Brown Pelican

Here's some pics from last month while I was down in the Kingsville area.

Random drake Canvasback at the Kingsville marina (August 15th). My first August Ontario Canvasback.

Second-year Brown Pelican, August 16-20, at the Wheatley Harbour.

SNEGs....

Ok, so I'm at work, working on an EIS report, I've got my MES defense next week--things aren't too busy....! Not. (By the way that was a Borat style joke....).

Ok, but from things aside, life is manageable (somewhat). Anywho, Snowy Egrets. They're pretty cool. Pretty rare. I've only seen two birds and I chased both! A few colleagues/friends (whatever you want to say) are down in the Leamington/Tilbury area working (I was down there 2 weeks ago....) and found a few Snowy Egrets.

The 1 bird at the Tilbury lagoons is still around (found on the 2nd, seen today, the 4th). And last week on the 28th, they had 2 birds fly out of the Thames River, a location I've continuously checked for rare herons/gulls/waterbirds, but have come up empty handed. Despite this, Lighthouse Cove (mouth of the Thames River) seems like a pretty awesome spot that will likely turn up alot of crazy and good shit, if its checked!

I don't really have too much new bird news, but thought I would share some things about the Tilbury area, that most people don't really know(?). This area seems like a really great location for rare herons/gulls/waterbirds. Lots of water, lots of ditches, a biggish lake nearby (Lake St. Clair), a pristine (Thames) river.....(NOT -> Borat style) and a decent lagoon (Tilbury).

Here's a print screen of the Tilbury area - if only someone had a chopper and would cruise all the nooks and cranny's for all the Snowy Egrets and Little Blues!

I saw my first SNEG in Ontario along the Thames near Bradley in 2011....

 And with quite a number of SNEG's being seen in areas nearby to Lake St. Clair, rare herons are a species group that likely show up in 'decent' numbers and frequency in this area -- too bad there aren't more observers!

Pat Deacon's shot of the Snowy from the 2nd at Tilbury!

This area has also had several other rare herons, like Little Blue Heron showing up infrequently too, but a place like Lighthouse Cove is ripe for a mega (dare I say Black Skimmer? Least Tern? Royal Tern?).