Rounding out my year list

    The further into June and July we get the more slack in our new birds we can see as a community. It's time for the breeding birds to get some recognition and for those of us still birding to find those vagrants that show up or the breeding birds you've missed so far. 

    With the amount of time I've missed for posts I am going to break down this post bird by bird rather than explain the more mundane and day-to-day regularity that our reality has stepped into. 

Upland Sandpiper and Bobolink (13-Jun-2020)

    This was a bird I knew was there but for some reason put off seeing. I love weird shorebirds like Whimbrel and Wilson's Snipe so for me Upland Sandpiper is an amazing bird to find with one of the weirdest calls you could ever think of.. (you can find a recording here.). I met with fellow Pipit Laurie Stacey to find these interesting grassland bird in Grimsby Ontario. 

    From the minute I got there I could see why the birds like the area. Lots of hay fields surrounded the area and about a dozen posts for them to sit on in the far back of the field. This is a different kind of birding than most people are going to be used to.  Parked along the road with my scope set up to find a large shorebird in the middle of a field. Just a different experience and one that was completely worth it! 
    Within minutes we found 3 individuals and they were all in the same area. They sat about 3 ft apart (not following social distancing rules apparently..) but sitting so still and just letting the two of us try to attempt for picture which was not easy with how far back these birds were. 
    Once the Sandpipers started to move down onto the ground and disappearing we started to look around for other birds including a weird spot for Warbling Vireo calling behind me and of course the Killdeer calling from the field in front of us. But the birds that stole my sight were the 2 male Bobolink on the fence of the same field as the Uplands. Bobolink are always a blessing to see. They have moved to the watch list for concerned birds in their population declining due to habitat loss and we need to watch these birds and make sure their habitat is not taken down before their nesting is finished. 

Mourning Warbler...FINALLY (13-Jun-2020)

    Back to Dundas Valley. This is one of my new favourite spots to bird around the Hamilton area. Thick mature forest makes a great place for Cuckoo both Black-billed and Yellow-billed and Pileated Woodpeckers! This time I came with Liam, he met me at the parking lot and took off towards where the Mourning Warbler were last reported. Down the trail we could hear Flicker and Great Crested Flycatcher calling from the trees above us. We followed the trail to where the Mourning Warbler last was spotted. We listened closely and stood dead still... "CHEWY CHEWY CHEWY" there is was! loud and proud singing for us! Finally! 28 species of warbler for the year! 

Black Tern and Black-crowned Night-Heron (16-Jun-2020) 

    This is the time birders wait for, a rarity was found, and a lifer for me. Black Tern reported at Windermere Basin in Hamilton. I took off after work hoping to find the bird that I missed earlier this year. The basin was packed to the brim with Terns, Common and Caspian mostly but there was a single Black out there I could feel it. Scanning scanning scanning, nothing... Bird flying over! Black-crowned Night-Heron! Not the bird I was hoping for but still new for the year. A Juvenile, brown and streaky it was a pleasure to find! 

    Still searching, scanning the back edge of the basin. By now a couple of other birders have showed up doing a birdathon. Now there are 4 of us looking for it, a bird that would make anyone's day. Then someone yelled, "I found it!" He described where he seen it and I finally got my eyes on it! At the very back of the basin was a small black bird with silvery-gray wings! That's it! LIFER!

Chimney Swift (17-Jun-2020) 

    Today was a relaxation day from the hustle and bustle of travelling everywhere. So, I decided to take a walk around town with my girlfriand. She's not a birder but is very suppostive of my hobbies and likes to tag along with me.

    We walked around and I found the typical birds, Chipping Sparrow, American Robin, and of course House Sparrow. The breeze kept us from overheating, the closer we got to the river the nicer it got out and the list expanded, Tree Swallow, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon. Then I look up, I see a small thin bird with long pointed wings; Chimney Swift! This was a weird time to get a FOY Chimney Swift as I usually get them in the spring at Ruthven but since Ruthven is closed it's not been a good year for me finding them. These birds are typically described as a cigar in the sky. Pretty great bird to find! 

Black-billed Cuckoo (20-Jun-2020) 

   Back to Dundas Valley. This is definitely one of the most interesting places to bird around this area for breeding birds like Hooded Warbler, Mourning Warbler and both species of Cuckoo, which is what I was hoping for. 

    Started out the normal route, hearing Mourning and Yellow Warblers. Walking down the Hilltop Trail I hear a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling from deep into the bush calling loud. Keeping down the path I could hear lots of Eastern Towhee and Blue-winged Warbler. This is pretty typicl for this area. 

    Next was the Headwaters Trail. This is the spot where the Hooded Warbler are very common, and always a Common Yellowthroat singing at the entrance. Walking down the trail I hear something "ko ko ko...ko ko ko...ko ko ko". Black-billed Cuckoo! It was a ways away but definitely still great to hear! 

Wilson's Phalarope (22-Jun-2020) 

    Yet another rarity at Windermere Basin! This has been a crazy good spot this summer! Liam and I both needed this bird on both our year and life lists. 

    Once I got to the Basin I waited for Liam and then headed out to the lookout. Scope out and looking around the back of the basin. Scoping around and then I found a shorebird with its tail in the air and its head towards the ground. A little bit of rust colour around the neck. That was it! Wilson's Phalarope! We both sat and watched the bird for about 40 minutes and it was such a cool bird! If anyone has a chance to go see one I totally suggest it!

These birds have put my year list to 216 species in Ontario. Lots of cool birds around for sure! Hoping everyone a great time birding and hopefully some new birds! 

These Hooded Warblers are definitely a highlight of Dundas Valley!

Lots of Eastern Towhee around, this male was singing loud and proud for me!

Upland Sandpiper breed in fields around southern Ontario and are found commonly in Carden Alvar but I've been able to find a few around including the ones in Grimsby! 

Mourning Warbler are loud signing breeding Warblers and by far are one of my favourites to watch in the lower branches and thick bushes!