Odyssey to Lake Huron

Lake Huron trip report

 The last two weeks of May is a very exciting time.  Most of the migrating birds have returned and birds are starting to claim their territory.  Wildlife is getting more active and baby making is the priority for them.  I live in the Lake Huron watershed and greatly enjoy birding my local hotspots and my patch.  Lake Huron is a critical bird migration corridor because its expansive shorelines and islands act as an ecological funnel. This provides much needed shelter and food on their migration south,  This is also the time that the Huron Fringe Birding Festival happens in Bruce county based out of MacGregor Point PP close to Port Elgin.  Last year I came for the first time for one day.  This year I came on two different days.  I had registered for Kiah J. full day outing for the first Saturday, but it was 100% chance of heavy rain, so I asked if I could switch, which I did to Thursday at the Kincardine Sewage Lagoons with James Turland.  My first day was Monday with Jeremy B. Both events were awesome!

The guides and volunteers put on a great festival, everything is so organized.  Mother Nature cooperated for me on the days that I went with clear cool weather.  

Birders come from all over the province and even the country and the U.S. for this preeminent festival.  Some of the best guides in the province lead us and it is always a good time.  MacGregor Point PP is renowned for having a complex ecosystem that blends southern deciduous and northern boreal habitats, featuring ancient shorelines, coastal wetlands, fens and rare tundra like expanses. The park sits in the 'Huron Fringe' where northern species like Black Spruce and Tamarack intermingle with southern hardwood forests.  Cedar lowlands dominate the swampy interior.  If you get the chance to visit this area, I would highly recommend it, its one of my favourite places.  

At the sewage lagoons we were treated to some good looks at a pair of Scarlet Tanagers, a very charismatic Chestnut Sided Warbler and  a sweet Red Bellied Woodpecker peeking out of her nest.

Birding there was great, but unfortunately I followed the ebird directions and ended up down Saratoga which is little more than a footpath that leads to the intersections of the paths.  I hesitantly drove down the 1 lane path and hoped nobody was coming the opposite way.  I called the EC Stephanie and she gave me the correct map, which is the parking lot where the Dog Park is, much better, more parking and flush toilets!  James is gong to try and change the pin.  

On the tower trail that I hiked on my own I had an audience with a lovely Common Yellowthroat, a Yellow Rumped Warbler made a surprise appearance as a casual group exclaimed as he perched in a tree on the VC boardwalk.  A sweet Baltimore Oriole was seen foraging in the trees at the lagoons as well as a well dressed Olive Sided Flycatcher!

As we began our tour on Monday we watched a lovely Veery build her nest close to the ground and then gave us all good looks as she walked around.  The chickadees are still coming around if you have nuts in your hand!  We watched as an Osprey sat on her nest in Oliphant, as well as an Eastern Kingbird seemed to be building a nest in a hollowed out dead tree.

The birding was epic as always, I was able to get 109 species over two days.  On Monday Jeremy got wind that there was a Connecticut warbler at one of the campsites near the VC.  We were able to walk there and we all heard the bird.  This particular warbler is very skulky and  when we knew the general area, we all 'planted our feet' and stood there to see if we could catch a glimpse, with a respectful distance.  As we watched our guide was able to detect an American Woodcock in the same patch, a bird that is difficult to see as it is so well camouflaged and tends to be more nocturnal and rest in the daytime. We were all able to hear the bird, some got to see it as it popped his head out (I did not) but saw rustling vegetation, which is good enough for me!

There are always some bloopers as I try to capture images.  The top photo is a shy Black Billed Cuckoo sat so still as we all got good looks at his back.  What we think is an Eastern warbling vireo foraging in the treetops, a female Redstart playing peekaboo and a too late shot of a Great Crested Flycatcher as it took off from its perch.

Sometimes its challenging not to cut off heads of my subjects.  This Veery was also ready to move as I clicked the shutter button, cutting off the heads of a Grey Catbird and Red Eyed Vireo (that would have been a decent photo if not for the branch!), the tail end of the above mentioned Great Crested flycatcher, an out of focus Red Eyed vireo and another Redstart that didn't have the patience to wait!  Oh well, its all fun and good practice for me.

So much amazing botany in the this part of the province!

I was so happy that Jeremy took us to Oliphant and the famous Fen.  My first love is botany and I'm very familiar with Alvar plants and have a keen interest in Bog and Fens, very unique habitat!  We got some looks at Slender leaved Sundew,  Sandcherry, Wood Betony, Fringed Polygala, Yellow Lady's slipper and Painted Cup. 

Common Silverweed, Dwarf lake Iris, Partridge Berry and Pitcher Plant (at the Fen)

Every time I come to this awesome part of the province, just 2 hours north of me, I get more and more inspired to explore it further.  There is such a diversity of field trips, from full day 'Go Hard' Big Day birding with Kiah to a more casual social 'Big Sit ' with Marshall.  I find I can't comfortably do 2 big days in a row, especially if I'm driving there and back.  My dream is to spend the weekend or more at the festival, then I can really "go hard" , though it is just as enjoyable to explore the park and area on my own, chatting with old and new birding buddies and having the birds come to me, as James would say.