May is Wood Warbler Month!

 It is also Lyme Disease Awareness Month, but I won't go into detail about Lyme Disease on this post. If you want to read one of my most informative posts on that subject check out this link. 

May is the month when many birders are out on the hunt for those (mostly) colourful birds that are arriving from southerly areas, heading to our area to nest or stopping by for nutrients before continuing on their way to more northerly breeding grounds. While this year has been average at best for warbler movement, almost all of the regular species have appeared, at least in small numbers. One always hopes for a major event when warblers seem to be 'dripping from the trees'. That hasn't happened to any great extent yet this year, but one can always hope.

In the meantime, I thought I would feature a few photos of many of the warblers, which I have been fortunate to capture digitally over the years. Almost all were taken at Rondeau and in the spring, when they are at their most colourful, before they turn to those 'confusing fall warblers'. They are in no particular order. If it is labelled (B), it has been known to breed in Chatham-Kent, and especially at Rondeau. If it is labelled (M), it is a migrant moving on to more northerly habitat.

American Redstart (B)

Black-and-white Warbler (M)

Bay-breasted Warbler (M)

Blackpoll Warbler (M)

Blackburnian Warbler (M)

Black-throated Blue Warbler (M)

This next one, the Black-throated Green Warbler, has not been confirmed as a breeding species at Rondeau, but has probably nested. And given the number of conifer plantations that are becoming more mature in scattered parts of CK, it is possible that it has nested.

Black-throated Green Warbler (B?)

These next three are interesting. The first one is Blue-winged Warbler, an elusive and not common species. It has possibly nested in the area, but it has not been confirmed.

The Golden-winged Warbler, next, is not common either. In fact its numbers have declined considerably over the last couple of decades, and it is now a Species At Risk, with the status of 'Special Concern'. Part of the reason for the decline is that it shares habitat with the Blue-winged Warbler, and they regularly hybridize. The result is a hybrid known as 'Brewster's Warbler', which depending on the family lineage, can result in quite a variable plumage.

Golden-winged Warbler (M)

The image below shows an example of a Brewster's Warbler.

 Canada Warbler is next. It is also listed as 'Special Concern' due to declining numbers.

Canada Warbler (M)

Common Yellowthroat, next, is common and nests regularly in the area, especially in wetlands and shrubby areas.

Common Yellowthroat (B)

I include two of the following species, Cerulean Warbler, since the male and female are quite different in appearance. This species used to be a regular nesting species at Rondeau, but is quite irregular now. It is a Threatened species in Ontario. They are often fairly high in the trees, so getting a good photo is not easy!

Cerulean Warbler, male (B)

Cerulean Warbler, female (B)

Cape May Warbler (M)

Next is Chestnut-sided Warbler. It has nested at Rondeau on very rare occasion, being much more common farther north.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (B)

A species that used to be a Species At Risk in Ontario is shown next, a Hooded Warbler. It was quite unusual to see one, but in the last couple of decades, their numbers have increased considerably, and have been removed as a Species At Risk. It is seen somewhat regularly at places like Rondeau, and on occasion one might see two or three in a day on migration. It has not been confirmed nesting at Rondeau, although it is believed that attempts have been made.

Hooded Warbler (M)

Louisiana Waterthrush, next, is also a Threatened species, with its breeding range in Ontario limited to the very south. It has nested at Rondeau on rare occasion.

Louisiana Waterthrush (B)

A very similar looking warbler is the Northern Waterthrush, next. There are subtle differences, such as the width of the light stripe above the eye, the amount of speckling on the throat, and the slightly yellowish cast to the belly feathers. It is more common, but does not nest at Rondeau as far as any records show.

Northern Waterthrush (M)

Magnolia Warbler (M)

A regular, but not common species is the Mourning Warbler. It has nested at Rondeau on rare occasion.

Mourning Warbler (B)

Nashville Warbler (M)

Northern Parula (M)

Next is an Orange-crowned Warbler. It was photographed in the autumn, as you can tell by the seed heads of a goldenrod in the photo.

Orange-crowned Warbler (M)

Ovenbird (B)

Palm Warbler (M)

This next one is a Pine Warbler. It is a winter shot, as I got it coming to a feeder in January!

Pine Warbler (B)

I have featured Prothonotary Warbler on many occasions, as it is Rondeau's unofficial bird species, and certainly my favourite.

Prothonotary Warbler, male, (B)

Tennessee Warbler, (M)

The Townsend's Warbler is a western species. I found the first Rondeau record back in May of 1983. Interestingly, the Rondeau area has had more records of this species than any other location in Ontario. It is more often found in late fall here. This photo was taken in late November.

Worm-eating Warbler, next, is a southern rarity. There are not many records for Rondeau, with barely one report annually.

Worm-eating Warbler (M)

Wilson's Warbler, (M)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (M)

Yellow-throated Warbler, next, is generally a southern species. There are a few records for Rondeau, and at one point, for several years in a row, a male showed up in the vicinity of a cottage and the Visitor Centre. On one occasion there was a female as well, and it is believed that attempts were made to nest, although in spite of the search efforts of various birders, it was never confirmed.

Yellow-throated Warbler (M)

One of the most common warblers in southern Ontario and elsewhere, is the Yellow Warbler. It is an abundant breeding species, and it is not unusual to see several dozen on a day in May. On occasion, one may encounter more than 100 in a single day in May.

