Sightins for Tuesday July 7th

Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Barachois de Fatima: We observered 9 Piping plovers, 4 adults & 5 chicks
nous avons observé 9 Pluviers siffleurs. 4 adultes et 5 poussins. - Robert Chartier, Murielle Couture, Monique Rouleau & Gilles Ethier.

St Lambert: About 4:00 PM while driving down Brixton Street in St Lambert I looked out the drivers window to the left and was surprised to see an immature Merlin (Faucon émerillon) sitting on the roof of a car parked in the driveway.

I stopped, got out, and was able to approach to within a couple of feet of the bird.

By and large, the feathers seemed a little less that optimum for a fledged falcon. The head still had tufts of white down on top and the tail was about 6-7 inches long.

When it flew, and just missed crashing onto the ground, I could see that the wings were more accipeter-like in shape rather than elongated like a falcon so it still had a little growing to do.

Flight was unsteady and it 'landed', and I use the term generously, about 24 inches up the trunk of a dense spruce that could have been the nest tree.

Fearing for cats I approached close to make it nervous enough so that it flapped and climbed its way to a perch about 10 feet up and hopefully out of harms way for the time being.

Adults could be heard a couple of houses away but, never, gave me any attention.

The house is about 5-6 up from Riverside if anyone in St Lambert is interested in looking. I didn't think to look at the address but in anyone needs it I can pass by later and get the details - Mark