Wet Woods 2015 Wrap-Up

[Kris Ito]

Another fantastic migration is coming to a close in the Wet Woods. Yesterday I made may final visit until next winter. You may still be able to catch a few migrants if you hurry, but it's mostly the nesting birds who remain. Even the Raven family appears to have moved on after their second successful nesting season. Be forewarned that the trails are becoming overgrown and the mosquitos are out in full force. You may also want to keep an eye out for poison ivy. I have not yet found any in the main area of the woods, but I did find a very large swath of it beside the trail on the east side of the main road, directly opposite the woods.

This year seemed a little different than others. The most obvious change being the unfortunate dry conditions. I also did not personally have any really big days but somehow the birds still added up. So here are the numbers:

Ebird's total species: 165  
 My total species: 124
Ebird's total warbler species: 27    
 My total warblers: 22

There can be little doubt that the star of the season was the Swainson's Warbler, first reported by Paul Prior, and only the 4th Ontario record (or so I was told). Alas I was unable to join the excitement of that day, but certainly enjoyed the bird vicariously through the stories of others. My favourite birds this year were the Bobolinks, a Clay-colored Sparrow and a handsome Olive-sided Flycatcher.

-Kris

[mc]

What a fantastic summary Kris....thanks so much for keeping "us" in the loop.  i SO look forward to next spring.  BUT, you said this was your final visit until next WINTER....what happens in the winter??  and when do you visit??

[Rotarran]

It was a great year for sure.  Nothing too grandiose for me --- didn't get any big stars but managed to pick up a good number of regulars.  Like you Kris, I did not get the Swainson's either as I was on my way to Rondeau and did not feel like cancelling a trip I had my mind set on for a while.

Do I regret it?  Yes and no.  Yes because I did not get what very well could be Toronto's greatest rarity ever.  And no because I had a fantastic time at Rondeau and probably would not have made it out there otherwise this year.

Anyway, back to the Wet Woods...my best bird was probably the Canada Warbler...always glad to see these guys and there aren't many birds with Canada in their names so that's cool.  The other being a bit too common

I got 19 warblers (I think) and was also thrilled to see so many Lincoln's Sparrows this year (the colours and patterns of the Lincoln's Sparrow resemble my tabby cat lol)

[Dinusaur]

Nice summary indeed. This year I only made two trips (the first one I only made it to Canadian Tire parking lot as I didn't know the alternate route to the park at that time). I learnt my series of firsts in the spring of 2014 - so nothing could really compare to that. Otherwise it is fun to move around that area of the park.

[mr.sharp-photo]

i didn't see the swainson's nor did i luck into seeing the bobolinks.
it was definitely a weird year. zero fallout days. some days where there was nadda to see. more birds after lunch vs first thing in the morning.

this was a Wilson Warbler year. i've never seen them in such quantities. same with chestnut-sided warblers, but i read somewhere that's not necessarily a good thing (i.e. they thrive in brush vs tall forests). also, there were a few Canada warblers, which was a nice treat.

[rickeckley]

Yes,another very fine year.  The Wet Woods remain a locale of pure magic in this city.  I hope the new trail plans don't ruin it and that we are not looking back on these past few years as the "golden days" of The Spit.  

Migration had an interesting rhythm.  April was very rich and I had 78 species in just the last 3 weeks.  May felt steady and slowly paced.  I got 122 species in total for April and May with 21 warblers.  This sounds like a lot, but it was mostly the usual suspects, just seeing them steadily, day by day,  one after the next.  Some favourite birds were Clay-Coloured Sparrow, Olive-SIded Flycatcher (both lifers), Yellow-Throated Vireo, and Philadelphia Vireo.  As others have said, lots of Chestnut-Sided and lots of Wilsons and more than usual Canadas.

I hate to think it will be 10 months before I drive in these favourite gears again - see all my favourite birds and all my favourite birders.  Maybe I'll try some fall migration this year to fill the gap.  But in any case, thanks to all who made this spring so great.  I enjoyed seeing each and every one of you and learned a lot from keeping your company.  I hope to see you again soon.

Cheers,

Rick