Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report - March 22nd

Pierrefonds, Cap-St Jacques

Hello Everyone,Eleven brave (???) birders ignored the cold and wind of Saturday morning and attended the field trip at Cap St Jacques. What was planned as an early spring trip to see returning migrants turned out of to be more of a mid-winter experience with -8C temperatures and strong west winds leading to very low wind chill factors. In sheltered areas the sun did have some warmth in it. We did cut the trip a little short when it was realized conditions were not likely to improve.

The birds were few and far between with little sign of the rites of spring. Bird of the day was a merlin which made a close fly-by before settling in a distant tree. A lapland longspur keeping company with a horned lark along the park road was an unexpected surprise. And an unconcerned pileated woodpecker excavating holes large enough for him to crawl into while searching for carpenter ants(?) was a good sighting.

Our complete albeit meagre list of 13 species included: Common goldeneye - 8, Merlin - 1, Ring-billed gull - 2, Downy Woodpecker - 1, Pileated Woodpecker - 2, American Crow - 30, Horned lark - 1, Black-capped Chickadee - 20, White-breasted Nuthatch - 1, American Robin - 1, Lapland Longspur - 1, Red-winged Blackbird, - 1, House Sparrow - 4

Thanks to everyone who came out for a cold but thoroughly enjoyable walk with good company.

Wayne

P.S. Spring must arrive sooner or later!