Pelee finale(?)... who knows

Well here it is, possibly the grand finale... I may go back at some point and edit more pics but here's what I've gotten out of my time at Pelee for the current year! Decided not to drag it out any longer as I have a few other posts I want to make before I head out! (more on that in a later post too).

Finally got a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher to sit still!

Young Northern Watersnake

One of several Grasshopper Sparrows

A fairly tame Hooded Warbler gave many photographers some great opportunities, unfortunately my camera was still set up for taking horrible photos of reverse migrants so this is the best I got!

One of the multitudes of terns at the tip (Common)

A pair of Little Gulls put in near-daily appearances, to the delight of many birders

Bonaparte's Gulls were a constant theme as well, providing some relief from the quiet periods at the tip

Pelee Warblers - gotta love 'em! (Chestnut-sided)

All three scoter species in one pic

A Killdeer that Barb and I came across trying to defend its nest - we spent about a minute after this trying to find the nest, little did I realize I'd already photographed it!

Blue-winged Warbler hanging upside-down

American Lady

Brandon, Josh and I did the East Beach walk of death, and not surprisingly found more dead birds than live ones, but these Red-breasted Mergansers beat the odds and put on a good show

The tip on a NW wind - dead calm on one side, crazy on the other!

White-crowned Sparrow that a certain someone 'had no time for'

Blackburnian fight!

This would've been good if people didn't throw so much trash in the lake...

Since the swallows were all sitting on the beach, I took advantage of it and crawled up to them on my belly - they didn't seem to care if I sat still enough and usually came even closer! (Cliff Swallow)

Bank Swallow

Barn Swallow

Tree Swallow

Cliff again

The tip was absolutely loaded with Common Terns one morning - bonus points if you can spot the Piping Plover

One of the only decent flight shots of swallows I got - I mostly like this for the shadow

This isn't a great shot but I think it's cool that you can see the bug the swallow is going after!

Later in the day the Eastern Kingbirds joined the swallows on the beach

A Pelee post wouldn't be complete without a Scarlet Tanager photo

Eastern Whip-poor-Will that Brandon's dad found one morning

Pelee's second-last going-away present, a singing male Cerulean Warbler - not the first I've seen, or even the first for the trip (I think it was the fourth or fifth), but the first I've ever photographed!

Pelee's last present was a Yellow-throated Warbler, literally as we were driving out of the park. I didn't get any photos but it was my 37th species of warbler for the two weeks (in May) in the park!!! I got my 38th warbler for the year (Connecticut) a few weeks later in Petawawa. Maybe there will be a November mega for me to chase when I'm home to make 39???