Fall Round-up Field Trip
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2001

The day dawned cool, calm and clear as a record number of 30 naturalists met at 8 a.m. at the Mission Island Conservation Area for the thirteenth annual fall round-up field trip. This outing is always held the first weekend in November, and seeks late fall migrants and, hopefully, a rare species or two.

During the course of this beautiful sunny, unseasonably warm late fall day, the birders visited (in addition to Mission Island) Chapples Golf Course, Chippewa park and landfill, Cargill Elevator, teh Correctional Farm ponds, Slate River Valley farm fields and sod farms, Boulevard Lake, and various Thunder Bay waterfront locations from the Provincial Mill and the marina down to the intercity grain elevator weed patches. The outing finally ended at dusk at Neebing Marsh, with noisy flocks of Canada Geese flying in to the harbour in the fading light to spend the night on the water. All day was spent birding except for a lunch break at Twin City Crossroads. People were free to drop off at any time since several cars were in the procession. Nine hardy souls in 4 vehicles finished the day out.

Altogether 48 species of birds were tallied, which is about average for this trip, previous totals ranging from 45 to 58. We had good close looks at most of them since several spotting scopes were available. Waterfowl were the best performers, with 18 species of ducks and geese, including an immature blue phase Snow Goose at the Marina, 5 Northern Pintail at Chippewa, a Redhead at Provincial Mill, a Black Scoter and 3 White-winged Scoters at Mission Island, and Long-tailed Ducks at Mission Island and Provincial Mill.

Two Common Loons wer found, one at Mission Island and the other in Boulevard Lake. Canada Geese were plentiful, but mostly along the waterfront; the large flocks usually present in the farmlands at this time of year couldn't be found. Raptors were not particularly noteworthy except for a high count of 12 Bald Eagles, and a Northern Goshawk at Chippewa. Several Red-Tailed and Rough-Legged Hawks were out in the farmlands, including at least one dark phase of the latter species.

Shorebirds were a bit disappointing, particularly in view of the mild weather, open water, and plentiful mudflats, with only one Black-bellied Plover and one Dunlin, both at Mission Island. A highlight, however, was the flushing of 2 American Woodcock, barely visible in the fading light, at the edge of the field at Neebing Marsh at about 6:10 p.m., the last birds of the day.

Othe highlights were a Mourning Dove and an elusive sparrow, most likely a Vesper Sparrow at the weed patch across from Thunder Bay Harbour Improvements; Boreal Chickadee seen well and calling several times at Mission Island (obviously a migrant), and 3 late White-throated Sparrows feeding under the conifers at the Port Arthur Marina.

Notable misses, i.e. birds not seen, were American Tree Sparrow (!), any blackbirds, and virtually all of the winter finches, one Pine Grosbeak and one American Goldfinch being the only ones recorded. Only one Snow Bunting could be found, one Lapland Longspur, an no Horned Larks.

Black-capped Chickadees were everywhere, in all kinds of different habitats, a reflection of their continuing strong migration that has been going on for several weeks this fall.

Non-birding highlights were a very late female Clouded (Common) Sulphur butterfly at Cargill Elevator, and a muskrat slipping on and off a boat-mooring buoy at the Marina.

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