Long Point was the chosen destination, situated on the north shore of Lake Eerie a couple of hours from Toronto. It’s less well known here in the UK than Point Pelee, but much quieter and so far more suited to us.
Our home for the week, a great Airb’nb owned by local birder Adam Timpf. It was ideally placed immediately across the street from the Long Point observatory banding area known as Old Cut, and only a couple of hundred years from the State Park camp ground. Adam has kindly stocked the bird feeders and we were immediately greeted with a yard full of Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Blue Jays and, more interestingly Northern Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Red-breasted Nuthatches and our first Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. There were White-crowned, White-throated and Chipping Sparrows, along with a single Dark-eyed Junco, one of only three I saw. Tree swallows were everywhere, which along with Purple Martins, were a constant joy. These species were to be come familiar sights, but that initial rush of arrival is always fun.
It was great to be back seeing birds that feel likeold friends. Of course wewent for a short stroll inthe last hours of daylight, and our first migrants appeared. A smart male Hooded Warbler glowing in fading light in Old Cut was a great start, although my favourite (and surprise) moment was superb views of a displaying American Woodcock doing it’s thing against a backdrop of ‘booming’ American Bitterns. I didn’t tire of either species during our stay.
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