Sightings for Monday August 27th

Montreal, Île de la Visitation: 60 species (espèces) including - Perigrine falcon (Faucon pèlerin), Northern harrier (Busard St-Martin), Least flycatcher (Moucherolle Tchébec), Philadelphia vireo (Viréo de Philadelphie), Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitelle à poitrine rousse), Warblers - Orange crowned, Nashville, Nothern parula, Bay-breasted, Wilson’s, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided (Parulines – verdâtre, à joues grises, à collier, à poitrine baie, à calotte noir, à tête cendrée, à flancs marron) Rose-breasted grosbeak (Cardinal à poitrine rose), Scarlet tanager (Tangara écarlate)
St-Eustache, l'ïle Yale: Spotted sandpiper (chevalier grivelé), 5 Solitary sandpipers (chevaliers solitaire), Lesser yellowlegs (petit chevalier) - Sylvie Vanier

Montreal, Rivière-des-Prairies 87e Avenue: 41 Least sandpiper (Bécasseau minuscule), 17 Semipalmated plover (Pluvier semipalmé), 14 Killdeer (Pluvier kildir), 7 Lesser yellowlegs (Petit chevalier), Greater yellowlegs (Grand chevalier), Semipalmated sandpiper (Bécasseau semipalmé), Black-bellied plover (Pluvier argenté) - Stéphane Guimond

Verchères, 1.5km walk along the river 18:45 – 20:15: 1 Baird’s sandpiper (Bécasseau de baird), 4 Sanderlings (Bécasseau sanderling), 265 Semipalmated sandpipers (Bécasseau semipalmé), 88 Least sandpipers (Bécasseau minuscule), 3 Semipalmated plovers (Pluvier semipalmé), 5 Spoted sandpipers (Chevalier grivelé), 10 Killdeer (Pluvier kildir), 1 Wood duck (Canard branchu) - Sébastien Rioux,

Longueuil, Île Charron: 2 Norther harriers (busards), 2 Sharpshinned hawks (Éperviers brun), Merlin (émerillon), American kestrel (crécerelle) 2 Black-bellied plovers (Pluviers argenté),10 Semipalmated plovers (Pluviers semipalmé), 2 Killdeer (Pluviers kildir), 9 Greater yellowlegs (Grands Chevaliers), 138 Lesser yellowlegs (Petits Chevaliers), 2 Solitary sandpipers (Chevaliers solitaire), 2 Spotted sandpipers (chevaliers grivelé), 1 Sanderling, 350 Semipalmated sandpipers (Bécasseaux semipalmé), 250 Least sandpipers (Bécasseaux minuscule), 1 White-rumped sandpiper (Bécasseau à croupion blanc), 6 Baird’s sandpipers (Bécasseaux de Baird), 5 Pectoral sandpipers (Bécasseaux à poitrine cendrée), 1 Stilt sandpiper (Bécasseaux à échasses), 1 Short-billed dowitcher (Bécassin roux), Warblers – Tennessee, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, yellow-rumped, American redstart, Northern waterthrush, Common yellowthroat, Wilson’s (parulines: 1 obscure, 1 jaune, 1flancs marron, 5 tête cendrée, 2 croupion jaune, 1 flamboyante, 1 ruisseaux, 4 masquée, calotte noire), 4 Swainson’s thrush (Grives à dos olive) - Yves Gauthier

Sightings for Sunday August 26th

Longueuil, Île Charron: American golden plover (Pluvier bronzé), 2 Killdeer (Pluvier kildir), 5 Greater yellowlegs (Grand Chevalier), 79 Lesser yellowlegs (Petit Chevalier), 2 Spotted sandpiper (Chevalier grivelé), 270 Semipalmated sandpiper (Bécasseau semipalmé), 163 Least sandpiper (Bécasseau minuscule), White-rumped sandpiper (Bécasseau à croupion blanc), Baird’s sandpiper (Bécasseau de Baird), Pectoral sandpiper (Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée), 2 Stilt sandpipers (Bécasseau à échasses), 2 Short-billed dowitchers (Bécassin roux)
600 Mallards (colverts), 12 Canada geese (bernaches), 2 American wigeon (Canard d'Amérique), 2 Black duck (Canard noir), 18 Blue-winged teal (Sarcelles à ailes bleues), 200+ Green-winged teal (Sarcelles d'hiver), 9 Pied billed grebe (Grèbes à bec bigarré), 7 Cormorants (cormorans), 6 Great blue herons (Grands Hérons), Great egret (Grande Aigrette), 7 Moorhens (poules-d'eau), Ring-billed gulls (Goelands à bec cerclé), 2 Caspin terns (Sternes caspienne), 2 Common terns (Sternes pierregarins) - Yves Gauthier

