Some interesting migrants have shown up amoung the crowds following the lakeshore near Port Burwell in Lake Erie's Central Basin. 

     This morning, Wednesday, August 26th, I had a phone call reporting an "Albino Hummingbird" coming to a clump of Cannas at a lakeshore property, just to the east at the Norfolk county line. It was seen by Frans and Agie, Van Ger Wen. I spent a couple hours there hoping it would show up again but only the local hummers made their appearance.

     Last Saturday , Aug. 23rd at 11:45 a.m. I observed a Black Vulture, circling low above the edge of the woods and over the meadow here at Monarch Landing.  It remained almost over the same spot for about  two minutes and then proceeded slowly east along the lakeshore (unusual direction for fall migration).

     Yesterday was a sunny warm day (25C) with south, south-west winds to 15 km off the lake. The usual early morning migrant warblers were topped by a trio of Scarlet Tanangers feeding very low at the forest edge on recently hatched Chironomid Midges. By late morning the exceptional year for Odonata continued as I estimated at least 15,000 migrating dragonflys passed by going west, between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.. About 80% of these were Green Darners, perhaps 10% Twelve-Spotted Skimmers and 10% other species. 

   Most of the Raptor migration has yet to materialize in any numbers with the exception of Osprey which I have noticed a few most days for the past two weeks.

   Thank you - Good Birding.

Birders Some interesting migrants have shown up amoung the crowds following the lakeshore near Port Burwell in Lake Erie's Central Basin. This morning, Wednesday, August 26th, I had a phone call reporting an "Albino Hummingbird" coming to a clump of Cannas at a lakeshore property, just to the east at the Norfolk county line. It was seen by Frans and Agie, Van Ger Wen. I spent a couple hours there hoping it would show up again but only the local hummers made their appearance. Last Saturday , Aug. 23rd at 11:45 a.m. I observed a Black Vulture, circling low above the edge of the woods and over the meadow here at Monarch Landing. It remained almost over the same spot for about two minutes and then proceeded slowly east along the lakeshore (unusual direction for fall migration). Yesterday was a sunny warm day (25C) with south, south-west winds to 15 km off the lake. The usual early morning migrant warblers were topped by a trio of Scarlet Tanangers feeding very low at the forest edge on recently hatched Chironomid Midges. By late morning the exceptional year for Odonata continued as I estimated at least 15,000 migrating dragonflys passed by going west, between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.. About 80% of these were Green Darners, perhaps 10% Twelve-Spotted Skimmers and 10% other species. Most of the Raptor migration has yet to materialize in any numbers with the exception of Osprey which I have noticed a few most days for the past two weeks. Thank you - Good Birding. Directions: Port Burwell is located at the southern terminus of hiway 19 at Lake Erie. Take the Ingersol exit from 401 south through Tillsonburg. The provincial park and adjacent shoreline provides good fall birding including raptors. Ron Allensen Monarch Landing, 55751 Lakeshore Line, R. 2, Port Burwell, On. NoJ 1T0. 519- 874-1343 _________________________________________________________________ More storage. Better anti-spam and antivirus protection. Hotmail makes it simple. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9671357