Spring at the tip of Long Point

Haven't blogged in a while so I thought I'd provide a bit of an update. I've been living at the tip of Long Point more or less for much of late April and May doing some amphibian and reptile surveys for Bird Studies Canada. It's been an awesome experience so far and I get to see lots of cool birds too - both the free flying kinds and the ones that the bird banders are catching as well. Check out the Bird Studies Canada board to see highlights from week to week:

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/longpoint/index.jsp?targetpg=lpbosight&lang=EN

I'd love to blog more about the whole experience but with no internet out there, almost no cell service, and a pretty full day herping, birding, and keeping up with daily chores, blogging takes a backseat. It's also nice to kind of "un-plug" while out there with no T.V. and not being glued to a computer (except for some data entry). 

So far I've managed to add two long overdue birds to my Ontario bird list - Chuck-Wills-Widow and Laughing Gull. I was hoping to add some bigger rarities but have had some terrible luck. Twice I've left the tip only for a rare bird to turn up the following morning! Missing out on the Swainson's Warbler and Bewick's Wren hurt bad. It still stings... Keeping up with tradition, a Loggerhead Shrike turned up yesterday after I had already left the tip that morning! 

Here are some random phone-photos:

 Eastern Gartersnake eating a Chorus Frog.

 A late Evening Grosbeak

 Me checking some beautiful inland wetlands on the point.

 Not everyday you see Cerulean Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler in the hand side-by-side.

 Woke-up to this photo text - damn Swainson's Warbler! 

 These two photos were taken from the exact same location - looking south to the dunes and north to what you'd think was somewhere in northern Ontario. 

Baby Woodcock!