OFO Trip to Westmeath and Lake Doré with Mark Gawn

October 6, 2019

We decided to go on this trip as it would be our best bet to see Nelson’s Sparrow.  We went a few years back and also tried Algonquin Park’s Lake Travers, all without success.

We arrived at our meeting place, The Civitan Park in Cobden, at about 7:45 am.  It looked like nobody else was coming, but several were down at the boat launch area with Mark, and drove in right at 8 am.

Mark said since it was calm, we would go to Lake Doré first, then Pembroke Marina, and finally Westmeath after lunch.  Although this made good sense, we were disappointed not to be going to Westmeath for Nelson’s in the morning when we would have our best chance.

On the way to Melissa Bishop Park on Lake Doré, we passed a perched Red-tailed hawk.  As we entered the parking area, we saw a flock of small birds fly up.  The group investigated and found them all to be Chipping Sparrows.

We scoped the water and found, as usual, the birds were very distant.  Mark could make out a few Red-necked Grebes in a large raft of Common Loons.  Close by, we saw a couple of Common Mergansers with a Common Goldeneye and a swimming Beaver near the mouth of the outlet to the Snake River.

We moved down the lake to two spots on Point Church Road, where the rafts of loons were slightly closer.  Barbara walked the road and chased up a few Yellow-rumped Warblers for our list.

Our next stop was the Pembroke Marina for gulls and ducks.  The former were all Ring-billed and the latter gave us a smattering of Malllards, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teals and a single Redhead in an odd plumage.

We drove down the road to McDonalds where we experienced the slowest service on record.  After lunch we headed for Westmeath Provincial Park via Beachburg and Westmeath Roads.  Mark pulled over then made a U-turn to look at a bunch of gulls.  There was nothing unusual, but while there, a Peregrine Falcon flew in and landed on a rock and a Bald Eagle did a fly-by.  No wonder the gulls were excited!

We finally joined the rest of the group at Sand Point Rd and Greatview Trail where we parked and hiked into the park.  Near the vehicles, we spotted an Elusive Clubtail dragonfly, a very rare species.

We split into two groups, one going by the water and the other by the edge of the forest.  Neither group saw any birds – a complete bust.  Disappointed and sore, we made our way back to the cars.  We could see the devastating results of the spring flooding where the water had been perhaps 20 ft higher.

Always the optimist, Mark suggested we carry on to Westmeath and take Gore Line and Hawthorne Rd where Sandhill Carnes are sometimes seen.  And see them we did!  A couple of moderate flocks on Hawthorne, and a huge flock when we turned onto La Passe Rd.  Mark count them- 424!

What a way to end the trip!  We decided to follow Mark back to Cobden as we want to check out the boat launch and he wanted to buy some beer at Whitewater Brewery.  He was successful, but we were not, unless you count some distant Bonaparte Gulls.  Great trip!