The weather was not ideal today, with rain first thing
restricting us ringing, and subsequent showers throughout the day. By the end
of the morning we were beginning to think that this might be the first day
without any lifers. However that was most certainly not the case as it turned
into one of the best days at the Tip so far. Ringing was fairly slow even once
we had got the nets opened; with the best bird we caught probably being no more
than a Least Flycatcher.
Once the nets were closed we went out a sub-census walk to
see if we could find anything else and we were rewarded with three awesome
birds, including a proper rarity; Eastern Bluebird, Bay-breasted Warbler and a
stunning male Cerulean Warbler. Despite these goodies the bushes were generally
pretty quiet.
However, because of those rarities we decided to reopen the
nets to see what we could catch, perhaps something that had not been discovered
yet. We caught very little, despite working the bushes adjacent to the nets.
However, down at the Tip a Piping Plover was found so we closed the nets and
raced down to have a look at this very rare bird. After a slow start it really
did end on a high.
Ringing: Ruby-crowned
Kinglet, Veery, American Robin, Myrtle Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated
Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle,
Brown-headed Cowbird,
-Cerulean Warbler
-Bay-breasted Warbler
-Bonaparte's Gull
-Piping Plover
Highlights
Eastern Bluebird - Before
we set out on our sub-census I had a very rewarding trek up to the toilet. On
my way back I found a cracking male Eastern Bluebird flying south. It landed briefly
in a distant tree before getting up again and flying off. Given how slow the
day had been I was pretty buzzing after that, the only downside being that
nobody else was able to see it before it departed.
Bay-breasted Warbler
- Our walk was fairly slow throughout, the only exception being when we
reached the area of pines on the south shore. Usually the best area, today it
exceeded itself when we found a cracking male Bar-breasted Warbler in the tree
above us. It would have been a great moment, but sadly it was taken away from
the bird a few seconds later…
Cerulean Warbler - When
we found the Bay-breasted we were pretty buzzing, but then two seconds later we
spotted another Warbler in the bushes behind. Immediately it was clear it something
new, and the lack of colour, cap and necklace suggested possibly Blackpoll. We
entertained this idea for a second before it clearly revealed itself to be
Cerulean Warbler, one of my most wanted Warblers for the trip. It continued to
show for people walking up from the cabin, remaining in a low willow for most
of the day. What a cracking little bird.
Piping Plover - The
Cerulean Warbler should have been the bird of the day, but in the evening
Kristoff found a Piping Plover at the Tip. This endangered plover was extremely
exciting, and well worth running for. It was rather confiding at times,
allowing us to get good enough views to read the rings on its legs; important
data for the conservation of this species.
Species List:
Long Point; The Tip: Piping
Plover, Eastern Bluebird, Bay-breasted Warbler, Cerulean Warbler,
Double-crested Cormorant, Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-breasted Merganser, Turkey
Vulture, Northern Harrier, Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper,
Spotted Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Bonaparte’s Gull,
Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern,
Slavonian Grebe, Common Tern, Forster’s Tern, Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern
Kingbird, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Blue
Jay, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Veery, Swainson’s
Thrush, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, American Pipit, European
Starling, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Myrtle Warbler,
Palm Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal,
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincolns
Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow,
Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole,
American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Peregrine, Muskrat,
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