Nothing Says Big Year Birding Like a Delayed Flight

               “Here I sit, broken hearted, paid my airfare and haven’t yet departed.”

Having been through two North American Big Years, over 30 years traveling with the Toronto Blue Jays and numerous flight delays, I have tried to learn to accept this as part of the experience of traveling back and forth across the country.  It doesn’t make it any easier when there is a Boreal Owl waiting on the other end of the flight.  Well, I still have to pick up my luggage, Uber to the hotel where I parked my car, and drive to the conservation area before dark.  And hope a number of other unforeseen delays don’t crop up. 

It does seem, though, that the delays only occur when you’re getting antsy for a really good bird.  A Boreal Owl this far south, in the Niagara, Ontario region, is something to get excited about.  I may have other opportunities this year to get one, but that could take a day or two of travel and the possibility of missing a true rarity.

By the time I did get my luggage, it was delayed coming to the baggage belt too, after we seemed to wait an interminable amount of time to get off the plane, I was finally able to get to my car and drive to the conservation area where the owl had been seen.  Unfortunately, gale force winds had blown into southern Ontario and the rain was falling sideways and it was close enough to dark that it was unlikely any owl would even be visibly perched in a tree anyway.  So, after a long day of travel, and counting 6 Cedar Waxwings, as my only birds seen today, I headed home for the first time this year. 

I did get an early start, back to the conservation area, but alas, even with several birders searching, there was no Boreal Owl to see this day.  The good news is that I still saw owls.  Namely a Northern Saw-whet and Long-eared Owls.  And, finally, I had a nice sunny morning to take photos.

Long-eared Owl

Northern Saw-whet Owl

I eventually had to move on, so I headed out to Queenston to scope Black Vultures.  They sit across the river on a Church, along with Turkey Vultures.  I was able to scope them and see a couple of Black ones, but at that distance, didn’t get a good photo.  So, officially added them to my Canada List,(392), though I had seen a couple many years ago, but hadn’t put them on eBird.  

Next stop was Dufferin Islands in Niagara Falls.  Last year Ontario had an influx of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.  I saw 16 in Port Dover last summer and afterward they kept showing up in other parts of Ontario.  This one has been at Dufferin Islands for a while now and I thought it best to count it for the year now, in case it leaves and no other whistling ducks show up the rest of the year.