Drive Day - Thursday April 28, 2022 from Ottawa to Susan's in London Ontario

 The day was perfect for a long drive to London, Ontario.  Not a cloud in the sky.   It was cool all day though.  I picked Jane up shortly before 8 am.  We managed to get all of our stuff into the car.  Jane thought of everything and even brought a bowl for making oatmeal at the motel we were to stay in.  We saw several Red tailed Hawks roadside along the 401.  We had our first stop at the beach and marina area of Coburg.  It was cool and we put on several layers of clothes along gloves and hats.  We stopped and saw Bufflehead and Long tailed Ducks which are so pretty.  We also saw an Eared Grebe which was stunning in the sunshine.  There were lots of Cormorants around and several had their double crests showing.  

We met a lady, Thelma, who was taking photos and she told us there was a Common Loon around which we did see.  After a bit of walking we met several people from Perth Ontario who were visiting Coburg for a little get away.  We observed a Rock Pigeon that was pure white gathering sticks we assumed for a nest.  The bird was very busy collecting sticks.  The bird was beautiful in the sunshine.

We drove on to Thickson Woods in the Oshawa area as we had visited this place several years ago and it was very birdy.  

The area is now under a nature conservancy and one can enter during daylight hours but no dogs, no bicycles, no smoking and no playback are allowed.  We first went on the north side of the road and did the trail loop.  We heard a familiar song but could not place it.  Yellow rumped warbler!!   We saw some familiar birds: Dark eyed Junco, Black capped Chickadee and American Goldfinch.  There were also White throated Sparrows.

We then crossed over to the south side and entered the forest dominated by old and huge White Pines.  The forest floor was littered with branches and brambles and lots of places for birds to hide out.  We walked to the water and saw Red breasted Mergansers that were in a fluid moving circle of all males with a single female Red breasted Merganser.  The males were cocking their heads back as part of the spring breeding ritual.  

There were Bufflehead also on the water.  Here is a nice female.

vThe view included in the bluffs in the distance.  We then returned to the forest trail and saw a Yellow bellied Sapsucker working on a tree.  We then came upon one of our best birds of the day, a Blue grey Gnatcatcher.  It was really nice to see this tiny bird.  He gave us a quick look long enough for us to ID the bird and flew off.  No photo though, such a flighty bird.  I never sits still!  We then followed the trail into the road that had houses on it.  Then on the return journey we managed to miss the trail and we got ourselves lost.   

We retraced our steps and also bumped into several people who told us we could walk out to our car in the parking lot by going down the street which we did.  We could see the car park but just at this point we noticed a very nice Red Fox sitting and watching us.  

Back at our car we went around the industrial area looking for an entrance to a marsh we visited several years ago.  Later I realized I should have input Lynda Shores Park into google maps

Maybe on the way back we will do a stop there.  It was past three o'clock.  Time moves quickly when one is exploring and birding.  Time to drive on to London.

We were fortunate to get through Toronto with maybe only three dead stops on the 401.  Traffic was heavy as it was near rush hour but moving.  We continued on to London and we arrived at Susan's around 6:30 pm.   Susan made a delicious supper which we enjoyed.  Thank you Susan.  We then visited Killaly Meadows Environmental Area to try for the American Woodcock doing its spring mating display where the male birds calls out Meep Meep to alert the females and then flies up high high up in the sky with its wings whistling.  He then comes down and does this all over again.  We heard and saw a House Wren in some brush.  We checked the Thames River for a Belted Kingfisher.  Nope.  We heard the weep of the Eastern Towhee and then we had some good looks of one.  We continued on the trail.  We saw a Morning Dove fly into a nearby tree.  This poor unfortunate Morning Dove was literally picked up by the neck by a fast moving Sharp shinned hawk with a cloud of feathers flying.  Nature at its best.  The dove went limp immediately and the Sharp shinned hawk went off carrying the dove in its claws.  The hawk had caught supper.  We were shocked to see how quickly this happened.   We would mention the poor dove over the course of our trip.  Poor thing.

We went further down the trail and noticed a group of approximately 10 people looking at something.  This was the London Field Naturalists' outing to see the American Woodcock display.  We watched in the waning light and into the dark.  The woodcock made several display flights and came down nearby on the trail so we had some glimpses of the woodcock.  We met Kathy who was leading the group and she said it was time to move on and give the bird some space.  It was dark by the time we returned to the parking lot.  

A most excellent drive day with time for some birding and nice birds.  We saw approximately 43 birds today.  We chatted on the way home to Susan's and then continued our conversation and planning for tomorrow.  It was time for bed.