April 21 2024 (Sunday) Hullett Marsh
Leader: Dana Latour, Tony Latour, Quinten Wiegersma.
On the morning of Sunday, April 21, our group met at Bridge Road at Hullett Marsh in Huron County. It was a calm and sunny morning at about 4?C warming to 9?C in the afternoon. We had an incredible turnout of 24 people and we set off just after 8:35am. Before we even left the parking lot, we watched a Sandhill Crane fly over followed by two adult Bald Eagles chasing each other over a nearby treeline. Not long after that, we heard a Virginia Rail and Sora calling followed by a distant American Bittern heard by a few of us. A Pileated Woodpecker flew over the trail after that providing outstanding views. We also had good views of a few different species of ducks with the sun at our backs.
For our next stop of the day, we headed towards Burns Line on the north side of Hullett Marsh. There were some Brown Thrashers on the road and Field Sparrows in nearby sloughs. We walked along a berm to get a closer look at a group of distant diving ducks further down the path. We also had a distant view of a Great Egret flying over the marsh, and flushed a couple Wilson?s Snipe from the water?s edge. After walking further down the berm, we got good looks at Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads, and some Lesser Scaup. This was where we had the most exciting find of the day; a beautiful male Eurasian Wigeon! Initially, the views were backlit as the bird flew over the marsh but we caught up with it later and had much better views through the scope before it disappeared behind some cattails. This bird was a lifer for many of our hike participants and certainly got some heart rates up!
After that, we had a quick bathroom break at a viewing stand where flyover Common Ravens were a new addition to the day list. They offered decent views as they were being harassed by some crows.
The last stop of the day was along Conservation Line on the northwest side of Hullett Marsh. We were lucky to run into Duane Inkpen, the chairman of the Hullett Marsh board of directors. He told us all about the conservation practices at Hullett Marsh and some of the history of the place as well. As we continued on our outing, we saw several Yellow-rumped Warblers, fleeting views of a Palm Warbler, and even a distant swan which was tentatively identified as a Tundra Swan. Heading back to the parking lot, we saw a female Eastern Towhee and a couple of Hermit Thrushes in the underbrush.
All in all, we finished the day with a whopping 81 species including many new birds for the year and even a lifer or two for some participants!
Dana Latour
April 3 2024 (Wednesday) Long Point
Leader: Stewart MacDonald.
OFO - Ontario Field Ornithologists April 3 2024 7 very dedicated birders accompanied Outing Leader Stewart MacDonald on this day. The conditions for birding were difficult, with persistent high winds and rain throughout the morning. However, we were rewarded with some good sightings on this day, as the weather did not prevent the group from enjoying the outdoors! 45 Species of birds were sighted by the group, including 17 Waterfowl Species. However, songbird sightings were limited as many of the more common species that we would have expected to see, were hunkered down. Even the Bird Banding at Old Cut Observatory was limited for the day. We started the outing at the Headquarters of Birds Canada, and observed a number of species in the Pond, most notably Hooded Mergansers (3 females) and several pairs of Ring-Necked Ducks and Gadwall. We then drove west along Lakeshore Road and stopped at the Lee Brown Wildlife Area, to observe other Waterfowl Species. Continuing from there, we spotted a Northern Harrier, and 2 Bald Eagles at an active nest. We were unable to spot any large groups of sandhill Cranes, but we came across a pair of Cranes engaged in a Courtship Dance which thrilled the group! Driving down the Causeway, we stopped twice to view Waterfowl at the Platforms on the Causeway, but the high winds had driven many of the ducks in Long Point Bay to shelter. However, 4 Long-Tailed Ducks were a pleasant surprise as they flew close to us. Continuing towards the Old Cut Observatory, we stopped a few times to observe Waterfowl and also walked on the Long Point Trail. Good sightings of Green-Winged Teal, Northern Shovellers and Northern Pintails provided excellent views for the group. Arriving at the Parking Lot at Old Cut, we observed a Bald Eagle on an active nest, at fairly close range. Walking around the Old Cut Woods and into Long Point Provincial Park, Songbird sightings were limited due to the weather, although some Eastern Phoebes entertained us with their persistent tail bobbing. I would like to thank the 7 participants for their enthusiasm and endurance in the poor weather conditions and I believe we all enjoyed the day! Thankyou to Norman Franke for sending his photos.
