Sightings for Sunday May 3rd

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report for Saturday May 3rd
Pointe-aux-Prairies field trip report

11 birders joined in for a walk at Pointe-aux-Prairies Nature Park. The temperature was nice, sunny and not too cold, but the wind started blowing stronger by mid-morning.

We made two stops, at both parking lots (the first visited (P1) being the onethat is west of the other (P2)), plus an additional stop east of the park, alongthe bicycle path (BP).

The cold northern winds from the previous night might be to blame for scarcity of migrating song birds. In fact, only two warbler species were met along thepark, but one singing Yellow Warbler showed itself very generously, for the joy of all of us. A Blue-headed Vireo was also well seen by everyone, but the Warbling Vireo was only heard by three of us before it flew away.

The bird of the day has to be the «White-headed Robin» that was previouslyspotted by the COMIR group (P2). That American Robin had its head all white, contrasting with the rest of the body that was presenting more normalpigmentation. A picture of the bird is being posted on the Songsparrow email list. Unfortunately, not all members of our group were lucky enough to see the bird, as it was flushed away at some point. A Brown Thrasher was also seen hiding in the nearby bushes.

Thanks to Sheldon, who had his scope all along, we were able to add two Greater Scaups standing on the Rivière des Prairies at a good distance, plus two Northern Pintails.

Thanks also to the will and determination of the birders left after the list, we were able to add a 50th species, the Rock Pigeon, by birding some extra minutes along the bicycle path east of the park (BP), our third and last stop. I also added another species on the list, the Green Heron (number 51) that was mentioned by a member of our group on the Songsparrow. I was sorry we had missed it with the group.

Finally, as I previously birded the area on my own from 7h15 to 7h45 AM, I had a Baltimore Oriole and a House Wren singing (BP), as well as three Red-necked Grebes standing on the river, spotted first with binoculars, and then observed with a scope before they flew away westward (P2). Unfortunately, none of those species were found again as we visited these areas with the group.
Here are the 51 species encountered: Canada Goose (110), Gadwall (15), AmericanWidgeon (8), American Black Duck (2), Mallard (6), Blue-winged Teal (3),Northern Shoveler (3), Northern Pintail (2), Greater Scaup (2), Red-necked Grebe(3), Double-crested Cormorant (15), Green Heron (1), Black-crowned Night Heron(1), Turkey Vulture (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk (1), Ring-billed Gull (20), GreatBlack-backed Gull (3), Rock Pigeon (5), Mourning Dove (2), Belted Kingfisher(1), Downy Woodpecker (2), Northern Flicker (12), Eastern Phoebe (2),Blue-headed Vireo (1), Warbling Vireo (1), Blue Jay (6) American Crow (2), TreeSwallow (2), Black-capped Chickadee (10), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), HouseWren (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3), American Robin (50), Gray Catbird (1), BrownThrasher (2), European Starling (15), Yellow Warbler (3), Yellow-rumped Warbler(1), Chipping Sparrow (3), Song Sparrow (20), Swamp Sparrow (12), White-throatedSparrow (6), Dark-eyed Junco (1), Northern Cardinal (6), Red-winged Blackbird(50), Common Grackle (4), Brown-headed Cowbird (12), Baltimore Oriole (1), HouseFinch (1), Pine Siskin (12), American Goldfinch (30).

Warm thanks to everyone for coming, and staying alert for birds all long.- Diane Demers

Victoriaville, réservoir Beaudet: Eared Grebe (Grèbe À Cou Noir) Photo - Andre Fontaine

Montréal, Île de la Visitation: 46 especes Species
Sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, Merlin, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (seen Saturday also), Northern mockingbird, Sparrows Lincoln & Swamp, Warblers – Northern parula, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Black & white
Épervier brun et de Cooper, Faucon Émerillion, VIRÉO A GORGE JAUNE, (observe hier, Samedi,aussi), Moqueur polyglotte, Bruant de Lincolin et Marais. Parulines - a collier, a flancs marron, a croupion jaune, des pins, et la noir et blanc - Joel Coutu

Verdun, Île des Sœurs: 2 Least Bittern were calling in the phragmites at the south end of lac des Battures. Also a Baltimore oriole was singing, and I heard a Purple finch in the woods. Around the island Common tern. 44 species tolal
2 Petits Blongios vocalisaient dans les phragmites au sud du lac des Battures de l'île des Sœurs ce matin. Aussi, un Oriole de Baltimore chantait et j'ai entendu un Roselin pourpré dans le boisé. Au large de l'île, j'ai vu ma première Sterne pierregarin. Un total de 44 espèces -Pierre Bannon

Ayer's Cliff, Sentier Nature Tomifobia: 6:30 – 12:45 64 (espèces) Species
Of the 11 Warblers found five were heard only. Norhtern parula, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black & white, Northern waterthrush and Common yellowthroat. Heard only Nashville, Black-throated blue, Black-throated green, American redstart and Ovenbird
Sur les 11 parulines recensées, 5 n'ont été qu'entendues. Parmi les «vues», il y avait la Paruline à collier, la jaune, la croupion jaune, la noir et blanc, la paruline des ruisseaux et la masquée. Celles seulement «entendues», la joues grises, la bleue, la gorge noire, la flamboyante et la couronnée.
Flycatchers – Least, Phoebe, Kingbird. Rose-breasted grosbeak. Warbling & Blue-headed vireos. House & Winter wrens. Solitary sandpiper, Spotted sandpiper, Sparrows – Savannah, Vesper, Song, Chipping, Swamp & White-throated
Moucherolles tchébec, phébi et tritri. Cardinal à poitrine rose, le Viréo mélodieux et à tête bleue, le Troglodyte familier et mignon, le Chevalier solitaire et grivelé et les Bruants des prés, vespéral, chanteur, familier, des marais et à gorge blanche.
Raptors – Broad-winged hawk, Red-tailed hawk, Sharp-shinned hawk, American kestrel, Red-shouldered hawk, Turkey vultures
Rapaces - Petite Buse, Buse à queue rousse, Épervier brun, Crécerelle, Buse à épaulettes, Urubu à tête rouge - Gisèle Gilbert, Serge Mailhot