Boreal Bruce's Bird Banding Blog : Banding at long point is better then watching the leafs in the playoffs

Tufted Titmouse Long point bird observatory it will be many decades before they make their way to the Hilliardton marsh

So I Finally had a chance to go to long point during the spring migration and what a treat it was. the long point bird observatory is like the banding mecca it is almost like going to maple leaf gardens . The Air Canada center will never have the same charm for me and a visit to the gardens like spring migration at long point are journeys that one never forgets. I had the chance to make the journey with long time banding friends Chris Sukha and Ethan Quinton we had the chance to go south for 4 days of banding and the experience was almost indescribable to folks back home. First of all there is no snow . Not only is it like being in a very different biome which it is, it is almost like being in a different country which some northerners would answer , yes it is!!! The migration is almost three weeks ahead of what we see in Northern Ontario the birds have found long point which is exactly that a point of land poking out into lake Erie providing migrating bird the first landfall to allow them to gather food and strength for the next leg of their journey.

Chris and Ethan at Point Pelee looking for females .........true story

We had the chance to see and band golden crowned kinglets, brown creepers, eastern phoebe's eastern towhees, northern cardinals and many other species that we will not be seeing for some time. In addition to the birds , people migrate to Long point and we had the chance to meet some wonderful people. Just before we left we had discovered a pine siskin in one of our nets had been banded by a crew at Tadoussac bird observatory in Quebec. A bird we caught in March had been originally banded the previous September. So we were so excited to meet three people from Tadoussac that were at long point to get a taste of a spring banding season. We now have three new friends from Tadoussac and I am hoping to make another migration in November this time to see their station and perhaps learn how to band bohemian waxwings.

New friends and Ethan

While we were down on a rain day we made a trek to Hillman marsh where they have created ashore bird habitat by creating a mudflat. An idea we are hoping to copy at our own marsh. Hillman is just a few flaps away for a bird to point Pelee so we mad e our first journey to this very special

migratory stop over just a day after a fire had raged through the wetland. luckily it was put out before any damage to the board walk but it was very close .

The only casualty of the walk way were two side rails whew that was a close call

Being retired creates the opportunities of a lifetime and on the other hand working is what kept me from having the opportunity to experience a spring banding opportunity at Long point. Next year I have promised myself a longer stay because after all we are three weeks behind anyway so my arrival back north could be better timed to coincide with the return of the migrants. It was sad to say goodbye to our new friends and I can only wonder if birds in a flock regret having to leave it to forge out on their own. Perhaps that is what all of the excitement is about the migration to return to the familiar after being away. I certainly am enjoying the familiar call of the returning red-winged black birds to the hilliardton marsh telling the last of the ice to melt and announcing to all of their travel mates that they are back and to let the games begin!!! Needless to say I hardly recognize a spring that the Toronto maple leafs in the Stanley cup play offs instead of their golf course habitat. Like other migrants to the Air Canada Center the chorus of migrants to this frozen wetland can be heard to say go leafs go!!!!!