Bird Protection Quebec - Dundee Ste-Martine field trip August 25th

Saturday's field trip to Dundee and Ste-Martine (August 25, 2007) was attended by 9 brave birders considering what conditions in Montreal were like at their times of departure. But the heavy rains cleared out well before the official start time of the trip to be replaced by hot, humid, sultry air. It definitely felt more like summer in Louisianna than the start to our fall migration field trips. At least the breeze picked a little laterto offer some relief.

As would be expected in such conditions the birds were very quiet and notparticularly active. Large groups of swallows appeared to be in migration mode and our official tally of these probably does not match the actual number that we saw as many were high and not readily identified. Large gatherings of blackbirds were also in evidence. Down at ground/tree level only a few small groups of passerines were found.

Despite conditions we had a very respectable count total of 63 species. Included in these were a sighting of a very distant bald eagle (possibly two or the same individual twice), several good views of ospreys including one with a very large, very dark coloured fish (species unidentified!), a close fly-by from a bittern being held up by a stiff breeze, nice views of great egrets at Ste-Martine, side by side views of lesser and greater yellowlegs also at Ste-Martine and, for some of our members, turkeys in the fields near Dundee. This latter entry includes a rather large group of 20 mostly young birds spied by Darlene and Sheldon Harvey on a short side trip.

Here is our complete list for the day: Pied-billed Grebe - 2, Double-crested Cormorant - 8, American Bittern - 1, Great Blue Heron - 2, Great Egret - 4, Green Heron - 2, Turkey Vulture - 3, Canada Goose - 100, Wood Duck - 6, American Black Duck - 1, Mallard - 100+, Blue-winged Teal - 1, Green-winged Teal - 2, Hooded Merganser - 1, Osprey - 3, Bald Eagle - 1, Northern Harrier - 2, Sharp-shinned Hawk - 2, Wild turkey - 30, Killdeer - 100+, Greater Yellowlegs - 4, Lesser Yellowlegs - 40, Spotted Sandpiper - 2, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1, Common Snipe - 7, Ring-billed Gull - 30+, Rock Pigeon - 150+, Mourning Dove - 100+, Chimney Swift -1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3, Belted Kingfisher - 3, Downy Woodpecker - 1, Northern Flicker - 6, Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1, Eastern Kingbird - 2, Red-eyed Vireo - 1, Blue Jay - 12, American Crow - 50, Tree Swallow - 100+, Bank Swallow - 50+, Barn Swallow - 100+, Black-capped Chickadee - 15, Red-breasted Nuthatch - 3, White-breasted Nuthatch - 1, American Robin - 10, Gray Catbird - 6, European Starling - 200+, Cedar Waxwing - 25, Nashville Warbler - 1, Yellow Warbler - 2, Magnolia Warbler - 1, American Redstart - 1, Common Yellowthroat - 15, Chipping Sparrow - 2, Song Sparrow - 4, Swamp Sparrow - 1, Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 4, Red-winged Blackbird - 1000+, Common Grackle - 2, Baltimore Oriole - 1, Purple Finch - 1, American Goldfinch - 24, House Sparrow - 30

Thanks to everyone who came out for a very enjoyable morning.

