Long Point Day 9

Long Point; The Tip

Sadly this was our last full day at the Tip, but we had probably our best day bird wise with a reasonable sized fall including good diversity. As usual we got up early to open the nets but we were immediately stopped by a spectacular thunderstorm which took around two hours of the morning. Once we were able to open the nets we almost immediately noted species that we had not recorded before; the first Canada Warblers of the season, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Many of these birds ended up in nets at some point, although many of them also escaped the nets before they could be extracted.

In the afternoon, once the weather had completely cleared up, Paul and I reopened the nets and caught a nice variety of birds, although nothing outstandingly new. The highlight was a Summer Tanager, a scarce species at Long Point and not one regularly caught in nets.

Ringing: Eastern Wood Peewee, Least Flycatcher, Blue Jay, Swainsons Thrush, Gray Catbird, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Palm Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Canada Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Lincolns Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird,

-Philadelphia Vireo

-Bobolink

-Red-eyed Vireo

-Blue-winged Warbler

-Summer Tanager

-Indigo Bunting

-Tennessee Warbler

-Eastern Phoebe

-Canada Warbler

-Myrtle Warbler

Highlights

Canada Warbler - One of two new warblers for us this morning, the other being Blackpoll. We caught two of these little crackers during the day, both of which I was able to ring. Both Blackpoll and Canada Warbler are later arrivals during the season, so it was exciting to be able to see both of them before we leave.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - This was the only Cuckoo we saw during our stay. It was something I really wanted to see. Sadly it remained mobile throughout the morning before it moved off. It apparently hit nets three times but each time was able to escape.

Indigo Bunting - Although we still see these cracking little birds quite often they are just so blue it’s absolutely bonkers. We caught possibly our most blue of them all today, although still a young male due to its obvious covert breaks. Although we never saw a true adult, they must be so insane.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Despite seeing these little beauties every day, today was extra special. In an hours walk Paul and I counted 40 Hummers out out East off the tip. Every minute of so one would come buzzing past us, with none coming the other way. They really are crazy little birds.

Species List:

Long Point; The Tip: Double Crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Bonaparts Gull, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Wood Peewee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Blue Jay, Marsh Wren, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainsons Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, American Pipit, European Starling, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut Sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Nashville Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Wilsons Warbler, Canada Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Chipping Sparrow, Savanah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincolns Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch,