit. It eventually hopped over to the other side of Wimbrel
Point and called until another bird appeared beside it as if by magic.
That was it, it doesn't get any better, so Wayne and I packed up. But
just as we were doing that we heard a plaintive call from overhead and
there flew the Grandaddy of shorebirds to many folks, the first Willet
I have seen for a long time.
Tomorrow is statistically the peak day for Whimbrels. In the past there
have been thousands. If you want to see a spectacle, call in sick
(sorry, there I go again) and get out as early as you can to Colonel Sam
Smith Park at the foot of Kipling Avenue, park in the northernmost lot
and pay 7 bucks as I think if you park in the South lot you may get
dinged 15. More on this tomorrow as i am going to park in the forbidden
lot with a friendly printed page sitting on the dashboard that say I'm
engaged in Ornithological Research.
Go ahead, one of us will write you a convincing note. Gotta go to bed.
Tim
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Mark Cranford
Ontbirds Coordinator
Toronto ON
[email protected]
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