August 15th - Lakefront Expedition

[Shortsighted]

 This day promised to start out a little cooler, with somewhat less humidity and a noteworthy gift of a breeze coming off the lake, so what better invitation for spending time there, littorally.  I started-off in Oshawa.  From there I stopped at Cranberry Marsh (Whitby) and then to Second Marsh (Ajax) before returning back to Pickering.  Starting at 7 a.m. on a small sandbar is nothing like beginning at 7 p.m. at a local bar, so let’s get that out of the way.  The on-shore breeze was delicious, not like the rancid nuts offered you know where.  The sandbar was full of the regulars: geese, mallards and gulls, both herring and ring-billed.  Why am I humming Piano Man? It was not quiet.  No, not the birds, but the racket from Oshawa harbour.  Bangs, crunches, all sorts of alarming assaults to my ears.  The birds were used to it.
I opened my field manual and went through my checklist. First, check for suspicious characters, or the cops.  All clear.  Keep the sun in my favour and scan the sandbar for trouble-makers.  Also, check for shorebirds, beyond the killdeer that are running around everywhere like disgruntled staff.  There were at least a dozen killdeer, maybe even a baker’s dozen.  Wait, one of those killdeer is a little smaller!  That’s because it isn’t a killdeer, but a Semipalmated plover.  Then I spotted two other shorebirds ... no, three others: Semipalmated sandpiper,  Baird’s sandpiper and White-rumped sandpiper.  While I was trying to get photographs, a small flock of Least sandpipers flew in.  None of the other patrons even noticed.  A call from the south end of the sandbar got my attention.  Come on!  It can’t be closing time.  Two Lesser yellowlegs relocated in my favour.  I love it when that happens.  The sun was obediently behind me and I will slumped against some convenient driftwood, as if I was already over my limit.  The shorebirds were mostly ignoring me.  They must all be female.
 
Cranberry Marsh proved to be a bust.
 
Corner marsh was a little more interesting.  Upon arrival I spooked a Least bittern.  I waited patiently while standing in water (with rubber boots) but it didn’t reappear from within the all-knowing reeds.  There were a few other herons on-site, both Great blue and Great egret.  I relocated to the other side and just caught a glimpse of a gallinule chick before it too vanished within those beckoning shoreline reeds.  On the beachfront there were geese and the most common gulls in large groups.  My companion immediately spotted a couple of Caspian terns among the gulls, but they were far off and didn’t remain on-site for long.  By this time the breeze was failing to assuage the noon heat and it was time to move on.  While passing a local pond, I found two Green-backed heron that were perched on a partially submerged tree that was well anchored.  Next week promises even more compassionate weather.




White-rumped sandpiper





Semipalmated sandpiper




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Least sandpiper

Baird's sandpiperBaird's and Semipalmated sandpipers Lesser YellowlegsMinkCommon gallinule chickGreat EgretCaspian ternGreen-backed heron