First Raccoon!

Raccoon

I took some vacation time in late May, not to take in migration at Point Pelee as usual, but to head south to Florida for a few days! I didn’t spend a lot of time outside on the day before we left, but I did head over to the Nortel Marsh early on the morning of May 19th to try and find the Willow Flycatchers that breed there. I arrived around 6:00 am and immediately spotted a Great Egret in the wet area just north of the Corkstown Road trail….my first of the year.

In the tall grass of the equestrian park on the other side of the bike trail I heard both a Bobolink and an Eastern Meadowlark singing, both grass-loving species that are highly specific to open fields such as those by the airport. It is always something of a surprise to me that both species live here, so close to Highway 417 and only 10 minutes away from home.