Long Point - October 28th - October 31st

From October 28th (Monday) until November 5th (Tuesday), I was at the tip of Long Point, helping out with the Long Point Bird Observatory's migration monitoring program; banding and censusing birds. I really appreciate Stu Mackenzie for getting me out there (as well as back!) and to the volunteers out there for making it an enjoyable trip!

Tip Lighthouse.

October 28th:

Ron Ridout, Stu, and I boated out to the tip in the late morning. Things were pretty quiet, so I mainly just got my room and everything sorted out. Watched the Red Sox's with Ron...

October 29th:
The 29th was pretty good(!), with decent winds from the E-NE, and temps that were pretty chilly (<5 degrees C in the AM, rising to about 8 in the PM).
Highlights included: first-basic California Gull found at the tip by Ron, a probable female-type King Eider flyby, and a dark Parasitic Jaeger off the tip.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15583803

October 30th:
The 30th was fairly quiet, weather was super calm and warm. Highlights: banding a Long-eared Owl, a late Pectoral Sandpiper, and semi-good birds, like Red-throated Loon

Mr. Leo...and My. Saw...

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15583804

October 31st:
This was THE day to be there, and I'm sure as hell was glad I was there...(sorry guys - you know who you are!). A pretty crazy strong storm was coming in from the SW and the forecasters were calling for sustained 70km/hr winds, with gusts up to 100km/hr! Needless to say I was getting ready to spend a fair bit of time in the shanty (the wind shelter at the tip). I got to the shanty for first light, and stayed there most of the day. Around 11am Dan (one of the volunteers who was with me), pointed to a bird about 30 feet away flying away from us. Getting the binoculars on it, I just about fell over...!!! A few expletives later, and we're looking at Long Point's first Brown Booby record, undoubtedly the same bird that was present for 2/3 weeks at near-ish-by Fort Erie. See the ebird checklist link below for some tasty shots as well as a link to my other sightings throughout the day!

Other notable birds: 2 dark Parasitic Jaegers giving nice looks and 1 Little Gull.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15583805


Annndd I couldn't resist...here are some shots from the day!

All tuckered out, riding out the wind-storm and all the sand in her eyes..

Oh shit she's up.....and headed my way...!!

Hot-damn....she's getting even closer...!!!

She flew within 20-30 feet of me....GAWD-DAM!!

Stay-tuned for the rest of the trip - I'll have them up in a few days.