Leave No Bird or (Kidney) Stone Unturned

I hope this isn't a trend.  I have added 2 Lifers in the past two weeks, both while suffering the pain and discomfort of passing a kidney stone.  After getting the Kentucky Warbler in Rondeau I felt I was past and had passed the kidney stone.  I was feeling pretty normal and so Sue and I headed to Michigan for the Kirtland's Warbler.  But all through that trip I was having a lot of pain.  At first I blamed it on a too hard mattress in the hotel, but by the time we were heading home, I realized that it was time to take the road trip to the hospital.

Before it was too severe to head home we made a trip up to Whitefish Point to find the resident Piping Plovers on the stone covered beach, and on the way home, back in Ontario we made a brief stop at Blenheim Sewage Lagoons for a Wilson's Phalarope, a new bird for my Ontario Life List, which is now at 244 after just 17 months of birding.

I spent Saturday night in Emergency and Sunday in bed taking all manor of pain killers.  This morning I had a CatScan and they discovered an 8mm kidney stone lodged part way between my kidney and my bladder.  No wonder I've been having such difficulties the past two weeks.  Tomorrow morning I go in for a procedure to help move the stone along.  Meanwhile, backyard birding is about all I am up to for the next few days.

Make sure, if you do go to Michigan for the Kirtland's Warbler to make the trek up to Whitefish Point.  Next year we will be there for migration earlier in May and stay at the Lighthouse.  And as my medication is beginning to kick in, I must bid you adieu for now and rest up for my "procedure" tomorrow.  Yeah me!   To think, a year ago I was on my way to Alaska.  Glad I didn't get a kidney stone up there!

(thanks to Sue for suggesting the blog title)

The resident and endangered Piping Plover at Whitefish Point

(my kidney stone feels almost as big as these beach stones)

A very cooperative Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, seen close and heard calling all afternoon

The Wilson's Warbler also gave great looks

 We Saw hundreds of Blue Jays stopping over prior to heading North of Superior

(I think I saw more Blue Jays flying by here, than I have in total in the last year and a half)

Wilson's Phalarope at Blenheim Sewage Lagoons