Wayne

Sightings for Saturday August 25th

Longueuil, Île Charron: 65 Species (espèces) 9 Canada geese (bernaches), 2 Gadwall (chipeaux), 6 Northern pintails (pilets), 8 Green-winged teal (Sarcelles d'hiver), 1 Hooded merganser (Harle couronné), 1 Red-breasted merganser (Harle huppé), 7 Pied-billed grebes (Grèbes à bec bigarré), 68 Cormorants (cormorans), 31 Great blue Herons (Grands Hérons), 4 Great egrets (Grandes Aigrettes), 6 Moorhens (poules-d'eau), 8 Black-bellied plovers (Pluviers argenté), 2 Killdeers (kildirs), Greater yellowlegs (Grand Chevalier), 6 Lesser Yellowlegs (Petits Chevaliers), 3 Spotted sandpipers (grivelés), 10 Least sandpipers (Bécasseaux minuscules), 2 Great black-backed gulls (Goeland marin), 1 Caspian tern (Sterne caspienne), Comon tern (Sterne pierregarin), 6 Pewee (piouis) 2 Least flycatcher (Moucherolle tcbébec), Warblin vireo (Viréo mélodieux), 5 Red-eyed vireo (Viréo aux yeux rouges), Raven (corbeau), 2 Brown thrashers (Moqueurs roux), Warblers – 3 Tennessee, 2 Nashville, 6 Yellow, 5 Magnolia, Cape May, 17 Yellow-rumped, Black-throated green, Blackburnian, Black and White, 4 Americn redstart, Northern waterthrush, 2 Canada (Parulines obscure, 2 à joues grises, 6 jaune, 5 à tête cendrée, une tigrée, 17 à croupion jaune, 1 à gorge noire, 1 à gorge orangée, 1 noir et blanc, 4 flamboyantes, une des ruisseaux et 2 du Canada) 5 Oriole (orioles) - Yves Gauthier

Parc-nature de l'île de la visitations, 51 species (espèces) – Turkey vulture (Urubu), Sharp-shinned hawk (Èpervier brun), Hummingbird (Colibris), Pewee (Pioui de l'Est), Least flycatcher (Moucherolle tcbébec), Phoebe (Moucherolle phébi), Kingbird (Tyran tritri), Vireo’s – Warbling, Philadelphia, and Red-eyed (Viréo mélodieux et de Philadelphie et aux yeux rouges), Catbird (Moqueur chat), Warblers – Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, Black-throated green, Blackburnian, American redstart, Canada (Parulines - obscure, flancs marron, tête cendrée, tigrée, croupion jaune, jaune, gorge noire, gorge orangée, flamboyante, et du Canada), Scarlet tanager (Tangara écarlate), Baltimore oriole (Oriole de Baltimore) - Joël Coutu

Vaudreuil, Chemin de L'Anse: 56 Lesser yellowlegs (Petit chevalier), 42 Semipalmated sandpiper (Bécasseau semipalmé), 23 Killdeer (Pluvier kildir), 21 Least sandpiper (Bécasseau minuscule), 5 Semipalmated Plover (Pluvier semipalmé), 4 Stilt sandpipers (BÉCASSEAU À ÉCHASSES), Solitary sandpiper (Chevalier solitaire), Common tern (sterne pierregarin) - Stéphane Guimond

Sightings for Thursday August 23rd

Montreal, Ile de la Visitation: “COA” Club d'ornithologie d'Ahuntsic de Montréal, 45 species (espèces) including – Wood duck (Canard branchu), Common goldeneye (Garrot à œil d'or), Hooded merganser (Harle couronné), Cormorant (cormoran à aigrettes), Great blue heron (Grand-heron), Black-crowned night heron (Bihoreau gris), Sharp-shinned hawk (Épervier brun), Spotted sandpiper (Chevalier grivelé), Gulls – Ringed-bill, Great black-backed, & Herring (Goélands - à bec cerclé, marin, et argenté), Chimney swift (Martinet ramoneur), Kingfisher (martin-pêcheur), Eastern pewee (pioui de l'est), Vireos – Warbling, Philadelphia & Red-eyed (Viréos - mélodieux de Philadephie & aux yeux rouges), Redbreasted & White-breasted buthhatch (sittelles à poitrine rousse, à poitrine blanche), Catbird (Moqueur chat), Cedar waxwing (Jaseur), Warblers – Tennessee, Northern parula, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Black & white, American redstart (Parulines – Obscure, À Collier, À Flancs Marron, À Tête Cendree, Tigrée, À Croupion Jaune, Noir Et Blanc, Flamboyante), Baltmore oriole (Oriole De Baltimore) - Joël Coutu

Vaudreuil, Chemin de L'Anse: Buff-breasted sandpiper (Bécasseau Roussâtre), 2 Stilt sandpipers (Bécasseaux À Échasses), Red-necked phalarope (Phalarope À Bec Étroit) - Michel Bertrand

