Point Pelee - 9th May

Last weekend I was down at Point Pelee for a day with some friends. This is the first time I've been in spring since 1996. It was a good reminder why I don't go...LOTS of people. The other reason I'm not that keen is that although, inevitably, with so many sets of eyes looking, good stuff is turned up - it is also quite hard to actually re-find rare birds. I think our highlight was a male Prothonotary Warbler and (for me anyway) a flock of 16 Willet in the evening at Hillman Marsh. I also didn't take my camera around much as there were so many folk with monsterous 500mm f4 setups that one feels quite inadequate with a little 400mm f5.6. However, I do want a flash and 'better beamer' as getting warbler pictures, even with the leaves only partially open, is pretty much impossible without one.

Loads of orioles down there. Above is an 'After Second Year' male Orchard Oriole (Second Year males are yellow-olive coloured with a black face mask) and top is a male Baltimore Oriole.

Male Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Male Northern Parula.

Male Cape May Warbler singing.