Spent a few hours cruising the wet fields north of Pelee and then a brief run down to the tip area. There are lots of changes in Pelee this spring - newly paved tip road, new visitor center paved parking lot (definitely designed by an engineer!), new boardwalk going in at the marsh, and apparently a new tip transit service for this spring! Also some work being done on Sparrow Field. Hoping that involves actively managing this site for grassland species and viewing opportunities - still hopeful!
There was a good selection of waterfowl along Conc D and a nice smattering of raptors - two Rough-legs, three harriers and about a dozen Red-tails - also a Great Horned Owl on nest. The most photogenic subject was a RACCOON which was teed up in a small sapling along the North Dyke road (which continues to deteriorate). He/she sat there obligingly for this image.
Opossums in northern climes often have frost damage to their ear tips. This Raccoon clearly has a piece missing from one ear (see upper left of the image below). I am not sure whether Raccoons suffer this same issue as their ears are more fur covered. It may be more likely this was the result of a fight.
