Birds calling for pizza

 Astute birders will quickly realize the connection between the title of this post, and the bird in the header photo.

The Acadian Flycatcher isn't the bird that Rondeau is best known for...that would go to Prothonotary Warbler. But the Acadian Flycatcher is also legally Endangered under Ontario's Endangered Species Act. It is largely a southern species that likes mature, American Beech/Sugar Maple forests, and those types of forests in Ontario are hard to come by. It almost invariably nests in a lower, spreading branch of a beech tree. They haven't quite started to nest yet. The following photo is from 2016.

 All of the members of the Empidonax genus of flycatchers have a general similarity to their appearance. The Acadian Flycatcher is a little darker and more olive-green than some of the others, and has an eye-ring. Other members have an eye-ring as well. However one of the easiest way to tell this species, when in it preferred habitat, is its song. It is an explosive 'pee-zuh', with a slight rise to the last syllable. 

There have been some of these birds around for a few days, but they are becoming more vocal as they are establishing territories. I have photographed them on many occasions, including one time back in the film days when I was set up for a nest which had a young cowbird in it. A small raptor came by and almost snatched the cowbird out of the nest. Probably some slight movement by myself, situated in a photo blind nearby, spooked the raptor and it left before taking the youngster.

Just yesterday while I was checking out an Acadian territory, this bird was very vocal, and usually at quite close range. On occasion it would land on an open branch less than 3 metres away and sing its heart out. As expected, the mature beech/maple forest is fairly dark now that the leaves are out almost fully. So photographing it was a challenge, but I took enough photos that some turned out quite well, I think.

The increase in leaf cover has certainly made it more difficult to see birds in woodland areas that are either still passing through on migration, or trying to establish territories here. But for birds in open spots along the shorelines, it is a different story. There have been lots of individuals of a few species. Ruddy Turnstones were quite numerous, with probably at least 140 individuals in sight at one point.

Sanderlings were well represented. These next two images show them in quite different plumages, with the first one being more or less typical of their winter plumage....

...and this next one showing the reddish brown upper body and chest area of one approaching its breeding plumage.

Semipalmated Plovers are typically around, but seldom do you see more than half a dozen or so at a time. With the large number of shorebirds around these days, I saw at least 30 at one point, and other birders were reporting similarly large numbers elsewhere around the Rondeau shorelines that day.

Birds are not as dependent on feeders as they are at tougher times of the year, but that doesn't mean they won't take advantage of an easy food source. American Goldfinches are in their brightest finery these days.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will be looking for seeds at a feeder as this individual was doing.....

...and White-crowned Sparrows, although they are diminishing in numbers as they continue north, can be found around feeders obtaining energy for the next leg of their northern journey.

A walk along Tuliptree Trail is always worthwhile, especially when Prothonotary Warblers are in their nesting mode. They don't always cooperate for great photos, but with a bit of effort, one can at least get a record shot as this next one shows. The bird came in high against a bright sky. It initially appeared as a silhouette, but with a great deal of processing, I managed to get it to look like this.

While waiting for a Prothonotary to show, this pair of Wood Ducks was swimming around and feeding in a more distant part of the slough.

Patience pays off, usually. I hope to follow the nesting of the Acadian Flycatcher, if I can track down a nest or two and keep an eye on it over the next few weeks.