I have been in school this spring so I have to be in Pickering, by 8 AM. Needless to say this has cut into prime birding time. However saturday afternoon was a foggy day so I thought I would go over to the Waterfront Trail Area at the Darlington Nuclear Plant and see what there was to be seen. Well as I pulled up in the parking area I saw warblers before I got out of the car! In between the rain showers the birding was great. Warblers seen included Yellow rumped, Yellow, Black throated Blue, Bay Breasted, Blackburnian, Cape May , Magnolia, Tennessee, and Common Yellowthroat. Also in the immediate vicinity of the parking area were numerous Catbirds, Northern Orioles and at least two Orchard Orioles, Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Wood Thushes, Brown Thrasher, and Least Flycatcher.
I then meandered toward the pond and had great looks at a Green Heron as well as a Common Moorhen. The best sighting at the pond had to be the adult Beaver that came ashore 10 feet from where I stood and munched away at the vegetation in front of me. Foggy days seem to make the wildlife more approachable! I don't think I have been as close to a wild beaver on land before in my life. Needless to say my camera was at home!
As the rain got a little heavier I decided to call it a day and was just about back to the car when I saw the bird of the day, at least for me! A gorgeous male Scarlet tanager about 6 feet off the ground and 15 ft away! He stayed visible in the immediate vicinity for at least 10 minutes and not a soul came by to show it too!
See what going out in the rain will get you!!!
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