Sightings for Wednesday August 22nd

Montreal, Parc de l'Île de la Visitation: 47 species (espèces) including – Common goldeneye (garrot à oeil d'or), Merlin (faucon émerillon), Peregrine falcon (faucon pèlerin), Solitary sandpiper (chevalier solitaire), Spotted sandpiper (chevalier grivelé), Least sandpiper (bécasseau minuscule), Chimney swift (martinet ramoneur), Hummingbird (colibri à gorge rubis), Philadelphia vireo (viréo de Philadelphie), Carolina wren (troglodyte de Caroline), Warblers – Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Black & white, Blackburnian (parulines - à flancs marron, à croupion jaune, à tête cendré, noir et blanc, à gorge orangée), Rose-breasted grosbeak (cardinal à poitrine rose) - Joël Coutu

Sightings for Tuesday August 21st

I went to the Mercier water treatment ponds after supper to find the Red-necked Phalarope (Phalarope à bec étroit) reported on Louise Simard's site. The Phalarope was still there. When I arrived there was a Merlin (Faucon émérillon) sitting on the fence just twenty feetaway. Of course, I did not bring my camera. Other birds seen -Bonaparte's gull (Mouette de Bonaparte), Green-winged teal (Sarcellesd'hiver), Wood ducks (Canard branchu), Ring-necked duck (Fuligule àcollier)
I stopped at the rapids in Mercier to see if there was any shorebirds. There were 18 killdeer (pluvier kildir), lesser yellowlegs (petit chevalier), and 1 least sandpiper (Bécasseauminuscule), but suddenly they all took off. As I headed back to my car, there was a Merlin (Faucon émérillon) sitting on the wire eating a large dragonfly. Another Kodak moment missed. - Tom

Laval, Parc des Prairies: Club d'ornithologie d'Ahuntsic de Montréal, 29 species (espèces) – Turkey vulture (Urubu à tête rouge), Red-eyedvireo (viréo aux yeux rouges), Chimney swift (Martinet Ramoneur), Baltimore oriole (Oriole de Baltimore), Magnolia warbler (Paruline à tête cendrée), Yellow warbler (Paruline jaune), Mourning warbler (Paruline triste) - Joël Coutu

Summer Series - Trip #8 report for August 19th

Trip #9, the last in the 4th annual Summer Series of Birding, is now in the books with 11 birders exploring the east shore of the Richelieu River starting at Sabrevois and continuing south to Noyan.

Several stops were made along the way exploring a wide variety ofhabitats. The phrase "just another ... (insert common bird name here)" was put to use again today, only this time for a species that Sharon hoped we would be able to find. Her target bird for the day was the Osprey but, by the time the day was complete, the phrase "just another Osprey" ended up being used much more frequently than any of us might have expected. In total we probably saw at least ten of the birds throughout the day.

We completed a day full of sunshine, clear sky, cool breezes and a temperature around 18 to 20 degrees, with a total of 61 species. Here is the complete list for the trip.

Wood Duck, Mallard, Blue winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, HoodedMerganser, Double-crested Cormorant, American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Marsh Wren, American Robin, Gray Catbird, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to a fun day. I wouldalso like to thank everyone who participated throughout the summer series. I will have some statistical notes on the complete 4th Summer Series in the near future.

We look forward to the 2007-2008 BPQ Field Trip session gettingunderway next Saturday with a trip to Dundee, Quebec. I hope to seemany of you there.

Sheldon

Sightings for Sunday August 19th

Laval, Bois du Mont-Laval: Eastern kingbird (Tyran tritri), Roughed grouse (Gélinotte huppée), Warblers – Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Common yellowthroat (Parulines - jaune, à croupion jaune et masquée), Northern harrier (Busard Saint-Martin), Red-shouldered hawk (Buse à épaulettes), Red-tailed hawk (Buse à queue rousse), Red-eyed vireo (Viréo aux yeux rouges), Warbling vireo (Viréo mélodieux), Phoebe (Moucherolle phébi), Swamp sparrow (Bruant des marais), House wren (Troglodyte familier) - Georges Lachaîne et Élaine Presseau

Beauharnois, Hydro dam: Common terns (Sterne pierregarin), Bonaparte’s gulls (Mouette de Bonaparte) - Régis Fortin http://www.natureimages.net/

Montreal, Ile Bizzard: 46 species including - 7 Least sandpipers (Bécasseaux minuscules), 3 Semipalmated sandpipers (Bécasseaux semipalmés), Baird’s sandpiper (Bécasseau de Baird) at the beach. Least bittern (Petit Blongios), Pied-billed grebes (Grèbes à bec bigarré) Kingbirds (Tyrans tritri), 6 Eastern Bluebirds (merlebleu de l’est). At the "Grand Héron” look-out, Olive-sided flycatcher (Moucherolle à cotés olive) - Jean Marc Béliveau

