WINDING DOWN
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Now that the May holiday weekend has passed, migrant birds are dwindling. There will still be some late birds into June, but the rush has passed. It has been an interesting spring with a very early leaf-out due to record-breaking warm temperatures back in March.
Many birders have remarked that we had to work for the birds this year. It was difficult to see them due to the leaves, so one had to know the songs and calls!
In the last Nature Link I neglected to mention the two Cattle Egrets that were seen at the trailer park south of Morpeth on May 10.
On May 11, a White-faced Ibis was briefly observed at St. Clair NWA. It will perhaps be a first record for Chatham-Kent.
A couple more Summer Tanagers were reported at Rondeau Park. The previous tanager remained for a few days.
May 16 a keen birder observed a female Blue Grosbeak on Rondeau’s South Point Trail. It is not every year we see this southern species at Rondeau.
This past Saturday I observed a young Iceland Gull off the south beach of Rondeau. Every few years we get this northern white-winged gull in May.
It has been a good spring for butterflies with lots of species emerging in the last week alone. Southern immigrants such as Little Yellow still are being found in good numbers.
Photo shows a Hobomok Skipper, a common early skipper.
