Embedded Files
Leaders; James and Simon Turland
Participants; Anne-Marie Benedict, Bob Taylor, Bruce Edmunds, Carole Lupton, Cathe McIntosh, Cathy Bailey, Connie Plante, Fred Jazvac, Gayle Schaus, Heather Drane, James Turland, Janice Gibson, Jenny Halpin, Jim Duncan, Judy Duncan, Liz Addison, Lynn Beaton, Margaret Anderton, Marilyn Ohler, Marshall Byle, Norma Nanni, Pat Sein, Rod Sein, Shelley Grant, Simon Turland, Susan Weaver
This hike was changed last minute from Grand Bend to Kincardine because of a lack of Swans. This mild winter caused the swans, blackbirds and others to arrive early. In fact all three swan species have been seen in Bruce County this winter. We found the target bird, Tundra Swans at both Kincardine and Ripley Lagoons
At Kincardine McDonalds we set up carpools and arrived at the Kincardine Lagoons about 9:00. It was cool and overcast. Flocks of ducks and sparrows from the day before were missing. A pair of Wood Ducks provided a first of year (FOY) for many and two fly by flocks of Tundra Swans captured our target bird for the day. We visited Gedes Park in downtown Kincardine and saw Canada Geese contesting for nesting territories. At Boiler beach several gull species including a Thayer's were photographed. All the while a FOY Killdeer was hidden along the shore. Many FOY birds arrived in Bruce this week somewhat earlier than most years.
ICELAND GULL (THAYERS)
We had soup at James and Becky's. Then a couple of short hikes at Lurgan and Point Clark where we saw a Kingfisher. At our last stop of the day at the Ripley lagoons where we saw many Common Mergansers. Mergansers are plentiful here because two of the cells are populated with fish. More Tundra Swans greeted us here with a couple of flyovers. Two Meadowlarks intermittently popped up and disappeared in the short grass. At departure the sky was full of hundreds of circling waterfowl including one hard to spot Snow Goose. All told we saw 39 species. Following is a complete list and also a link to eBird trip Report prepared by Marilyn Ohler. Photos are courtesy of Bruce Edmunds.
The yellow in the lores confirms this is a Tundra Swan.
Kincardine Area, Bruce, Ontario, CA
Mar 6, 2024 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
20.0 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: BBC Outing James and Simon Leading
39 species
Canada Goose X
Tundra Swan X
Wood Duck X
American Wigeon X
Mallard X
American Black Duck X
Green-winged Teal X
Ring-necked Duck X
Lesser Scaup X
Bufflehead X
Common Goldeneye X
Common Merganser X
Red-breasted Merganser X
Mourning Dove X
Killdeer X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Iceland Gull X
Belted Kingfisher X
Red-bellied Woodpecker X
Downy Woodpecker X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Common Raven X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
European Starling X
American Robin X
House Sparrow X
House Finch X
American Goldfinch X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Song Sparrow X
Eastern Meadowlark X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Common Grackle X
Northern Cardinal X
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