Sightings for Saturday August 18th

Montreal, Mount-Royal cemetary: 3 Olive-sided flycatchers (Moucherolles à côtés olive) in section B1. Warblers – Blackbunian, Chestnut-sided, (Paruline - à gorge orangée, à flancs marron), Indigo buntings (Passerins indigo) feeding 2 young, Catbird (Moqueur chat) - Pierre Bannon http://www.pbase.com/pbannon
Ile Bizzard: Least Bitterns (Petit blongois) - Mark Dennis

Laval, Parc des Prairies: 10 Warbling vireos (Viréos mélodieux), 4 Baltimore orioles (Orioles de Baltimore), 8 Wood ducks (Canards branchus), Northern fllckers (Pics flamboyants), Chipping sparrows (Bruants familiers), Song sparrows (Bruants chanteurs), House finch (Roselins familiers), Warblers – American redstart, Yellow-rumped, Yellow (Parulines - flamboyante, à croupion jaune, jaune), Red-breasted nuthatch (Sittelle à poitrine rousse), 3 Chimney swifts (Martinets ramoneurs), Kingfisher (Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique), Yelly-bellied sapsucker (Pic maculé)
Île Saint-Joseph: Raven (Grand Corbeau), 3 Turkey vultures (Urubus à tête rouge) - Georges Lachaîne et Élaine Presseau

Sightings for Tuesday August 14th

Pointe de Yamachiche: “about one km east, on the other side of the river” Wilson’s phalarope (Phalarope de Wilson), Hudsonian godwit (Barge hudsonienne), Short-billed dowtcher (bécassins roux), Baird’s sandpiper (bécasseaux de Baird). "on the point" Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (chevaliers - grands et petits), Bald eagle (pygargue à tête blanche), Sharp-shinned hawks (éperviers bruns), Merlin (faucon émérillon), Osprey (balbuzard pêcheur), Northern harriers (busards St-Martin), Caspian terns (sternes caspiennes), Black-bellied plover (pluvier argenté), Sempalmated plovers (pluviers semipalmés), Killdeer (pluviers kildir), Semipalmated sandpiper (Bécasseau semipalmé), Least sandpiper (Bécasseau minuscule), Black terns (guifettes noires), Great blue herons (grands hérons), Cormorants (cormorans), Common loon (plongeons Huard), Pied-billed grebes (grèbes à bec bigarré), Moorhens (galinules), Bonaparte’s gulls (mouettes de Bonaparte), - Jacques Gélinas

Sightings for Sunday August 12th

Montreal, Mount Royal cemetary: Warblers – Canada, Blackburnian, Ovenbird, American redstart, Nashville (Parulines - du Canada, à gorge orangée, couronnée, flamboyantes, Parulines à joues grises), Swainsons thrush (Grive à dos olive), Scarlet tanager (Tangara écarlate) - Pierre Bannon http://www.pbase.com/pbannon

Summer Series - Trip #8 report for August 11th

13 birders walked along some of the trails at Refuge FauniqueMarguerite D'Youville, on Ile-St-Bernard in Chateauguay this morning.A slightly cloudy day with temperatures ranging from the high teens tothe mid twenties and a welcoming breeze to compensate for thehumidity. 62 species were observed/heard and are listed below:

American Black Duck, American Crow, American Goldfinch, American Redstart, American Robin, Baltimore Oriole, Barn Swallow, Belted Kingfisher, Black-and-white Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Blue Jay, Brown-headed Cowbird, Caspian Tern, Cedar Waxwing, Chimney Swift, Common Grackle, Common Tern, Common Yellowthroat, Double-crested Cormorant, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Pewee, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Blue Heron, Great Crested Flycatcher, Great Egret, Greater Yellowlegs, Green Heron, Hairy Woodpecker, House Sparrow, House Wren, Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs, Magnolia Warbler, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Nashville Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Northern Flicker, Northern Harrier, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Warbling Vireo, White-breasted Nuthatch, Wilson's Snipe, Wood Duck, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler

We did not discuss "bird of the day" but our fearless leader has decided the bird should be the 2 Philadelphia Vireos, which were spotted by Jean Demers. Clemence Soulard enticed the group back to take a peek. I would also like to add a "special mention" for the pair of lesser yellowlegs who seemed to have changed their minds about migrating or were just practicing for next year. Gay taught us a new word for this activity, double-up. In the other non-bird species category, there were the sights and sounds of 2 frogs, who were in the process of being devoured by snakes. This was a source of amazement or trauma for some members of the group. I personally hope to never hear that sound again. Thank you to all who turned out for this enjoyable day, and welcome back to returning member Robert Armstrong.

