Leader; Fred Jazvac
Participants: Fred Jazvac, James Turland, Marilyn Ohler, Becky Grieveson, Kiah Jasper, Steve Thorpe, Anne Melady, Ralph and Mary-Ann Knowles, Jenny Loggins, Judith King, Bill Kline, Lionel Gould, Alfred Raab, Tom Lobb, Judy Wyatt, Anne Goulden, and Harold Scholz (18)
Thanks to Fred for planning and leading. This was the BBC's second outing of the summer and we visited West Perth and Exeter lagoons. The weather was hot and sunny. West Perth is becoming a 'go to' destination to see shorebirds and there were many other birders. BBC was joined by people from far and wide representing at least three Naturalist Clubs and even a lady from Australia. We saw 10 species of shorebirds. A Black-bellied Plover dropped in for 5 minutes and a Dowitcher preened unnoticed. One Greater Yellowlegs was eventually spotted among the numerous Lesser. Several peeps leaving the lagoons turned out to be White-rumped Sandpipers.
For lunch Anne Melady graciously allowed us the use of her home. She also adorned our meal with some cheese and buttertarts.
In the afternoon the heat and sun continued as we visited the Exeter lagoons. Amongst the flocks of Canada Geese, Cormorants and Mallards a few treasures were seen. The most rare bird of the day being an Eared Grebe found by Alfred Raab. In total we saw 53 species. Following are two ebird checklists from Mitchell and Exeter. The only two birds reported from on route were Kestrel and Red-tailed hawk.
Mitchell Sewage Lagoons (West Perth Wetlands), Perth, Ontario, CA
Aug 16, 2017 10:30 AM - 10:32 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 kilometer(s)
Comments: BBC outing
36 species
Canada Goose 50
Wood Duck 12
Blue-winged Teal 12
Mallard 50
Green-winged Teal 5
Green Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 15
Killdeer 25
White-rumped Sandpiper 5 Seen in flight showing the white rump that makes this peep distiguishable.
Pectoral Sandpiper 15
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Wilson's Snipe 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 35
Ring-billed Gull 1
Mourning Dove 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Warbling Vireo 1
American Crow 3
Barn Swallow 20
Cliff Swallow 3
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Cedar Waxwing 4
Yellow Warbler 1
Song Sparrow 3
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
American Goldfinch 5
Exeter Sewage Lagoons, Huron, Ontario, CA
Aug 16, 2017 1:30 PM - 1:32 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 kilometer(s)
Comments: BBC Outing
31 species (+2 other taxa)
Canada Goose 250
Wood Duck 25
Northern Shoveler 2
Gadwall 3 Similar in size to mallard but have black rump.
Mallard 150
Ruddy Duck 15
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Eared Grebe 1 First noticed by Alfred Rab. Bird is in breeding plumage and is distinguished from a Horned Grebe by its black neck and finer pointed beak.
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 4
Turkey Vulture 20
Bald Eagle 1
Semipalmated Plover 3
Killdeer 30
Baird's Sandpiper 2
Least Sandpiper 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 10
Semipalmated Sandpiper 6
peep sp. 15
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 15
Ring-billed Gull 150
Herring Gull 6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3
Mourning Dove 4
Eastern Kingbird 4
American Crow 3
Barn Swallow 12
swallow sp. 25
European Starling 1
Song Sparrow 3
Red-winged Blackbird 2
House Sparrow 1