GREAT LAKES
In May 2011 Brian and Pat Wetton joined a Birdfinders tour lead by Dave Milsom to Point Pelee and Michigan. Dave proved an excellent leader and the group enjoyed good birding and fun combined. Other participants were Mike Ambler, Michael Jeeves, Neil Robertson, John and Sue Rowe, Jason Smart, Perry Smale and Neil Westwater. Brian recorded 224 species of birds.
Itinerary:
8th May Gatwick to Toronto (with Transat) & onwards via Woodstock (WS) to Kingsville
9th May Point Pelee (PP) including Tip, Woodland Trail, Tilden Wood, NW Beach & Sanctuary Wood
10th May Rondeau (RD) inc. Bennett & Harrison Ave. & Spice Bush Trail and Blenheim (BL) Sewage Works
11th May Point Pelee ( Tip, Black Willow, Marsh Boardwalk, NW Beach & Sanctuary) & Wheatley (WH)
12th May Point Pelee (Tip, Post Wood, Sparrow Field, Tilden Wood, DeLaurier & NW Beach) & Hilman Marsh (HM)
13th May Point Pelee (Tip, Post Wood, Woodland Trail, Tilden Wood, Dunes & NW Beach)
14th May To Michigan inc. Mackinac Bridge (MC), Trout Lake Marsh (TL) & Whitefish Point (WF)
15th May Highway 123 (HW), Seney Wildlife Refuge (SN) & Hulbert Bog (HB)
16th May Whitefish Point, Vermilion Road (VR) & Clark Lake (CL)
17th May Highway 123, Mackinac Bridge & Grayling (GR)
18th May Tawas Point (TW), Nayanquing Marsh (NY) & Bay City Park (BY)
19th May Point Pelee (Tip, Post Wood, Tilden Wood & DeLaurier)
20th May Rondeau (South Point, Bennett Ave. & Pony Barns), McGeachy's Fields (MF), Blenheim & Pelee
21st May Long Point (LP), Backus Wood (BW), Walsingham Wood (WS), BSC Pond (BS), Lee Brown Pond (LB) & Big Creek (BC)
22nd May Fort Erie (FE), Niagara Falls (NF), Niagara Ridge (NR) & Ontario Shore (OS) (inc. Shore Acres & Sam Smith)
23rd May Return from Toronto to Gatwick
Site Profiles:
Woodstock: a service station on Route 401 with wood and adjoining fields
Point Pelee: a peninsular on the north shore of Lake Erie with deciduous woods, swamps, marsh, fields, dune scrub and shoreline. Designated National Park.
Rondeau: a foreland on the north shore of Lake Erie with deciduous woods, sluices & swamps and fields. A State Park.
Blenheim: sewage works with pools, filtration beds and fields.
Wheatley: a Provincial Park with mixed woods, grassland, pond and camping ground.
Hilman Marsh: shallow pools with fringing marsh and scrub. Some adjoining flooded fields on our visit.
McGeachy's Fields: coastal fields with stubble at the time of our visit. Adjoining McGeachy's Pond.
Mackinac: lacustrine area near Mackinac Bridge leading to upper peninsular of Michigan between Lakes Michigan and Huron.
Trout Lake Marsh: swamp near Trout Lake in Upper Michigan.
Whitefish Point: peninsular on south shore of Lake Superior with shingle beach and adjoining pine woodland. Feeders at a bird observatory and ringing station.
Highway 123: highway west from Paradise in Upper Michigan with pine and birch forest and bogs.
Vermilion Road: track from Paradise to Vermilion Point on shore of Lake Superior through pine forest with bogs and lakes leading to shoreline.
Clark Lake: lake in pine forest off Highway 123.
Seney Wildlife Refuge: large designated refuge in Upper Michigan with pine & birch forest, grassland and extensive lakes.
Hulbert Bog: bog with adjoining woodland.
Eckerman Road: roadside pine and birch forest south from Paradise.
