Monday, June 8, 2009

Andrew Haydon & Shirley’s Bay with Tony Beck

Thursday May 21, 7:30 am

Today there was a new face, Gabriella, along with regulars Helena, Russell, Rick & me plus Tony.
After checking the gulls, we quickly departed for Shirley’s Bay. At the parking area, we had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Phoebe, male and female American Redstart, Baltimore Oriole, Song Sparrow and Brown-headed Cowbird. Hiking along the road towards the trail, we had a pair of Black and White Warblers.
Shortly into the trail, Rick spotted a Wilson’s Warbler. We also had a Veery, and close encounters with a Red-eyed Vireo and Black-billed Cuckoo. Tony played the magic machine, and drew in a Chestnut–sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Eastern Wood Peewee and Red-breasted Nuthatch. As we approached the dyke, we heard female Wood Ducks taking flight. The magic machine drew in a Yellow-rumped Warbler, Warbling Vireo, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker. We also heard a Pileated Woodpecker.
Tony could hear a Blackpoll Warbler, but despite a lot of trying, it would not come in. But we did have a quick visit from a Northern Water Thrush.
Out on Shirley’s Bay, we spied a Greater Scaup and heard a Pied-billed Grebe.
To finish the morning, we left to check out shorebirds at the Twin Elm dead end at Cambrian Road. We saw a Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Least Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and Semi-palmated Plovers. On the way back, we stopped briefly at Burnside pit. It was quiet there, with only a Double-crested Cormorant and Common Tern. A Savannah Sparrow landed on the pile of dirt in the foreground. Common visitors were an American Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbird and lots of Bank Swallows.

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