This years Christmas Bird Count will be on Tuesday, December 26th.
Our club has participated in this citizen science project since it was created in 1950.
Last year we had 14,525 birds with 82 species. There will be no potluck after the days count.
If you would like to participate email asharpe@outlook.com
Our day to raise funds for Birds Canada under the umbrella of Birds Canada Birdathon
(birding for conservation) will take place the same day as “Global Big Day” on Saturday, May 13th.
To participate we will meet at intersection of Kent Bridge Rd (15) and Rose Beach Line (17) at the mailboxes at 9 a.m.
In the morning we will walk around Bates Dr to Pike St and back via Rose Beach Line, approx 2 km.
Vehicle admission to Rondeau PP is $14.50 for seniors and $18 regular. We will stop at the rest rooms just inside the park and hopefully walk around the maintenance area. We will then go to the visitor centre for lunch. Pack your lunch because Rondeau does not have a large variety of food on offer.
We will base the afternoon walks on information we learn at the visitor centre. Everyone who wants are invited to Rondeau Joe’s, just outside the park for supper. Time and health considered we may be able to take in Keith McLean CA after supper.
This day’s adventure is to raise funds for Birds Canada and a portion comes back to our club. To make a donation please go to our fundraising page at: https://www.canadahelps.org/s/nB5yJV
If unable to donate online please see either Al Hurst or Al Sharpe to make sure your donation makes its way to Birds Canada. A sign up sheet will be at the May meeting.
Hope you can make it out for this great day of birding.
Al Hurst & Al Sharpe
This years GBBC is on Friday Feb 17th to Monday Feb 20.
Last year we had 63 species reported in Elgin. Hoping to better that this year.
I will be leading people on Saturday the 18th at 10 am at Yarmouth NHA at
47502 Sparta Line. We will go around Herb Kebbel Wetland and along Catfish Creek.
Sunday will have Ron’s walk at Fingal WMA at 1:30 pm, 34469 Fingal Line.
Attached is info on the GBBC.
Hope to see you out for one or both walks.
Al Sharpe
Hello folks I bet you thought I had forgot about that great day several weeks ago. Well maybe I did. The weather was pretty good at 10 degrees and windy, thanks Brenda for the reminder.
There were a total of 136 species reported for the day. List of birds is attached. Eva Visscher had the best bird with a Hooded Warbler. There were many others, the Common Gallinule are still being seen at Yarmouth NHA, spotted by Reuven Martin and others.
Reuven also saw a Ruffed Grouse (reported 2 years ago by Paul Nicholson at Hawk Cliff), Swamp Sparrow, Northern Waterthrush and Pine Siskin at Port Burwell Provincial Park.
Eva Visscher and Al Hurst both saw Northern Parula. Eva also saw Black-throated Green Warbler, Blue-headed and Warbling Vireo, Vesper Sparrow and Swainson’s Thrush. Al Hurst had Great Horned Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Eastern Meadowlark. Al has been my mentor for many years and greatly appreciated everything he has taught me. There are many members in the club who are willing to help people new to the natural marvels of Elgin County.
Newest club member Aaron Kuntz got the Wood Duck. Lucas Foerster added Red-breasted Merganser and Cliff Swallows. The Spicer Family and friends reported Sora, American Coot, Pileated Woodpecker, Bobolink, Black-and-white Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler and seven duck species.
Bob Johnston and Cary Graham also got the Cliff Swallow, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Beth Ann Connors from Port Stanley reported the Orchard Oriole. Sandra Leys got Purple Martins and a Marsh Wren at the sewage lagoons in Rodney.
Raymond Roth reported a Ovenbird and Hooded Mergansers (missed on list) at Yarmouth NHA.
Anita Caveney got a Purple Finch at MeadowWoods Nature Preserve (this 105 acre property was donated to Thames Talbot Land Trust by Anita and Stan last fall – Awesome).
Su Redmond reported Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron and sadly 4 freshly and tragically deceased Purple Martins across road from East viewing stand at Port Stanley lagoons.
To date we have raised $475 for Birds Canada and province wide $122,127 has been raised towards their goal of $200,000. Thank you to all who have donated and reminder donations will be greatfully accepted until Dec 31st.
This year we had a total of 17 different Warblers vs 23 last year, really a nice list considering there did not seem to be a fall out day this spring. This year was also 8 days earlier than last year, so really great results.
I would like to thank everyone who took the time to send me their lists and the sightings reported on eBird. The grand total was 136 species seen this year compared to 144 last year.
Hoping we will all be able to get together, possibly in July at Pinafore Park. Fingers crossed.
Enjoy the warm weather and great birding;
Al Sharpe
The St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club date for The Great Canadian Birdathon is May 12th. We will meet at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Rose Beach Line and Kent Bridge Rd, just outside of Rondeau Provincial Park. We will walk along Bates Dr to Pike St, back to vehicles via Rose Beach Line. We will then head into the park. Lunch will be at the Visitors Centre and those that wish can join us at Rondeau Joe’s for supper. For more info or to sponsor the club please phone Al Hurst 519-633-4235. All the money raised goes to bird conservation in Canada, a portion goes to Bird Studies Canada and a portion to St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club. Hope to see you there.
The Tundra Swans have arrived at Aylmer Wildlife Management Area, part of their initial staging area. They are currently averaging about 1000 Swans a day.
The Elgin Stewardship Council was formed in 1997 and has been looking after the area since then and feeds the swans 23 to 25 bushels of shelled corn every day about 9 a.m. There are volunteers each day from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to answer any questions.