Grayling: young Jack Pine plantations near the town of Grayling. in Lower Michigan.
Tawas Point: peninsular on the west shore of Lake Huron with ponds, coastal scrub, grassland & mud flats.
Nayanquing Marsh: large marsh near Lake Huron in Lower Michigan.
Bay City Park: park with pond and fringing marsh & woods on shore of Lake Huron near Bay City.
Long Point: peninsular on north shore of Lake Erie with ringing station, camp ground, woodland & scub.
Big Creek: extensive riverside marsh at base of Long Point.
BSC Pond: pond in grounds of Bird Studies Canada building.
Lee Brown Pond: pond near Long Point.
Backus Wood: large deciduous wood with streams and pools north-east of Long Point.
Walsingham Wood: deciduous wood near Backus.
Fort Erie: shoreline at eastern end of Lake Erie.
Niagara Falls: famous waterfalls and gorges between Lakes Erie and Ontario on Niagara River.
Niagara Ridge: flower-rich hay meadows on hills north of Niagara.
Ontario Shore: shoreline parks on Lake Ontario (including Shore Acres and Colonel Sam Smith Parks) with coastal woods and marshes.
Birds Recorded (see itinerary for key to sites):
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Great Northern Diver | 6 | 5+ | RD,PP,WF,SN,NF |
| Pacific Diver | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Red-throated Diver | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Horned Grebe | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Pied-billed Grebe | 3 | 1+ | SN,HW,NY |
| Red-necked Grebe | 3 | 4 | WF,OS |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 13 | 1000+ | various |
| Great Blue Heron | 12 | 10+ | various |
| Great White Egret | 5 | 10 | WH,PP,NY,MF,BL |
| Green Heron | 1 | 2 | BS |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | 5 | 3 | PP,MC,NY,BL,OS |
| Least Bittern | 1 | 1 | OS(Sam Smith) |
| American Bittern | 3 | 1 | HB,HW,CL |
| Trumpeter Swan | 1 | 10 | SN |
| Mute Swan | 8 | 20+ | various |
| Canada Goose | 15 | 50+ | various (inc. richardsoni) |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 5 | BY,BL,LB |
| American Wigeon | 3 | 6 | BL,MC,LB |
| Gadwall | 5 | 10+ | BL,HM,MC,TW,NY,BY |
| Green-winged Teal | 3 | 2 | MC,SN,BL |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Mallard | 15 | 30+ | various |
| Black Duck | 3 | 2 | HM,MC |
| Northern Pintail | 1 | 10+ | HM |
| Blue-winged Teal | 4 | 4 | BL,HM,SN |
| Northern Shoveler | 3 | 4 | BL,HM |
| Canvasback | 3 | 1 | MC,LB |
| Redhead | 4 | 8 | PP,MC,BL |
| Ring-necked Duck | 7 | 10 | BL,MC,SN,NY,LB |
| Greater Scaup | 6 | 20+ | PP,BL,MC, |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | 2 | BL |
| Black Scoter | 1 | 2 | PP |
| Surf Scoter | 2 | 2+ | PP,WF |
| White-winged Scoter | 7 | 20 | PP,MC,WF,OS |
| Common Eider | 1 | 2 | OS(Shore Acres) |
| Common Goldeneye | 1 | 2 | MC |
| Bufflehead | 5 | 8 | BL,MC,WF |
| Long-tailed Duck | 3 | 50+ | MC,WF,FE,OS |
| Ruddy Duck | 3 | 20+ | PP,BL |
| Red-breasted Merganser | 12 | 500+ | various |
| Goosander | 5 | 10 | MC,SN,WF,TW |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Turkey Vulture | 15 | 20+ | various |
| Golden Eagle | 1 | 1 | WF |
| Bald Eagle | 3 | 6 | SN,WF,NY |
