Late autumn migrants, including some rarities

 The fine autumn weather continues, but that is going to change soon! Birds have been lingering, perhaps reluctant to continue their sometimes hazardous journey to points far to the south. Or at least they have the opportunity to explore areas in southwestern Ontario that normally would not be on their southern trek route. For example, a Franklin's Gull, a western species, appeared at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons for a short visit. This species can show up either spring or fall, but not every year, and typically only one is recorded even then.

Here is a Bonaparte's Gull, a sometimes abundant migrant, for comparison. There were several hundred of them to sort through at the lagoons, in the search for the Franklin's Gull.

While perusing these lagoons, a lingering Spotted Sandpiper, has been seen fairly regularly. It is a regular breeding species, but is typically long gone by now. It looks healthy enough, and can fly quite well, so poor health doesn't seem to be a problem.

Not quite as western as the Franklin's Gull, but certainly more abundant there than in the Hudson Bay region of northern Ontario is Hudsonian Godwit. One or more birds has been seen either at the lagoons, or the Keith McLean Conservation Area. Usually it is well away from easy viewing and photographing, but on the day I encountered it, it was in one of the smaller ponds near where the recent habitat construction activity has taken place. The excellent light, along with telephoto lens, resulted in some very satisfying photos.

Much more typical are Dunlin...

...while Pectoral Sandpipers, usually gone by now but lingering perhaps due to the fine weather, have been occasionally seen.

Tundra Swans are starting to appear, an indication that more wintry weather is not far off. Some may stay all winter, depending on the severity. While one or more Trumpeter Swans have been reported at the KMCA, and I was originally hoping these might be them, a more careful look concluded that they are indeed Tundras. The yellow spot on the lores of the bill, the more pinched look of the black area near the eye, the rounded white feathering at the top of the bill (as opposed to a more pointed white feathering arrangement for Trumpeter) and the shorter black bill all point to Tundra.

For the last few days, a Cattle Egret has been seen mingling with a small herd of cattle along the Bisnett Line, just north of Erieau. All too often it is partly obscured or too far away to get a satisfactory photo. On one occasion I was there, I got the next photo.

A relatively quick trip out in the former Dover Twp did not turn up anything unexpected, but I got a few things, including some that were present at the Owen/Bishop Cemetery, where Owen Line is closed. I got my first of the fall season American Tree Sparrow....

...a number of Dark-eyed Juncos, also recently arrived.....

....a few American Goldfinches that are transitioning to their winter plumage...

...and a few Rusty Blackbirds, a species that is a 'Special Concern' designated rarity.

Rusties are probably the most abundant this time of year, as they continue their migration to the southern US and into Central America or beyond. It is not uncommon to see a few on most outings, such as this one of a small group along the Marsh Trail of Rondeau a few days ago.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are fairly abundant, but with their propensity to be constantly on the move and typically in shrubbery, getting a clear photo is a challenge.

Checking feeders can be a good spot to check for birds. This White-breasted Nuthatch, a resident species, was scooting back and forth regularly, heading off to a tree with some food in its mouth, hiding it for leaner times.

Its close relative the Red-breasted Nuthatch is less common, but at the moment fairly regular.

Blue Jays have staged a rather large exit from Ontario, but some will still be found.

 Of course at feeders one will typically find other creatures enjoying what they can find.

On the topic of migrants, I came across an uncommon butterfly just a couple of days ago. It is a Common Checkered Skipper, a small butterfly that shows up in late summer and early autumn from points south of the border. This one looks like it has been around for a little while, as it is rather faded.

I also saw at least 12-15 Eastern Commas, almost certainly the most I have seen in one day this late in the season. They will overwinter.

There has been the occasional Common Drone Fly around. It is not native, but spread far and wide. It is a honeybee mimic.

And while walking along the east South Point Trail I came across this raccoon. It was alert enough to know I was there, although I am not sure it could see me very well.

A closer photo shows an unhealthy looking eye. Undoubtedly this individual is suffering from distemper, a disease that occurs periodically and is devastating to things like raccoons. Once the animal gets to this stage, it will not recover, and there is not much that can be done. In some municipalities where there are rescue crews to deal with this, the animal is usually euthanized to prevent a slow, agonizing death. It was about 3-4 years ago when this disease was readily apparent in raccoons at Rondeau last time.

And finally, a Snow Goose has been hanging out at the Ridgetown Sewage Lagoons as of late, and on occasion is close enough for a photo.

Snow Geese are sometimes quite abundant in eastern Ontario, as they travel to their wintering area along the Atlantic coast, but here in southwestern Ontario, we will only occasionally see one or perhaps a few mixed in with the much more abundant Canada Geese flocks.

If you would like to subscribe, or unsubscribe, to Nature Nuggets, send an email to: prairietramper@gmail.com

Rare, Regular Migrant Birds of the Rondeau Area

In my last post I featured quite a few rare types of birds that are known to breed, or have attempted to breed, within the Rondeau Provincial Park Checklist Area.

