Great Day of Birding and my first Bird Hike

Yellow Corydalis. The length of the flower is not even the length of my pinky fingernail. This uncommon wildflower was growing in amongst Prickly Pear Cactus on the Redbud Trail. While getting this photo I accidentally brushed my arm through the cactus. Needless to say the long sleeved shirt I had on came off. Photo by Marianne Balkwill.

Looking at Nexrad this morning at 5:30 am indicated quite a bit of bird migration. When I got to the park it was very clear that the southwest winds brought in migrants.

At the tip there was a Laughing Gull. I didn't get the greatest look at it, but it looked pretty much to be a full adult. There was also a little bit of a reverse migration at the tip that included Orioles, and warblers. Flocks of Boniparte's Gulls were also flying north to south on the East side.

I walked a little ways up the west beach, followed by the main road. I then heard a distant "weeta weeta wee-teoo". After waiting patiently I saw a beautiful male Hooded Warbler.

I later went to the north end of the park. Parking at the Marsh Boardwalk and walking up the road north to the entrance to Northwest beach and back again I saw the following species:

Yellow Warbler (lots!)
Hooded Warbler (1 male)
Black-throated green Warbler (2 males)
Northern Parula (1 male)
Yellow-throated Vireo (1 male)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (1 male)
Wilson's Warbler (1 male)
Red-eyed Vireo (1)
Warbling Viero (2)
Black-and-white Warbler (2)
Common Yellowthroat (2)
Blackburnian Warbler (1)
Palm Warbler (1)
Nashville Warbler (1)
Tennessee Warbler (1 male)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (3)
Ruby-crowed Kinglet (2)
..plus Balitmore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, Eastern Kingbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue-grey Gnatcatchers.

Just after lunch I went birding with "the gang" in Tilden Woods Trail. VERY nice selection of birds in there including:

Summer Tanager (my first ever full adult male for Ontario!)
Scarlet Tanager (female)
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Wild Turkey
Along with some Warblers that I haven't previously seen that day such as:
Bay-breasted Warbler (male)
Golden-winged Warbler (female)
Magnolia Warbler (3 males)
Blue-winged Warbler (male)

A Yellow-breasted Chat was also seen, but I never saw it in time.

I also lead my first birding hikes for the Friends of Point Pelee. Today it was a twilight hike. Unfortunately, thunderstorms in the area limited us to only doing a portion of the Delaurier Trail. I did see my first Scarlet Tanager male, along with a Clay-coloured Sparrow that was in the parking lot with White-crowned Sparrows. We actually got through the whole two hours of the hike, but as soon as we saw our first aerial display of the American Woodcock, a big bolt of lightening flashed and the hike was instantly over!

Tomorrow I'm birding with my mom again! Should be fun!