The Tundra’s spend almost a third of the year going from their wintering grounds around Chesapeake Bay and North Carolina to their nesting areas on the West coast of Hudson Bay, Central High arctic or the Mackenzie Delta, up to a 6000 kilometer journey.
Aylmer WMA has 4 viewing stands, 2 of which are open and 2 which are enclosed (1 wheelchair accessible). This area has been declared a globally Important Bird Area and the ponds a Provincially Significant Wetland. Aylmer WMA is perhaps the best place in North America to see Tundra Swans up close.
Aylmer WMA was originally #14 Service Flying Training School RCAF until 1961.
The Aylmer-Malahide Museum offer a Tundra Swan Line you can call and find out how many Tundra Swans are at Aylmer WMA on that day, call 519-773-SWAN(7926).
To get to Aylmer WMA via GPS use 10594 Hacienda Rd, Aylmer, ON.
The weather on Saturdays was wet to say the least. Last Sunday saw about 150 people attend the Raptor Bander and Monarch Watch demonstrations. This year saw the addition of a parking lot on the recently acquired Hawk Cliff Woods property by Thames Talbot Land Trust.
The trust had a large tent set up for the talks, which really worked well for the rainy days.
The Land Trust will be having their dedication and official opening of Hawk Cliff Woods at 12:30 on Sept 19th. All are welcome.
This book has 44 colour plates of birds and their nests in Elgin, many photos with chicks taken by Ron Kingswood and William Rayner. There are 335 species reported as of writing of this book in Elgin and the book covers each bird over the 100 years, including Frank Farley’s observations in 1891 and Ron Broomans second edition in 1954. Each report has interesting tidbits about that bird as seen in the county. There are over 40 pages of Christmas Bird Count statistics for the two county nature clubs in existence at time of writing. Sketches of birds by our local artists including Candy McManiman, Pat Hartwell McLean and Diane Dobson.
There are a limited number of the 2004 book Birds of Elgin County A Century of Change still available
They are $25 for hard cover and $10 for soft cover. They can be picked up at any of the club meetings while supplies last. Shipping in Ontario will add $15 to the cost of either book. To purchase email asharpe@outlook.com
The book was written and compiled by the naturalists of Elgin County.
The day started early with coffee for the road from Tim’s. A quick stop at the Port Stanley lagoons logged Dunlin, Pied-billed Grebe, Northern Shoveler and Ruddy Duck. By the time we left the bobolink field on highway 3 we had over 30 species including the Bobolink and Savannah Sparrow.
At the out skirts of Rondeau it was extremely windy and people started to arrive. Due to the winds it was decided to start inside the park and headed for visitor centre. We were not even to the first bridge at Tulip trail when Ron Ridout heard a Canada Warbler, we were unable to see that one but there was more to see. The Prothonotary was putting on a great show at post 7 and seemed to be nesting in a box at water level. Everyone got to see and photograph it. The Swainson’s and Wood Thrush were seen there.
After lunch everyone headed out to South Point Trail and everyone got to see a Whip-poor-will in a bush about 8 feet above the ground. It seemed to not be concerned about the people. Ron Kingswood spotted a Yellow-throated Warbler with its distinctive lemon yellow throat and black border moving slowly along a branch. Many in the group got to see it. Jackie spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker. On the way out of this trail Eva spotted a Lincoln Sparrow.
We made several trips to the visitor centre and the Pine Siskin and White-crowned Sparrows that were at the feeders earlier in the day never showed for our group, but we did get the Ruby-throated Hummingbird there. We had Bob, Hugh, Dave and Melanie join us for the first time and hope they all enjoyed the remarkable day of birding with 22 different warblers seen. Total count for day was 96 species. Thanks to all who supported us this year.
Nine members from our club finished the day off by going to the 70th anniversary dinner for the West Elgin Nature Club in Rodney. The food and fellowship was great and George Prieksaitis gave a nice roundup of the clubs many events over the years. Paul Nichelson was the guest speaker and gave a funny roundup of the different versions of birders over the years. Kudos to all the volunteers who made there anniversary dinner such a success.
Once again Al Sharpe and Al Hurst are doing the birdathon for the club. This is a fundraiser for Bird Studies Canada with a portion of donations coming back to the STFN. This has been traditionally a club outing to Rondeau Provincial Park. Those wishing to join can meet us outside the park at 9 am, the corner of Rose Beach Line and Kent Bridge Road.
We will do a walk around the block that takes about 1- 1.5 hrs. This is not a hike. We are looking for birds trying to spot as many species as possible so the pace is leisurely with lots of opportunity to socialize and a great opportunity to pick up bird ID tips. After this walk we go into the park ( there is a park fee ) with some of the group breaking off and going their own way.
Al and I try to hit a trail or two before going to the visitor centre for our picnic lunch. After lunch more trails and possibly a sidetrip to the Blenheim Lagoons for shore birds. Which trail is usually decided after talking to other birders to find out where the birds are. Often the hot trail yesterday is quiet today but we try to walk at least most of the trails in the park.
In the past we have had supper at Rondeau Joes just outside the park but this year Al and I will be attending West Elgin Nature Clubs 70th Anniversary dinner at the Rodney Legion. Guest speaker is Paul Nicholson who writes a column for the London Free Press on nature for Saturday’s edition. Doors open at 5:30 pm dinner at 6 pm, you must have tickets ahead. This is a fun day so come alone or fill your car, pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the spring migration. Donations will be collected at the May meeting and even on the day. Tax receipt will be issued by BSC.
Any questions please call my cell 519 494 8396
Al Hurst
