Day one of the 2nd Annual Migration Adventure started out with us heading to the north shores of Lake Erie. Lake Erie is the fourth largest Great Lake by surface area, but the smallest by volume and also the shallowest of the Great Lakes. The first stop being in Long Point. Long Point is a great place to see birds all year long, especially during the fall migration.
Warbler caught in net at the Long Point Bird Observatory.
One can't go to Long Point without stopping at the Long Point Bird Observatory. When we arrived in the morning, the nets were still up that captures the birds for banding. Birds are banded for observation and study. The Long Point Bird Observatory has been studying bird migration since 1960. With the heat that day, there wasn't a lot of bird action at the nets. Although we did see a couple warblers caught in the net that would be recorded and banded. One warbler that was caught in the net had already been banded. I could just imagine what was going through its little head. I'm sure it was something like, "oh no, not again" or something like that.
With not much action at the nets and feeders, we ventured around the trails to see what else was hanging around. I did see a Kingfisher, but was not able to get a picture of it. We stayed on the trail for a bit waiting for something to show up, but not for too long because we had a long journey ahead of us. On the way back, I noticed some grass moving so I stopped to see what was moving the grass. I then saw a black snake slither through the long grass. I wasn't able to get a picture, and certainly didn't get enough of a look at it to identify it. Just that it was very dark.
A Grass Hopper and Bumble Bee hanging out together in Long Point.
We returned back to the buildings as we headed for the car. On the way to the car I had a conversation with a woman (Unfortunately didn't get her name) and she mentioned that the lack of birds was because of the weather, more specifically the heat. I was worried that this was a sign of things to come for the weekend, but boy was I wrong. In our conversation, our plans for the weekend came up. She mentioned that we should stop at Rondeau Provincial Park because there was a first recorded sighting in Canada of a Great Kiskadee there. Looking at the information of this beautiful bird, it normally doesn't travel north of Texas, so this was certainly a rare treat. So that was enough to convince me that a stop at Rondeau Provincial Park had been added to the agenda.
When we got back to the buildings, I realized I forgot my bird identification book at home. I didn't really want to backtrack home to get it, so I went inside the building to see what was available. Not only were there lots of books to chose from, there was also lots of assistance in helping pick out a bird identification book. The book I chose was the Sibley Birds East. A very nice and handy book that will stay in the car so I always have a reference handy. The help I got in choosing my book was greatly appreciated.
Belted Kingfisher in Long Point.
On our way out of Long Point, I saw another Kingfisher, so I stopped to get some pictures. And luckily this one I was able to get a few pictures of. So I thought maybe it was going to be a good weekend after all. I also stopped at the lookout tower on the way out of Long Point. Normally this is a great place to see Sandhill Cranes, but not that day. A Double-crested Cormorant did fly by, but that's all that was there. On my way back to the car, I attempted to get a picture of a Bumble Bee, and also unknowingly got a Grass Hopper as well.
Sign Posted at Hawk Cliff because of the erosion.
So off we went to follow the lake as close as possible until we eventually finished our first day travels in Windsor. Our next planned stop was going to be Hawk Cliff, just east of Port Stanley. Of course anything of interest would require a stop for a better look and hopefully some good photographs. The trick is to always keep your eyes open. Make sure to scan fences, hydro lines and poles as you drive, and be aware of any large shadows. Large shadows mean large birds.
When we arrived at Hawk Cliff, it was very disappointing that we couldn't walk along the cliff. There is now a fence up preventing people from getting close to the cliff because the erosion has gone too far. It's a shame that I won't be able to get pictures of the side of the cliff with all the holes from the Cliff Swallows any longer. I'm glad I was able to get pictures in the past. There are still trails through the woods for you to go exploring, so it's still a great place to see. We didn't take this opportunity to see the trails this time, but certainly will check it out at another time.
Red-tailed Hawk along Lake Erie.
So off we went to follow the lake. Along the way we spotted a some Red-tailed Hawks, and some Bald Eagles. Also spotted were European Starlings. I find it amazing how the European Starlings' colours change in the fall. The Juvenile Bald Eagles were much more plentiful than the adults it seemed. We made a few sudden stops to get photographs of these birds, never spending too much time in one place.
The Great Kiskadee off in the distance. It was great just to see the first recorded sighting of the Great Kiskadee in Canada.
We arrived at Rondeau Provincial Park to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Great Kiskadee. When we stopped at the gate to pay, I asked the gentleman if he knew where we could find the Great Kiskadee. He was very helpful and directed us to the Marsh Trail. We would have to park the car and walk approximately a kilometer down the trail. Not a bad price to pay to see such a rare bird in Canada. So with map in hand, we headed to the Marsh Trail. We found a parking spot and started our walk down the trail. We got about ten feet and had a kind gentleman wave us over to where there were a few people viewing something right along the water. Of course it was the Great Kiskadee. It was a good distance away, but I was able to get a much better view through the 600mm lens. I was able to get a few pictures, but not any great photographs due to the distance. But that was ok, the experience is what counted. We made a couple other stops in the park, then headed out back on the road.
Carpenter Bee at Rondeau Provincial Park.
We stayed along the lake until we got to Leamington, then started to head to Windsor. Last year it took us 7 hours to get to Windsor with all our stops, and this year it took us 10 hours. Time flies when you are enjoying the scenery and chasing photographs.
Gold Finch at Rondeau Provincial Park.
One goal when I got to Windsor was to go to Craft Heads Brewery. I've always enjoyed trying different beers, and this craft beer craze has been great for me. I previously did a Google search and came up with this brewery because of the fact they had a chocolate peanut butter beer. Now that was something I had to try. The next thing on the list was to get another picture of the Detroit skyline.
Adult Bald Eagle along the shores of Lake Erie.
Juvenile Bald Eagle along Lake Erie.
We first stopped at Craft Heads Brewery and tried a few different beers. If you get a chance to stop by, be sure to try the Fla'Mango Blonde Ghost Pepper Beer. I've never had anything like it before. Very tasty stuff, just beware of the heat.. I highly recommend this brewery. The next stop was The Loose Goose Restopub for a late supper. This is another place that I recommend. Great food with great service and live entertainment.
Day one coming to an end.
After this it was back to the room to get some pictures of the Detroit Skyline. I was afraid that the pictures would be very similar to last year, but Mother Nature took care of that for me. The fog rolled in and added a fantastic effect to the photographs, so they were not even close to last years'. It made me a very happy camper and was a perfect way to complete our first night. Shortly after it was time for sleep after a long day, because it was going to be another long day on Saturday.
Till next time,
A very foggy Detroit Skyline.