An Evening in the forest with LaForest

The Friends of Rondeau are happy to present this evening at 7 p.m. an all new presentation on SPRING MIGRATION at RONDEAU by our resident bird expert and birding tour guide Steve LaForest.
Coffee, dessert and discussion will follow Steve's presentation.
Cost $10.00 with all proceeds to the Friends of Rondeau

what could be a better way to spend a lovely spring evening at Rondeau!

Hi Everyone!

Spring Migration is well underway at Rondeau. In the week that we spent in the Park the weather went from hot and windy to thundershowers and windy to cold, wet and windy, back to temperate and windy, to pleasant but windy (and maybe wet)...if you didn't like the weather just wait for 5 minutes and the wind would change direction and bring a change.

The picture above, taken on the Spicebush Trail, pretty well sums up the leaf out, which was estimated to be about 1-2 weeks in advance of our "usual" spring foliage during migration. Needless to say it makes the viewing of our migrants much more challenging...a good year to practice "birding by ear" perhaps? Despite the abrupt changes in weather the warblers et al began to arrive, last week was a bit slower at times than expected but this week has been excellent with 27 species of warblers accounted for across the park today. We have had some excellent "rare" bird sightings as well including a well documented female blue grosbeak, prothonotary warbler, prairie warbler, orange crowned warbler, a yellow throated warbler and a yellow breasted chat on territory at the south point.

The photo above, of the yellow warbler with its translucent wings fanned out, to me demonstrates the fragility of these tiny creatures who travel thousands of miles from their winter homes in order to arrive here in Canada in time to set up housekeeping and raise a family...or maybe 2 broods if they can manage it. Spring migration is truly a magical time to be cherished and enjoyed for the few short weeks that the birds are passing through in large numbers.

A sighting of a Hooded Warbler brought a number of birders to the Tulip Tree trail hoping to get a glimpse of him - we could hear him calling but seeing him in the thicket took a bit of time and patience. I know his appearance added to the life list of a few of the watchers - happy day!

Along with the accelerated leaf out up in the canopy, the forest floor was blooming as well, many spring wildflowers were showing off their beauty making for even more pleasant walking through the forest. This Red Trillium variant was spotted on the Spicebush trail.

and this unusual White Trillium was on the Tulip Tree trail.

Most of the birds we come to see at Rondeau only stay for a short while to recharge their batteries on their way to other destinations. Rondeau is a wonderful park to enjoy year round and there are many unique species of birds that make it their home, either just for the summer or for their lifespan. Near to our campsite a yellow shafted flicker pair were busy putting the finishing touches on their nest, we could hear them tap, tap, tap, tap and then see them pitching bits of shredded wood and sawdust out the hole. If you look closely you can see bits of sawdust on the females beak.

Mr Flicker is just about to enter and inspect the new "digs"

and with that I will say Goodnight and Good Birding at Rondeau!

Programs at Rondeau in May

In addition to all our birding hikes, we also have a program each weekend on various topics about Rondeau at no charge. We invite everyone to come out and learn all about the unique aspects that make Rondeau the special place it is.


Sunday, May 9th

Mother’s Day Wildflowers
1:00 pm – Meet at the Spicebush Trail

Bring your mother out to enjoy nature’s bouquet of wildflowers and learn fun facts that will add a little colour to your day.


Saturday, May 15th

Tree-tastic
1:00 pm - Meet at the Visitor Centre

Rondeau is full of unique trees with fascinating histories. Join us for an inTREEsting hike that will get you twitching about trees and learning how to identify the different species.

Saturday, May 22nd

Carolinian Conundrum
1:00 pm - Meet at the Tulip Tree Trail.

Join us to explore one of Canada’s rarest forests and meet some amazing species that are found nowhere else in Canada. Discover why Rondeau is one of the most unique parks in Ontario.


Saturday, May 29th

Hoots Who: The Night’s Chorus
7:30pm - Meet at the Visitor Centre

Ever wonder what goes bump in the night? Rondeau nights are filled with cool creatures and wonderful sounds. Join us to discover a few of them as we prowl for owls and other night inhabitants.


Friday May 7th, 14th, and 21st

Absolute Beginners Birding Hikes
1:00pm at the Visitor Centre

Never birded before? Join Ric McArthur to learn the ABCs of birding and get hooked on a lifelong passion for birds. Please bring a pair of binoculars if you have them.

Rondeau Events

Hello Everyone

Question: What is blue and beige, has red hair and sings off key?

