Waterbirds and Warblers

 The bird migration continues, and shorebirds are increasing. The Keith McLean Conservation Area is fair to good, but not quite as productive as the last couple of years. Fortunately the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons are better for shorebirds than they were this time last year, as two of the sprinkler cells have water in them.

There is typically almost a dozen species of shorebirds present on a given day. Here are some of them.

Dunlin are quite abundant, with some in almost full breeding plumage complete with black belly.

Some are along the pond edges rather than the sprinkler cells, partially hidden by the grasses.

Least Sandpipers are becoming more numerous.

Both Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs are fairly abundant, particularly the Lessers, shown next.

Always a nice bird to get is a Short-billed Dowitcher.

Another highlight is Wilson's Phalarope. There were at least two when I was there. On at least one occasion in the past, this normally western species has actually nested at these lagoons.

Several Semipalmated Plovers were scattered around.

 

 One of the other bird highlights at the lagoons this spring is a nicely plumaged Eared Grebe. Unfortunately it was always way off on the far side, so this is a heavily cropped photo.

This is what a closer look would show. I photographed this while out in the prairie provinces back in 2018, where the species was commonly seen in so many prairie swales and potholes.

Most of the last few days have been cool and breezy, so the hundreds of swallows that gather are either anxiously swooping over the water hoping to catch an insect or two, or resting in some sheltered part of the complex to save energy. This one was in the grass, quite tolerant of me passing by.

Another plover similar to the Semiplamated one shown above, has recently arrived along the beach at Erieau. It was first seen yesterday, and I got out this morning to see and attempt to photograph it. This is one of my better photos. It has a distinctively paler back than the other species, and is quite endangered. There are historical records of them breeding in the Rondeau/Erieau area, but not since about the 1940s. It is an endangered species, and fortunately is making a slight recovery, so maybe it will once again be nesting along these shores.

The warbler activity has been slower than most birders would like, but that seems to be the case most years. There are some species I have yet to catch up with, but Yellow Warbler is certainly not one of them. As is often the case, it is one of the most abundant species. Given its abundance, it is hard to believe that back in the 1970s it was on the Audubon Blue List, as a species of concern considering its significant decline. How times have changed!

Always a crowd pleaser is the Prothonotary Warbler, the unofficial bird of Rondeau considering that its first nesting record for Canada was at Rondeau back in the 1930s, and the park has been considered a stronghold for the species. The abundant slough habitat is certainly to its liking. There were two males vying for territory on this day, although not very close to the boardwalk, so these are heavily cropped photos. Hopefully before long, I will be getting a few much closer ones.

And while watching and waiting for the Prothonotary to show up within camera range, a pair of Wood Ducks were nearby. One can never get enough photos of the dramatically coloured male Woody!