Long Point Day 3

Long Point; The Tip

Our first morning at the Tip was spent at the Tip managing the nets ands and traps down that way. As a result we did miss quite a few birds being ringed but we got to watch huge numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles flying off the tip, heading out over the lake. It was a very warm and sunny, which clearly provided good conditions for birds to move. There were healthy numbers of warblers in the nets which kept us busy all morning. Even more species failed to go into a net; Pine Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler were all new for us.

In the afternoon we headed out on a sub-census walk to try and find Field Sparrow. We ended up searching the Tree Swallow grid looking for them, although we soon stopped realising how aggressive unhappy Tree Swallows could be. We did find two Field Sparrows briefly, but not brilliant views. We completed the route of the census where there continued to be good numbers of birds in the bushes; Scarlet Tanager, Bobolink, Yellow-throated Vireo, Wood Thrush and Chimney Swift overhead were all new for us.

-Pine Warbler

-Red-headed Woodpecker

-Blue-headed Vireo

-Warbling Vireo

-Indigo Bunting

-Palm Warbler

-Garter Snake

-Painted Terrapin

-Snapping Turtle

-Ovenbird

-Scarlet Tanager

-Yellow-throated Vireo

-Magnolia Warbler

-Turkey Vulture

Highlights

Red-headed Woodpecker - We did see this stunning woodpecker yesterday but today we got to see one in the hand. Up close you could really appreciate the stunning colour of the head in contrast the black and white in the body. They really are stunning birds.

Indigo Bunting - We caught and saw loads of new species today, but Indigo Bunting stood out beyond the rest. Until you see one you cannot imagine just how blue these birds are, they are simply stunning. Its staggering that birds this colour evolve, in Britain they wouldn’t last two minutes before a Sparrowhawk would come in.

Monarch - This stunning butterfly was well up there on my list of things I wanted to see in Canada. Sadly we only saw the one as it fluttered past us overhead. Incredibly I picked it up on shadow before looking up to see it fly overhead. We were later told that it had migrated off the Tip. Bonkers!

Species List:

Long Point; The Tip: Bobolink, Orchard Oriole, Black-throated Green Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, Pine Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, Caspian Tern, Northern Cardinal, Yellow Warbler, Killdeer, Nashville Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Osprey, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Savannah Sparrow,  Lesser Yellowlegs, Great Black-backed Gull, Chimney Swift, Magnolia Warbler, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Field Sparrow, Blue-winged Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-throated Vireo, American Pipit, Merlin, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Harrier, American Goldfinch, Common Tern, Caspian Tern, Double Crested Cormorant, Myrtle Warbler, Downy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Merganser, Bonaparte’s Gull, American Herring Gull, Common Gull, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Warbling Vireo, Mallard, Swamp Sparrow, Lincolns Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, House Wren, Racoon, Snapping Turtle, Painted Terrapin, Map Turtle, Garter Snake, American Bullfrog, Leopard Frog, Monarch,