Answer: A park naturalist who has had fantastic month of April!

April has been a great mix of programs, fires and gearing up for our birding eggstravaganza the Festival of Flight.

Our programming held two firsts this month, the first guided hike and our first school group of 2010. Our first hike was a roaring success all about the coming of spring. Nine folks joined me as we discovered 2 species of salamanders, some Pileated Woodpecker holes and some chorusing Wood Frogs. It was a great way to start off what I hope will be our best programming year yet.

For the school group, we had 54 grade 6 students come out and learn all about biodiversity. Although the weather was a little cold and wet, they all seemed to enjoy being scientists and conducting an experiment to see whether or not Rondeau should be made into a SuperMall. Thankfully, the unanimous decision that we should keep it as the beautiful park it is.

April is also our month to set the park on fire. Although fire has historically been considered a bad thing – we now realize that fire is an essential part of some ecosystems. By lighting controlled fires in our oak savannah and oak woodland habitats, we are simulating natural fires that remove invasive species and encourage the re-growth of native plants like Big Blue Stem and Indian Grass. So, don’t be distraught if you see some blackened areas as you walk around the park this month. The blackened ground is chalked full of nutrients to help the native species grow like wildfire and in a couple more weeks you’ll never know there had been a fire at all.

Considering that we are at the beginning of the songbird migration, I figure it would make sense to share the wonder I have for the Yellow Warbler. Alas, this bird is often overlooked here at Rondeau because it is one of our most common warblers. But in my opinion it is well worth taking a bit of time to appreciate this fascinating bird.

As far as recognizing this bird, its name says it all. The Yellow Warbler looks like it was dipped in sunshine from head to toe. The males are distinguished by orange streaking on their chests. Instead of calling to impress the girls, the males sing to declare ownership of a territory that they will actively defend by chasing out interlopers. Their habit of chasing other birds even extends to the females when they first arrive. The only difference is that a female will stubbornly refuse to leave and will start to build a nest instead. The males gradually chase her less and less over the next few days, and shortly before the nest is completed he will mate with her. In other words, Yellow Warblers don’t choose a mate, they choose a habitat that they like and by default end up with the other bird that chose the same habitat.

Yellow Warbler

Yellow warblers are also frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Female cowbirds find the deep cupped nests of the Yellow Warbler and lay one of their own eggs in it. When the egg hatches, the cowbird nestling is much bigger than the young warblers and is able to get most of the food brought by the parents. This can lead to starvation of the warbler nestlings. On average, scientists have found that about 40% of Yellow Warbler nests have been parasitized. But fear not, Yellow Warblers have evolved a fascinating defence against this parasitism. If the cowbird egg is detected the female will frequently build a new nest right on top of the old one burying the cowbird egg (and any eggs she has already laid herself). If a cowbird parasitizes this second nest, she will repeat the procedure and add a third story to the nest. At its extreme, scientists have found Yellow Warblers nests up to 10 stories high!

So if you are out birding this May (and I sincerely hope you are) don’t overlook this architecturally accomplished bird.

Crooningly Yours,

Kip

Naturalist at Rondeau

Rondeau Migration Report

The Spring Migration is starting to heat up at Rondeau along with the warm temps we are having. Baltimore Orioles and Scarlet Tanagers which are two of the most easily identifiable songbirds that we welcome back to our backyards, parks and forests have already been spotted.


A Redheaded woodpecker at the Visitor Centre feeders.

Blue Grey Gnatcatchers have been seen in the park and will soon be arriving in droves.


Warblers that have already arrived include...

Palm Warbler (m)

Yellow Rumped or Myrtle Warbler (m)

Yellow Warbler (m)

Blue Winged Warbler

Black Throated Green Warbler

Black and White Warbler

As well as: Pine Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Hooded Warbler

and a Blue Headed Vireo!

The weather report for the next week or so looks like above average temperatures and sunny skies. With favorable winds blowing from the south the migration will be in full swing. Come on out to Rondeau and see what you can find!

As a rule the best time of the day to view a variety of birds is in the early morning when they are actively foraging for food to refuel their tiny bodies after their long trip from their wintering grounds. Don't forget that the Friends of Rondeau are providing "Birders Breakfasts" ($) at the Visitors Centre for those of you who like to get going on the trails early. Come on in and have a bite while watching the action from the large viewing window at the VC.

...this blogger is heading for Rondeau - see you there!