This post will feature some of the rare but regular migrants that have not yet demonstrated any evidence of breeding. While the previous post required some evidence of breeding to be included, I don't have as clear-cut a definition of rarity. Therefore this list is somewhat subjective.

Generally anything included here will be out of regular breeding range and always an extra highlight to see. Undoubtedly an observation would be posted on a rare bird alert of some type. However they are almost 'expected' rarities, in my opinion, as they occur most years, or at least likely once every 4-5 years. I didn't go into all the Rondeau records to see if a species fits that definition exactly, so take this definition with a grain of salt. If you don't see something on this list that you think should be included, it might be on the next list if I felt it was a bit rarer, or it may be because I don't have a good enough photo yet :-).

They will be featured more or less alphabetically rather than in any checklist order.

First up is American Avocet, a striking large shorebird that shows up briefly every year or so, typically at sewage lagoons, flooded fields, or sometimes along the shoreline.

Next is Cattle Egret, not a species that is considered native to North America, but arrived as a result of major storms bringing a few of them across the Atlantic in the middle of last century. They show up irregularly, and have bred in southwestern Ontario on occasion. The closest places are at Fish Point on Pelee Island back in 1976 where breeding was confirmed (I saw the nest), and another time at Walpole Island in the early 1980s where it was in breeding condition near some appropriate habitat, but never confirmed.

 Eared Grebe is a common nesting species in the innumerable wetlands of the prairie provinces, but only seen in the Rondeau area from time to time on migration.

 Eurasian Wigeon usually appears in the spring and/or fall when huge numbers of puddle and diving ducks show up on places like Rondeau Bay. It can be a challenge picking one out amongst the thousands of ducks at those times of year, especially if there are a lot of Redheads. They often are only well seen through a 'scope. This particular individual was at the Keith McLean Conservation Lands in 2019, on 'Lake McLean'.

 Franklin's Gull is pretty unusual, and I almost put it into the rarer category. However there are enough records over the years to indicate it fits here, at least during those years when masses of the smaller Bonaparte's type gulls are passing through.

 Along with large numbers of geese, one might find the occasional Greater White-fronted Goose. They are seen almost annually, but are sometimes harder to find when mixed in with large numbers of the larger Canada Goose.

 Henslow's Sparrow used to be more regular than it has been. It is an Endangered species in Ontario, and it is doubtful that any nest in the province now.

 Nelson's Sparrow is a regular breeding species in the far north, and when it migrates is very challenging to find. It is a very furtive sparrow and it probably passes through annually in small numbers. It occurs primarily in the fall and may linger, presumably when the urgency to reach their wintering ground isn't quite as strong as it is to head north in the spring.

 Purple Sandpiper is typically a very tolerant shorebird, enabling one to get some good photos. However it doesn't occur all that regularly, and can sometimes go undetected for several years in a row. Usually when it does appear, it may do so for only a very few days.

 Red Phalarope is another shorebird that nests in the far north, and is seen very irregularly in the Rondeau area. Both of these shorebirds definitely get a lot of attention when word gets out that they are around.

 Red-throated Loon was always considered a fairly rare migrant. However in the last few years, they have been documented much more regularly in the fall and early winter on western Lake Erie, and can be seen from good vantage points along the Rondeau shoreline. It was first recorded on a Rondeau Christmas Bird Count back in 1981, and not again until 4 years ago. On the 2018 count we had a huge number flying through conservatively estimated at 70 individuals.

 Ross's Goose was considered a real rarity in eastern North America not that long ago. But the numbers have recovered recently, in part due to the major increase of the similarly looking Snow Goose population in the northeast. It was first recorded on a Rondeau Christmas Bird Count in 2001 and we have had it on 5 other CBCs since then.

 Snowy Egret is a species much more common south of the border, and erratically seen in Ontario. Most often they appear in mid to late summer, when post breeding wanderers may show up and stick around for a few days, depending on the weather and the feeding opportunities.

Trumpeter Swans aren't really a migratory species in the sense that most of the rest of the birds on this post are. They have never nested in the Rondeau area that we know of, and it is only in the last couple of decades where they are seen somewhat erratically.

 Western Kingbird shows up periodically, which follows a general pattern that some members of the flycatcher family are known for. You will hear more about that in the next post or two. There are a few records for the Rondeau area, but several years can go by in between records, and they don't stay long.

 Worm-eating Warbler is one of those southern warblers that gets a lot of attention when one is reported. They appear most often in early May when the weather conditions are such that a strong warm front comes up from south of the border. In the last few years, however, it seems that one of the dominant wind directions in early to mid May is from the east or north east, which holds back good movements of the more southern specialties like this warbler.

That is it for this post......come on back for a future one which will feature what I consider to be much rarer migrant species, with another post featuring mega rarities at some point after that.