| Northern Harrier | 5 | 5 | TL,SN,WF,NY,BC |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 5 | 50+ | PP,WF,OS |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | 3 | PP,RD |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 3 | 10 | WF,HW |
| Rough-legged Buzzard | 1 | 1 | WF |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 7 | 6+ | WS,RD,WF,SN,TW,LP |
| Osprey | 2 | 3 | SN,WF |
| American Kestrel | 2 | 1 | SN,GR |
| Merlin | 4 | 3 | PP,WF,HW,SN |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | TW |
| Ruffed Grouse | 4 | 4+ | HW,CL,WS |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | 1 | 4 | SN |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | 3 | 2 | TW,RD,OS |
| Wild Turkey | 7 | 3 | PP,HW,TW,RD |
| Virginia Rail | 1 | 1 | NY |
| Sora Rail | 1 | 2 | NY |
| Common Moorhen | 2 | 1 | BC,OS(Sam Smith) |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| American Coot | 6 | 8 | BL,WH,HM,HW,NY |
| Sandhill Crane | 9 | 8 | RD,HM,WF,SN,HW,NY,PP,LB |
| American Golden Plover | 1 | 10 | MF |
| Grey Plover | 3 | 800 | HM,TW,MF |
| Semipalmated Plover | 1 | 2+ | HM |
| Killdeer | 14 | 4 | various |
| American Woodcock | 4 | 2 | WH,HW,CL |
| Upland Sandpiper | 1 | 4 | SN |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | 5 | 5 | BL,HM,MC,LB |
| Solitary Sandpiper | 2 | 1 | BY,BS |
| Spotted Sandpiper | 7 | 8 | various |
| Ruddy Turnstone | 3 | 30+ | BY,MF,FE |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | 3 | 30+ | BL(inc.1 griseus),HM,MF |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | 2 | 10+ | HM,BL |
| Least Sandpiper | 6 | 20+ | BL,HM,TW,MF,BS,FE |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | 1 | 1 | BL |
| Dunlin | 5 | 250 | BL,HM,TW,MF,BS,FE |
| Wilson's Phalarope | 1 | 2 | HM |
| Ring-billed Gull | 15 | 500+ | various |
| Iceland (Kumlien's) Gull | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| American Herring Gull | 13 | 20+ | various |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Great Black-backed Gull | 5 | 15 | PP,WF,RD |
| Bonaparte's Gull | 7 | 500+ | PP,RD,HM |
| Caspian Tern | 4 | 2+ | HM,TW,PP,OS |
| Common Tern | 10 | 10+ | various |
| Forster's Tern | 5 | 30+ | PP,RD,HM |
| Black Tern | 4 | 5+ | PP,RD,BC |
| Feral Pigeon | 9 | 10+ | various |
| Mourning Dove | 15 | 10+ | various |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | 1 | 1 | LP |
| Long-eared Owl | 1 | 1 | WF |
| Great Horned Owl | 3 | 2 | PP |
| Common Nighthawk | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Whip-poor-will | 1 | 2 | HW |
| Chimney Swift | 7 | 10+ | various |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | 11 | 10+ | various |
| Belted Kingfisher | 4 | 4 | TL,HW,SN,HB,BC |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | 4 | 3 | PP,RD |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | 2 | 2 | HB,BW |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Downy Woodpecker | 10 | 10+ | various |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 2 | 2 | RD,WF |
| Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker | 13 | 6 | various |
| Pileated Woodpecker | 1 | Heard | HW |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | 6 | 2 | PP,RD,LP,OS |
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | 4 | 4 | PP,RD |
