Olive-sided Flycatcher

What a great weekend weather wise. I spent the weekend at Attawandaron Scout Camp near The Pinery with our Beaver Troop. We have an excellent leader group in our troop and year end camps are no exception. The kids had hikes, scavenger hunts, games, crafts, canoeing, campfires and skits. Even a turkey dinner organized by our camp cooks on Saturday night. The theme this year was birds so all the activities had a bird theme to them and prizes were bird books and bins.

While canoeing the kids had an excellent view of a mature Bald Eagle on a branch only about twenty feet off the water. All the snapping and painted turtles, a Great Blue Heron and a Northern Water Snake made for a great adventure.

I stopped at Thedford Lagoons Friday afternoon on the way to camp to observe the White-rumped Sandpipers and was glad I did as on my return visit Sunday afternoon they were gone.

While at the camp I always enjoy birding very early in the mornings, with a 5am start, before everyone else rises. This year was the first year I failed to hear Eastern Whip-poor-wills but did manage a Great Horned Owl, Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Wood Thrush calling.

After camp ended on Sunday I birded The Pinery and was happy to hear and get distant looks at an Olive-sided Flycatcher along the Riverside trail. There seems to be one here every year.

Not a great image as it’s from a distance and highly cropped, but you get the idea.