11 June
We made another trip into Backus Wood, for more views of Cerulan Warbler, and this time some good views for Denise of Prothonotary Warbler, going to and fro from the nest box.
We had a quick look at St William's Conservation Reserve where only I managed to see the Ruffed Grouse sand bathing on the side of the road, but there were a few butterflies coming down to areas with salts in the track.
We spent the night visiting friends in Brantford.
12 June
We headed into Michigan from Ontario, heading for an overnight stay at Grayling, the crossing into the US was thankfully not busy, but the toll booth and then US Immigration made the process a little slow. God knows what it is like when there is a lot of traffic. We stopped off at Shaiwassee NWR on the way, but being mid June the wildfowl numbers were very low with only Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon and American Coot being added to the trip list, plus our first Trumpeter Swans. The area was also good for Horned Lark, but we were a little short of time to explore the reserve fully.
13 June
We met up for the Kirtland's Warbler trip run by the Michigan Audubon society at Hartwick Pines, State Park, and after a short film on the species recovery program, headed back though Grayling to an area of Grayling Forest that consisted of young Jack pines and very quickly had sightings of the first pair of Kirklands, plus another male and several other singing males. A couple of Brewer's Blackbirds were seen further along the dirt road. After breakfast we visited various locations within Huron Forest, picking up Broad-winged Hawk and Vesper Sparrow, plus walking around Lake Wakeley within the forest we added Virgin Rail, Hermit Thrush, Brown Creeper, Pine Warbler and Slate-coloured Junco. We also found further singing male Kirtland's that can found anywhere in this area from the dirty track roads in areas of low young Jack Pine, without breaking the law, which prohibits entry off public roads into Kirtland's habitat.
The night was spent on the shore of Lake Huron having travelled into northern Michigan via the Mackinaw bridge.
14 June
The day was primarily focused around trying to see Sedge Wren and Le Conte's Sparrow, hopefully with a few northern species and grouse, spending most of our time in the Eastern section of the Hiawatha National Forest. It was without doubt not good for Mosquitoes - as soon as you got out of the car, they descended on you, and to add to this, the birds here were not particularly showing well. We did though manage on FR3344 to hear and then finally see a singing male Le Conte's Sparrow, but only managed to hear two singing Sedge Wrens some distance back from the road. The only other new species seen for the trip were Pileated Woodpecker and Winter Wren, and on FR3141 Ruby-crowned Kinglet. We tried for Grouse in the Racco area and old airfield without success.
We spent the night at Newberry.
15 June
A slightly delayed start getting a slow puncure repaired due to an errant screw, we made our way to Seney NWR. First of all trying the Diversion track for Sharp-tailed Grouse where we successfully saw three, which for mid June was probably good going. We then headed to the visitor centre and the 5 + mile scenic drive, which was taken at a slow pace, as it was mostly devoid of Mosquitoes and we were trying again for Sedge Wren, without success. We had excellent views of an American Bittern and Wilson's Snipe singing from a tree branch, plus Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser and Red-breasted Nuthatch.
16 June
Was spent driving from Michigan to Algonquin Provincial Park, back in Ontario. We returned to Canada via Saulte St Marie and had a much quicker return into Canada, though vehicle traffic here was very low. We did little birding on the drive apart from a stop at Echo Bay where Sedge Wren had been reported on ebirder, but none were heard, but another American Bittern was seen out in the open, albeit a bit further away this time. We eventually arrived at Dwight after some seven hours driving.
17 June
The day was spent in various areas within Algonquin Provincial Park with two separate sightings of Black-backed Woodpecker being the only new bird for the trip. We managed to find Ruffed Grouse, but did not manage to find any Spruce Grouse, Gray Jays or Boreal Chickadee (this being the only new bird we were possibly going to see here). We had two sightings of American Mink, a Northern Snowshoe Hare (in a car park eating grass, so it took sometime to realise it was not a Rabbit!). The only Beaver and Moose were only seen late pm, which was a contrast from our last visit at the same time of year some years ago, when Moose where very obvious around the park.
18 June
A day trying to pick up on Spruce Grouse, Gray Jays and Boreal Chickadee, was partly thwarted by an early afternoon, very heavy thunderstorm that caused us to lose the trip along part of the Mizzy Lake trail, which had had some recent ebirder Gray Jay sightings, due to being rather wet through. We managed before hand to pick up Purple Finch for the trip.
19 June
We headed back to Toronto via Carden Alvar, an area we had picked up via ebirder as potentially having several Sedge Wrens present. This turned out to be a particularly interesting area of cattle ranches which would have been worth far more time exploring than we had, but we did at last see Sedge Wren, the first only feet from the road, and eventually we saw at least four with at least three other singing males present. The area is also one of the few remaining breeding areas in Ontario for Loggerheard Shrike and at the allotted spot, two were seen.
We then departed for the airport and the Toronto Friday night rush hour!
The walking boots weren't worth taking home! At least it gave us some spare capacity for a bottle of Maple syrup in the luggage.
We made another trip into Backus Wood, for more views of Cerulan Warbler, and this time some good views for Denise of Prothonotary Warbler, going to and fro from the nest box.