| Acadian Flycatcher | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Alder Flycatcher | 4 | 2 | PP,HW,TW |
| Willow Flycatcher | 7 | 2+ | PP,RD,LP,OS |
| Least Flycatcher | 7 | 8 | PP,RD,TW |
| Eastern Phoebe | 1 | 2 | VR |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | 5 | 3 | PP,RD,LP |
| Eastern Kingbird | 9 | 8 | WS,PP,RD,MC,LP,OS |
| Shore Lark | 2 | 8 | WS,WF |
| Barn Swallow | 15 | 100+ | various |
| Tree Swallow | 14 | 200+ | various |
| Purple Martin | 10 | 10+ | PP,RD,TW,BL,LP,BS,FE |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | 1 | 1 | HM |
| Sand Martin | 8 | 40+ | various |
| Cliff Swallow | 3 | 6 | BL,BC |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| American Pipit | 5 | 6 | HM,MC,SN,WF |
| Cedar Waxwing | 8 | 25 | PP,TW,LP,OS |
| Sedge Wren | 1 | Heard | HW |
| Marsh Wren | 2 | 5 | BY,BC |
| Carolina Wren | 5 | 1 | PP,LP |
| House Wren | 8 | 5 | WS,PP,RD,WH,TW,BY,LP |
| Grey Catbird | 10 | 10+ | WS,PP,RD,TW,BY,LP |
| Northern Mockingbird | 2 | 3 | PP,OS |
| Brown Thrasher | 3 | 5 | PP,TW,LP |
| Eastern Bluebird | 3 | 2 | PP,GR |
| Veery | 8 | 6 | PP,RD,BW |
| Grey-cheeked Thrush | 1 | 1 | LP |
| Swainson's Thrush | 7 | 5+ | PP,TW,RD,LP,BW |
| Hermit Thrush | 4 | 4+ | PP,HW,WF |
| Wood Thrush | 7 | 5 | RD,PP,LP |
| American Robin | 15 | 50+ | various |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 8 | 20+ | PP,RD,TW |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | 1 | 1 | HB |
| Blue-grey Gnatcatcher | 7 | 1+ | PP,RD |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 12 | 20+ | various |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Tufted Titmouse | 2 | 2 | RD |
| Boreal Chickadee | 2 | 1+ | WF |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 10 | 8 | various |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 4 | 2 | RD,HW,WF,LP |
| Blue Jay | 15 | 300+ | various |
| American Crow | 11 | 20+ | various |
| Common Raven | 5 | 6+ | WF,SN,HW,MC,TW |
| Common Starling | 15 | 20+ | various |
| White-eyed Vireo | 1 | 2 | PP |
| Blue-headed Vireo | 9 | 2 | PP,HW,TW,LP,OS |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Philadelphia Vireo | 2 | 1 | PP,OS |
| Red-eyed Vireo | 9 | 5 | PP,RD,TW,LP,BW,OS |
| Warbling Vireo | 10 | 2+ | WS,PP,RD,TW,LP,OS |
| Bell's Vireo | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Blue-winged Warbler | 3 | 2 | PP (inc.Brewster's),BW |
| Tennessee Warbler | 4 | 2+ | PP,TW |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | 3 | 3 | PP |
| Nashville Warbler | 10 | 6 | various |
| Northern Parula | 6 | 8 | PP,TW |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Yellow Warbler | 12 | 50+ | various |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | 10 | 10 | PP,RD,TW,LP,BW,OS |
| Magnolia Warbler | 9 | 30+ | PP,RD,TW,BY,LP |
| Cape May Warbler | 5 | 5 | PP,HW,TW |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | 7 | 8 | RD,PP,TW |
| Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler | 12 | 20+ | various |
| Black-throated Green Warbler | 6 | 3 | PP,HW,TW |
| Blackburnian Warbler | 7 | 6+ | PP,TW,LP |
| Pine Warbler | 2 | 3 | HW |
| Yellow-throated Warbler | 1 | 2 | RD |
| Kirtland's Warbler | 1 | 5 | GR |
