Pelee area May 15th

What turned out to be my last day at Pelee turned out to be a doozy!

Things started very quietly, however, with the rain that moved through the region starting at 0600hr, activity really picked up. First thing in the morning I had a Yellow-throated Vireo and my foy Connecticut Warbler at the tip area.


At the lunch, I got word of a Chuck-will's Widow in Post Woods, being seen easily from the trail. We headed there right away, and I was easily able to get it. I managed one phone-binocular photo of it, here.

The bird was a female (brown tail)

After getting the Mrs. Chuck, we headed to Hillman, which turned out to be a great idea. At Hillman we had a huge number of shorebirds, including close to 200 Short-billed Dowitchers, as well as the continuing American Avocet and 2 Willets!

After checking the shorebird cell, Adam (Timpf) and I decided to listen for rails, east of the barn. While we were chilling out, Adam got on a bird, which turned out to be a sub-adult Mississippi Kite! I can't really explain how awesome the next 5 minutes were, we were pretty damn excited (I had spent 5.5hrs looking for kites on Wednesday, only to miss a MIKI by literally 10 feet and my back turned!!). We watched the bird soaring and hunting over the marsh for about 30 minutes, before losing it to the north, only to realize that it was perched beside Mersea Road 2!! I managed a few shots on my phone.

I'm pretty sure it would be classified as a sub-adult in 'late' stage according to Raptors of Eastern N.A.

 

I couldn't really believe it...this was the bird I was hoping to find this year, given the fact I had shittily missed one, this was pretty awesome!!

After this I packed up and started heading home, only to check my phone and see that a Marbled Godwit had been reported at Erieau. Luckily for me, I checked my phone 4 minutes after the post (7:23pm), and was only 15 minutes away. I made it to Erieau just in time. I got my scope set-up, exchanged pleasantries with some fine Rondeau gents, and got a few photos, before the Marbled Godwit and its 2 Willet companions flew off to the north! What a finish, holy shit!!

Will I have as good of timing next year?

What should I do next year? Caribou Island? Pelee? Pelee Island?

Recent happenings at Pelee

I've been down now at Pelee and have been having a pretty sweet time. The birding has been really quite good, especially after such a crappy Apil.

Today was quite good; 21 species of warblers, 116 species, including a few highlights...

I found my 2nd Henslow's Sparrow in 24 hours today...! This one along the West Beach, just south of the parking lot; makes you wonder how many are missed.

Photo taken by Bryan Teat

We also came across this previously found Cerulean Warbler on Tilden's Woods.

Looked like a SY male. Photo by Bran Teat.

There were lots of decent stuff around; Hooded Warbler at the tip, 2 Yellow-throated Vireos.

Pelee

I made it down today...and despite just the late afternoon, managed a few goodies, including the Kentucky Warbler found on the Anders Footpath.

Also had an Orange-crowned Warbler nearby.

 

After checking Hillman, I went over to Wheatley Harbour and had an Eared Grebe.

The next few days look really good!