Reg Thorpe and I arrived at Toronto on Friday 11th September for the start of a months birding at Long Point, Ontario, Canada.
Hire car upgrade with Thrifty, need to be careful when after checking the car and leaving the rental area, you are asked if you have checked the car, not if you have found anything that needs to be recorded. Difficult to always remember these things when you are jet-lagged. Lets hope the marks on the car from previous users are not blamed on us.
Arrived at our accommodation but feeling very tired after driving from Toronto taking about 3 hours using a non-toll route. Sailly, e-simm worked using Google Maps for directions.
I had trouble getting the front door open, Reg gave it a shove and we were in, thank goodness.
The accommodation was very good with plenty of space.
Humid, with a blue sky day and northerly/nw light winds.
On our first morning we walked from our accommodation to the track that led out to Crown Marsh and then visited the Long Point Bird Observatory. From the very start Emma and the banding (ringing) team were very friendly and welcoming. I think they were very surprised to learn that we were there for the month and that we were birders. It seems that Canadian birders (with the exception of the Obs team) do not go birding much in the autumn as they find the autumn warblers difficult to identify and prefer to see them in the spring. Over the course of the month we saw plenty of people with cameras wandering around Old Cut at the Obs but not in the campsite and we birded the Obs area and the campsite by ourselves, it was fantastic!
Also visited Birds Canada headquarters with a viewpoint overlooking Lake Erie.
Cedar Waxwing
Killdeer
Mourning Dove
We only saw this one Northern Waterthrush and only in the hand.
Northern Waterthrush
Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
Ring-billed Gull
Sandhill Cranes
Wood Duck
Yellowthroat
Yellowthroat
Yellowthroat
Mourning Dove
Chipping Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
Blackpoll Warbler
Coopers Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Swainson's Thrush
Catbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Canvasback
Canvasback
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Solitary Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpipers
