WAWANOSH WETLANDS

Decided to brave the snow squalls and go see if anything was around at Wawanosh Wetlands,
Mallards,American Black Ducks and Canada Geese where all near the water outlet as the creek was the only open water.
On the back loop along the highway 402 section we found a few American Tree Sparrows and some American Goldfinch all hiding in the reeds and dogwoods as the wind was brutal today.
The best 2 finds of the day was a Red-winged Blackbird!! Seen and heard by both Chris and myself  he looked very lonely sitting on the wires between the two ponds.
March 2nd is the earliest we have seen one at Wawanosh.
 The other neat bird was a Northern Shrike photo isnt that great but you can still tell by its beak its a shrike.
We checked the Sarnia Government docks for the green wing teal and he was no where to be found. We did however see a Black Backed Gull circling over head with a large flock of Ring Bill and Herring Gulls.They where at the end of the pier where the freighter is docked.This was the first Black Backed Gull we have seen this week they seem to be getting fewer. The weather has been not very favourable the last few days hopefully   
spring is coming soon!!!!

Northern Shrike

 
 

 

Greater White Fronted Geese !

I decided to go looking for the Greater White Fronted Geese that Blake Mann had reported on the south end of Fawn Island and Chris my son came with me.
We were not disappointed even in the snow squall today we found 6 of them feeding on the grass.We also observed 2 white winged scoters that swam in front of the geese.
There was also the usual rafts of  mixed canvasbacks, redheads and scaup species as we travelled along the St Clair River each group had about 50 to a 100 birds.
On the way home we took Bickford Line and just passed the Moore Wildlife Management we found a Northern Shrike on the wire trying  to hold on in the wind. Further along Bickford we found a Redtail Hawk nestled down in a tree all puffed up trying to keep warm.
We turned onto Brigden and found a pair of American Kestrels hunting in the fields.
On getting back into Sarnia we checked the lighthouse there is quite an ice jam at the entrance to the river but there was open water  and quite alot of longtails are still present also 3 Glaucous gulls where flying around.
So considering the bad weather we didnt have a bad bird outing!




Greater White Fronted Geese