Another traditional Winter Campout activity is visiting the Chickadees at picnic area #9. If you take a supply of sunflower seeds, nuts and peanuts up and hold out your hand, the 'dees will come down to eat right out of your hand. A couple of folks even enticed a Titmouse and a White-breasted Nuttie down to join in. They'll even eat from a well stocked hat, as Ken & Ruth found out.
Not that the campout is all birding. No, it's also an excuse to get out with friends to talk, play games and eat loads of fantastic food. Friday night was all-you-can-eat fish night at Aunt Gussie's, followed the next two days with fantastic meals at the Meeting Centre. Eggs, sausage, French toast & pancakes at breakfast, chicken dinner Saturday and pita wraps on Sunday - all were cooked wonderfully.
Saturday night more Tundra Swans flew in and on Sunday we were treated to the lovely view of dozens of swan flocks descending to join the main swarm in the corn fields. As the flocks came in they broke up so that the swans landed pair by pair. They looked just like the cranes at Haehnle in the autumn. We had some nice close views of the swans back on the muddy side roads, and then suddenly it was time to go.
On the way back the three of us again took the ferry, this time accompanied down the river by Common Goldeneye as well as the same ducks as before. Some other highlights of the weekend were a single dark phase Rough-legged Hawk and three or four Northern Shrikes in several different locations. A few Common Redpolls were still hanging around the feeders at the Visitor's Center too. As with the two previous Winter Campouts we felt the weekend was a great success - despite the unplanned two week delay.
