Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report for Saturday May 3rd

Lancaster, Ontario - Cooper Marsh

The weather certainly could have been worse yesterday morning at CooperMarsh. There was some intermittent light rain early, but the morning was mostly fair. Temperatures were in the 10 to 16 degree range.

Number of Birders: 20 Number of Living Species: 52

Dead Bird of the Day: Participants who examined the remains of the bird agree with Marie-Anne that the bird was a probable Long-eared (and long dead) Owl. As to habitat, I have seen Long-eared Owl in winter at Cooper Marsh . . adjacent fields and marsh could invite Short-eared but I have never seen one there. . . . Chuck, I assume the talons would be bleached out by months of winter conditions . . . size seemed right . . . photos

Bird of the Day: Wilson's Snipe . . . many . . . winnowing high over head and calling from perches and flying straight towards us and even landing within 5 metres of some birders' feet.

Other highlights: singing Purple Finch and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, territorial Swamp Sparrows, mating Ospreys, Rusty Blackbirds, Eastern Kingbirds, one Black-crowned Night-Heron

Thanks to everyone who came out on a morning that was less than promising

Martin

List of Species observed: Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, American Black Duck, Greater Scaup (probable), Common Goldeneye, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Killdeer, Wilson’s Snipe, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Common Tern, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, American Crow, European Starling, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow-rumped warbler, Warbling vireo