I'm Just Here for the Bird: Enough of this Work Stuff: Back to Birding!

Okay, for 10 straight days I was busy with work things and now I am free. Of course, I also have a cold, so it's not as much fun with a stuffed up head. At least it's not a Big Year. Last year during a similar 10 day work stretch I was only able to add a Eurasion Wigeon to the list. This past week I kept looking for and missing a Purple Sandpiper and Harliquin Duck close to home in Col. Sam Smith Park, but I only had half an hour on the way downtown each morning to look. I did, however, find have a rare Mink sighting, and not one of the fur coat variety, but the real thing.

The last few days I have had time to look and still it took me until this morning until I finally found the Purple Sandpiper at the very southmost tip of what is called Whimbrel Point in Col. Sam. This is the spot that, in the spring, a number of dedicated birders watch for and count Whimbrel's during migration.

Today, after a short search, I found a lone Purple Sandpiper, got some nice photos and just as quickly lost it. I did, however, see and hear an American Pipit as I was trying to find the sandpiper. Just after I got some photos of the Pipit, it also vanished, just on time for a number of other birders, a few of whom I have run into many times in this very park, showed up. I told them of the two birds and soon the Purple Sandpiper was relocated on the eastern side of the point. For about 10 minutes we all watched and at that point I decided to head over to the other side of the park to try and find the Harliquen Duck. Sue found and photographed it on the weekend, but once again it eluded me. We think it's the same duck that we saw in the spring, as a juvinile.

No matter, it's good to be out and about again, and in addition to Col. Sam, I've also been to James Gardens, where the winter bird feeder has mysteriously returned and also to Humber Bay East, where it's always duck watching season.