| Prairie Warbler | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Palm Warbler | 10 | 10 | PP,WF,HW,MC,TW |
| Bay-breasted Warbler | 6 | 6 | PP,BL,TW |
| Blackpoll Warbler | 3 | 4 | PP,HM |
| Cerulean Warbler | 1 | 1+ | BW |
| Black-and-white Warbler | 12 | 6+ | various |
| American Redstart | 9 | 20+ | PP,RD,TW,LP |
| Prothonotary Warbler | 3 | 3+ | PP |
| Ovenbird | 5 | 4+ | RD,PP,HW |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Northern Waterthrush | 5 | 5 | PP,RD |
| Mourning Warbler | 4 | 2 | PP,LP |
| Common Yellowthroat | 10 | 10 | WS,PP,RD,BL,TW,NYLP,OS |
| Hooded Warbler | 5 | 1+ | PP,TW,RD,LP |
| Wilson's Warbler | 6 | 3 | PP,TW |
| Canada Warbler | 5 | 5 | PP,BW |
| Summer Tanager | 2 | 1 | PP |
| Scarlet Tanager | 7 | 3 | PP,RD,TW,LP |
| Northern Cardinal | 11 | 5+ | WS,PP,RD,TW,BY,LP,OS |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | 14 | 20 | various |
| Indigo Bunting | 4 | 10+ | HM,PP,MF |
| Dickcissel | 1 | 1 | PP |
| Song Sparrow | 13 | 5+ | various |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | 8 | 4 | PP,WF,HW,TW,RD |
| Swamp Sparrow | 7 | 4 | PP,HB,HW,NY,BC |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 15 | 50+ | various |
| White-throated Sparrow | 12 | 100+ | various |
| Savannah Sparrow | 8 | 6+ | WS,BL,HM,SN,GR,TW,OS |
| Le Conte's Sparrow | 1 | 1 | RD |
| American Tree Sparrow | 3 | 1 | RD,WF,TW |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Chipping Sparrow | 14 | 20+ | various |
| Clay-coloured Sparrow | 3 | 2 | PP,WF |
| Field Sparrow | 1 | 2 | PP |
| Vesper Sparrow | 1 | 5+ | SN |
| Eastern Towhee | 6 | 4 | RD,PP,GR |
| Dark-eyed (Slate-coloured) Junco | 4 | 2 | PP,WF,HW |
| Lapland Bunting | 1 | 30+ | SN |
| Bobolink | 3 | 9 | BL,NR |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 15 | 200+ | various |
| Eastern Meadowlark | 2 | 1+ | RD,NR |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | 1 | 3 | NY |
| Rusty Blackbird | 2 | 1 | PP,TL |
| Brewer's Blackbird | 1 | 17 | SN |
| Common Grackle | 15 | 100+ | various |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | 13 | 20 | various |
| Baltimore Oriole | 12 | 20+ | various |
| Orchard Oriole | 9 | 20+ | PP,TW,RD,LP,OS |
| Purple Finch | 3 | 20 | HB,CL,HW |
| House Finch | 1 | 1 | RD |
| Red Crossbill | 1 | 4 | WF |
| Species | No of days | Max No | Sites Recorded |
| Pine Siskin | 4 | 6+ | WF,HW,LP |
| American Goldfinch | 13 | 10+ | varuious |
| Evening Grosbeak | 1 | 1 | WF |
| House Sparrow | 9 | 10+ | various |
Other Records:
Mammals: Eastern Grey Squirrel (inc. black morph), Spruce (Red) Squirrel, Woodchuck, Eastern Chipmunk, Musk Rat, Racoon, Virginia Opossum, Porcupine, Coyote, Red Fox, Meadow Jumping Mouse, Brown Meadow Vole, Cottontail, White-tailed Deer, Eastern Pipistrelle, Big Brown Bat
Reptiles & Amphibians: Eastern Garter Snake, Snapping Turtle, Midland Painted Turtle, Map Turtle, 5-lined Skink, Spring Peeper Frog, American Toad, Northern Leopard Frog, American Bull Frog, Green Frog
Butterflies: Spring Azure, Small (Cabbage) White, Green-veined White, Viceroy, Monarch, Red Admiral, Camberwell Beauty, Black Swallowtail, Pink-edged Sulphur, Eastern Tailed Blue, Common Sooty-wing, Hoary Elfin