Happy Birding, Sharon, on behalf of our fearless leader, Thomas

Sightings for Sunday August 5th

Maple Grove, rue Jean-Cauvier: 8 Caspian terns (Sterne caspienne), sitting on rocks near the island. Marsh wren (Troglodyte des marais) - Régis Fortin

Summer Series - Trip #7 report for August 5th

We couldn't have asked for a better day to be out birding. Blue sky, sunshine, no humidity, and cool breezes, at times, all contributed toan excellent day beginning at Pointe de Yamachiche, a stop at Pointe du Lac and, for 6 of us, a return route that took us across the bridge at Trois-Rivieres for a stop at Baie du Febvre before returning home.

First a few notes about Yamachiche. We we first arrived at the meeting place at Exit 174, we were very concerned about a car-load of young guys with air rifles and paintball guns set up in the parking lot. They were randomly shooting at anything that flew by.Fortunately it seems that the range of their weapons and their poor aim prevented them from hitting anything. We wondered what the rest of the visit to the region would have to offer. Fortunately as wemoved on to the next exit, #180, and the entrance to the path to Pointe de Yamachiche, we were really pleased to see the new parking facility that has been set up. Also a sign has been erected welcoming birders to the area, combined with a notice that ATVs were no longer permitted on these trails.

This was great news as we quickly found that the path leading to the waterfront, that was once quite wide and filled with ruts and mud created by the ATV traffic, was now smoother and much more pleasant to walk along. What we initially thought might be a trying experience turned out tobe a great three-hour long visit to the sandy point looking out on to Lac St-Pierre with a great volume of birds and a wonderful selection of species. One additional surprise at the site was the overwhelming number of Monarch butterflies. We must have seen hundreds along the path from the parking lot to the point. Eight birders in total participated in today's outing resulting in avery impressive total of 58 species. A few of the highlights of theday included 2 juvenile Bald Eagles, several Northern Harriers, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Bonaparte's Gull, Common Loon (all at Pointe de Yamachiche), and at Baie du Febvre, Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks, and an American Coot. Here is our total species list for the day.

Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Am. Black Duck, Mallard, Green-winged Teal,Ruddy Duck, Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant,Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Turkey Vulture, BaldEagle, Northern Harrier, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-belliedPlover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, LesserYellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Bonaparte'sGull, Ring-billed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, BlackTern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, DownyWoodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee,Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, AmericanCrow, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch,Marsh Wren, Veery, American Robin, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing,Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, American Goldfinch.

Thank you to everyone who attended and a special welcome to Jean deMarre who joined us today

Sheldon

Sightings for Saturday August 4th

Pointe de Yamachiche: Black-bellied plover (Pluvier argenté), 10 Semipalmated plovers (Pluvier semipalmé), 10 Killdeer (Pluvier kildir), 10 Greater yellowlegs (Grand Chevalier), 20 Lesser yellowlegs (Petit Chevalier), 5 Spotted sandpiper (Chevalier grivelé), 70 Semipalmated sandpiper (Bécasseau semipalmé), 20 Least sandpiper (Bécasseau minuscule), White-rumped sandpiper (Bécasseau à croupion blanc), 3 Bonaparte’s gull (Mouette de Bonaparte), 10 Common tern (Sterne pierregarin), 5 Black tern (Guifette noire), 2 Bald eagle (Pygargues à tête blanche) - Micheline Bisson

Sightings for Thursday August 2nd

Montreal, Mont-Royal Park: Near the chalet, Yellow-bellied flycatcher (Moucherolle à ventre jaune), Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitelles à poitrine rousse). Winter wren (Troglodyte mignon) below the Camillien-Houde lookout. House wren (Troglodyte famililer) at the small pond. - Diane Demers

Pointe de Yamachiche: Pectoral sandpiper (Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée) - Micheline Bisson

Sightings for Wednesday July 29th

Montreal, Montreal Botanical Gardens (alpine garden section): European Goldfinch (Chardonneret elegant) - J.-P. Milot