Yellow Warbler (B)

There are several other warbler species that have been recorded at Rondeau, some of which are almost annually occurring. These include Kirtland's Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Swainson's Warbler, Kentucky Warbler and Connecticut Warbler. For various reasons, I have yet to be able to photograph any of these five. Will it happen in 2022? Maybe!

 

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Bird migration continues, with regular, rare and very rare sightings

 Now that we have entered the middle third of May, birders expect lots of bird action. While it seldom is as active as most birders would like, there has been a steady stream of birds arriving.

I have been to Rondeau a couple of times lately, of course. The lake effect of the wind off the water keeps things cooler than inland, and so the leaves on the trees have not developed as far along as trees inland. Therefore the birds even high in the trees are a little more visible.

Almost all of the expected warblers, vireos and flycatchers have been recorded, although not in very great abundance. Here are some of the ones I've been able to capture on digital film so far.

 While looking for a reported Kirtland's Warbler, along with several dozen other birders, this Cape May Warbler obliged at the top of a low red cedar. The Kirtland's never did show up again.

Chestnut-sided Warblers were one of the more common warblers in the last few days.

Magnolia Warblers are beginning to increase in numbers.

Nashville Warbler

One of the warbler highlights of spring, and throughout the summer breeding period, is to see a Prothonotary Warbler. They never cease to draw oohhs and aahhs from any birder observing one.

Only the males have shown up so far, although the females will be arriving soon if they haven't already. Rondeau happens to be the first location in Canada where this species was discovered nesting, and it has remained the main stronghold for this very rare species.

Aside from warblers, things like Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are widely scattered. They are constantly on the move, and get into a variety of postures as they attempt to glean insects from the twigs, etc.

Great-crested Flycatcher is a breeding flycatcher at Rondeau.

Lincoln's Sparrow, on the other hand, is not a breeding species, and they are typically quite furtive along trails and forest edges.

Northern Cardinals are not uncommon, but when one pops up for a photo, I will take it. They are heard regularly throughout the park.

White-throated Sparrows were around by the dozens, even the hundreds, for a few days. Their numbers seem to be dropping now, as they have moved on to their more northern breeding locales. This one was enjoying some morning sun on an otherwise cool morning, and allowed me to approach fairly closely.

Wood Thrush is not a common species, and due to its overall decline in Ontario, is considered a species at risk. Their flute-like calls are always nice to hear in the quiet of evening.

On one occasion, I was heading down a trail to get GPS coordinates of a rare orchid that I had discovered a new location for a few days earlier. I noticed this Turkey Vulture preening and soaking up some early morning sunshine.

On another trail, I heard the distinctive churring of a Red-headed Woodpecker, and located it on a dead tree not far away. It seemed to be staking out its territory, checking out some holes in the tree, and otherwise looking quite at home. While this species is on the decline, the numbers reported at Rondeau this year seem to be a bit higher than the past few years, so hopefully it is a good sign.

American Woodcocks have been back for several weeks, and are well underway in the nesting process. They rely on the cryptic coloration, and so allow quite a close approach.

On sunnier days, one has to be vigilant regarding where one is walking. This Ribbon Snake was on Harrison Trail, and I could have easily missed it.

It is a species at risk, and although it looks generally similar to the much more common Eastern Gartersnake, can be told via its more distinctive yellow lines, and the small white patch in front of the eye.

Red Trilliums are starting to be in good bloom these last few days. They are typically in flower a bit earlier than White Trillium, shown following, and are also starting to appear rapidly in the considerably warmer temperatures of late.

I made a brief stop at Bannerstone Conservation Area, just north of Rondeau. I saw a Bay-breasted Warbler, normally a species that shows in the latter part of the warbler migration...

....and the Tree Swallow boxes look like they have been claimed by some for this season.

I got wind of a pair of Black-necked Stilts being at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons yesterday, so of course I decided to stop in and look. Sure enough, along with numerous Dunlin, Lesser Yellowlegs and a single Wilson's Phalarope and such, there were the two stilts.

 Quite a few birders had already seen them during the day, but they still allowed a couple of distant photos. These are cropped quite a bit. This is a species that normally will be found in the mid-west, but occasionally show up here in southern Ontario on migration, much to the delight of birders.

The male has a completely black back....

...whereas the female has a brownish back.

I've also spent a bit of time at St. Clair NWA where the large managed wetland complex is a wonderful and accessible spot for finding marsh birds.

Common Yellowthroats are, rather common, although one is more likely to hear them than see them. On occasion a male will sit up in an open spot at the top of the cattails, or in this case the invasive Phragmites, and belt out its call.

Black Terns are a somewhat declining species. On this day, I saw about 18, with many of them flying north along the lake shore so were likely continuing their travels to their breeding grounds. A few will likely remain. They fly a bit erratically, so getting photos is not an easy thing to do!

Eastern Kingbirds like the openness along the wetland complex edges.

Blue-headed Vireos were using the shrubby edges to rest and forage before moving northwards.....

....an Eastern Wood-pewee was also there, but just using the shrubby edges for resting and feeding as well.

Warbling Vireos, on the other hand, like the openness of the cottonwood edges and at least a few will likely stay to nest.

The next few days look quite promising for bird migration, so I plan to be out a few times putting my camera to good use!

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