Point Pelee 12/05/26

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There were good numbers of waders at the tip at 6:30, especially Turnstones, plus a feeding flock of gulls and terns just offshore. An adult Bald Eagle sat on the beach at the far end.

Migrant passerines were generally low in numbers in the adjacent woodland. However, one of the birds that I watched particularly caught my attention as it sported an obvious white eyering and a bluish-grey head. Add to that two white wing-bars, yellowish flanks, and a white belly, all the id features for Blue-headed Vireo. Unfortunately the bird mainly stayed high up in trees, unlike a nearby Black-throated Blue Warbler which was seen at ground level.

Later I made another visit to Delaurier Homestead where the Green Heron was seen at close range, and Common Yellowthroat were more obliging than they usually are. Whilst there I learnt that an Ash-throated Flycatcher was still present near the Dunes, so I left the homestead sooner than planned.

The area for the flycatcher was a 15 minute walk along a permissive path north of Dunes where about half a dozen people were present when I got there. The bird apparently hadn't been seen for half an hour, however, within five minutes someone found it 100 metres further up the path, and then it was visible on and off for the next quarter of an hour. More people arrived, some of them 'toggers' whose behaviour left a lot to be desired, trying to get too close to the bird or in other ways showing no fieldcraft. This was the first spring record for the species at PP, and needless to say a new bird for me.

On the walk back I found a female Scarlet Tanager and a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Later, after leaving PP I drove via Wheatley and found a huge field, as yet unplanted, that held in the region of 400 Grey Plovers. Most were in immaculate summer plumage, making a mockery of the English name for the plovers. Small numbers of Killdeer were also seen.

Bald Eagle at the tip

Feeding flock of terns and gulls at the tip

Blue-headed Vireo 

Blue-headed Vireo 




Black-throated Blue Warbler 

Green Heron 

Common Yellowthroat 

House Wren


Nashville Warbler 


Ash-throated Flycatcher 



Eastern Kingbird

Scarlet Tanager female 


Rose-breasted Grosbeak 

Grey Plover



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