Backus Woods
Red-spotted Purple
12 June
We headed into Michigan from Ontario, heading for an overnight stay at Grayling, the crossing into the US was thankfully not busy, but the toll booth and then US Immigration made the process a little slow. God knows what it is like when there is a lot of traffic. We stopped off at Shaiwassee NWR on the way, but being mid June the wildfowl numbers were very low with only Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon and American Coot being added to the trip list, plus our first Trumpeter Swans. The area was also good for Horned Lark, but we were a little short of time to explore the reserve fully.
Shaiwassee NWR
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Blue-winged Teal
Trumpeter Swans
13 June
We met up for the Kirtland's Warbler trip run by the Michigan Audubon society at Hartwick Pines, State Park, and after a short film on the species recovery program, headed back though Grayling to an area of Grayling Forest that consisted of young Jack pines and very quickly had sightings of the first pair of Kirklands, plus another male and several other singing males. A couple of Brewer's Blackbirds were seen further along the dirt road. After breakfast we visited various locations within Huron Forest, picking up Broad-winged Hawk and Vesper Sparrow, plus walking around Lake Wakeley within the forest we added Virgin Rail, Hermit Thrush, Brown Creeper, Pine Warbler and Slate-coloured Junco. We also found further singing male Kirtland's that can found anywhere in this area from the dirty track roads in areas of low young Jack Pine, without breaking the law, which prohibits entry off public roads into Kirtland's habitat.
Kirtland's Warbler
Lake Wakeley
Northern Watersnake
Little Wood Satyr
The night was spent on the shore of Lake Huron having travelled into northern Michigan via the Mackinaw bridge.
14 June
The day was primarily focused around trying to see Sedge Wren and Le Conte's Sparrow, hopefully with a few northern species and grouse, spending most of our time in the Eastern section of the Hiawatha National Forest. It was without doubt not good for Mosquitoes - as soon as you got out of the car, they descended on you, and to add to this, the birds here were not particularly showing well. We did though manage on FR3344 to hear and then finally see a singing male Le Conte's Sparrow, but only managed to hear two singing Sedge Wrens some distance back from the road. The only other new species seen for the trip were Pileated Woodpecker and Winter Wren, and on FR3141 Ruby-crowned Kinglet. We tried for Grouse in the Racco area and old airfield without success.
FR3344
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Viceroy
Eastern Chipmunk
We spent the night at Newberry.
15 June
A slightly delayed start getting a slow puncure repaired due to an errant screw, we made our way to Seney NWR. First of all trying the Diversion track for Sharp-tailed Grouse where we successfully saw three, which for mid June was probably good going. We then headed to the visitor centre and the 5 + mile scenic drive, which was taken at a slow pace, as it was mostly devoid of Mosquitoes and we were trying again for Sedge Wren, without success. We had excellent views of an American Bittern and Wilson's Snipe singing from a tree branch, plus Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser and Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Seney NWR
Sharp-tailed Grouse
White-tailed Deer
Painted Turtle
Sandhill Crane
Monarch
American Bittern
Wilson's Snipe
Trumpeter Swan
16 June
Was spent driving from Michigan to Algonquin Provincial Park, back in Ontario. We returned to Canada via Saulte St Marie and had a much quicker return into Canada, though vehicle traffic here was very low. We did little birding on the drive apart from a stop at Echo Bay where Sedge Wren had been reported on ebirder, but none were heard, but another American Bittern was seen out in the open, albeit a bit further away this time. We eventually arrived at Dwight after some seven hours driving.
Red-winged Blackbird
Monarch
The day was spent in various areas within Algonquin Provincial Park with two separate sightings of Black-backed Woodpecker being the only new bird for the trip. We managed to find Ruffed Grouse, but did not manage to find any Spruce Grouse, Gray Jays or Boreal Chickadee (this being the only new bird we were possibly going to see here). We had two sightings of American Mink, a Northern Snowshoe Hare (in a car park eating grass, so it took sometime to realise it was not a Rabbit!). The only Beaver and Moose were only seen late pm, which was a contrast from our last visit at the same time of year some years ago, when Moose where very obvious around the park.
Wild Iris
American Mink
Mourning Cloak
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail on Hawkbit (aka fox and cubs)
White-throated Sparrow
White Admiral
Female Black-backed Woodpecker
Moose
18 June
A day trying to pick up on Spruce Grouse, Gray Jays and Boreal Chickadee, was partly thwarted by an early afternoon, very heavy thunderstorm that caused us to lose the trip along part of the Mizzy Lake trail, which had had some recent ebirder Gray Jay sightings, due to being rather wet through. We managed before hand to pick up Purple Finch for the trip.
Beaver dam
Spruce bog
North American Red Squirrel
As yet un-identified Saddlebags?
Black Ducks
American Crow
Ruffed Grouse
19 June
We headed back to Toronto via Carden Alvar, an area we had picked up via ebirder as potentially having several Sedge Wrens present. This turned out to be a particularly interesting area of cattle ranches which would have been worth far more time exploring than we had, but we did at last see Sedge Wren, the first only feet from the road, and eventually we saw at least four with at least three other singing males present. The area is also one of the few remaining breeding areas in Ontario for Loggerheard Shrike and at the allotted spot, two were seen.
Sedge Wren
European Skipper
Loggerhead Shrikes
Savannah Sparrow
We then departed for the airport and the Toronto Friday night rush hour!
The walking boots weren't worth taking home! At least it gave us some spare capacity for a bottle of Maple syrup in the luggage.