Monday, 16 September 2019

Fall Birding and Curlew Sandpiper!

I have managed to get out recently to do the odd bit of fall bird watching.  Last weekend I was down in the Pelee area and had a great time birding 'the point' where we saw 19 species of warbler on the Sunday morning along with lots of other goodies!

Sanderling

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Monarch

Common Buckeye
One of the highlights so far this fall for me was seeing a Curlew Sandpiper at Bellwood Lake near Fergus! This bird was originally found yesterday by Mike Cadman and crew and refound by the busy Wellington/Dufferin birder Dan MacNeal today!  After work I zipped over and saw it immediately, foraging on an island, not far from shore.  Water levels are way down (due to the fall draw down in the reservoir) and there is excellent shorebird habitat everywhere.  I plan on getting out soon in my kayak to check out some other spots!

Curlew Sandpiper is a new bird for both my 'life' and Ontario lists.  Note the long dropping beak!





Other shorebirds included this Greater Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs