Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report - Saturday March 26th

Lasalle / Verdun

I was joined by a very hardy and most enjoyable group of 23+ birders. We had a visiting birder, Matt Medler, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Increasing winds combined with cooler than normal temperatures made for a freezing morning.

We started off at the Parc des Rapides, LaSalle. From there, we saw a few Great Blue Herons. None of them stood on the nests of Île aux Hérons, although one bird tried but left immediately (too windy and freezing cold we guessed). We scanned in the hope of finding the Wild Turkeys that had been seen on the islands there earlier in the month, but had no luck. We enjoyed observing some of the Common Mergansers perching on a tree. A member of the group found a Swamp Sparrow before leaving the park, on the east side of the trail. Unfortunately the bird went hiding and despite many efforts could not be found again.

From there, we did some car pooling and stopped at the end of rue Clemenceau, in Verdun. From the overlook, we could see hundreds of ducks, mostly goldeneye, but also a few scaup, including two Lesser Scaup. Some members of the group thought they had a Barrow's Goldeneye, but the flock lifted a few times, due to some disturbance, before landing again . in a different order. Matt finally identified a male and female Barrow's Goldeneye together, and everyone had a nice look at both birds. The head shape and entirely yellow-orange color of the bill of the female were very convincing. We also had a quartet of Double-crested
Cormorants there.

We then stopped in front of Douglas Hospital. We got better numbers of Greater Scaup as well as an American Wigeon. At this point, we were all very cold and did not feel like lingering any longer along the river.

The rest of us, about a dozen, then headed for the Boisé de L'Île-des-Soeurs, in hope of a better climate down there. We parked at the end of Boulevard de la Forêt. Before entering the woods we heard the noisy calls of a murder of crows that got our attention for most of the time we were there. At some point, a Red-shouldered Hawk called a few times and finally emerged and flew over the treetops for a quick show. Later on, once in the woods, a Cooper's Hawk called several times before being escorted into view by mobbing crows. The greatest surprise though, and consequently bird of the day, was discovered at the end of the field trip by now adored birder Joel Coutu: a Northern Saw-whet Owl that the whole group had plenty of time to enjoy. It was a lifer for some of the members and a rare sight for most of us. What a reward for the perseverance of the group!

Here is the complete list for the trip (40 species): Canada Goose (200), Gadwall (12), American Wigeon (4), American Black Duck (2), Mallard (20), Greater Scaup (20), Lesser Scaup (2), Bufflehead (6), Common Goldeneye (200), Barrow's Goldeneye (2), Hooded Merganser (2), Common Merganser (150), Double-crested Cormorant (6), Great Blue Heron (6), Cooper's Hawk (1), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), Ring-billed Gull (100), Herring Gull (4), Great Black-backed Gull (15), Rock Pigeon (2), Mourning Dove (1), Northern Saw-whet Owl (1), Downy Woodpecker (3), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1), American Crow (100), Black-capped Chickadee (15), White-breasted Nuthatch (2), American Robin (8), European Starling (20), American Tree Sparrow (10), Song Sparrow (6), Swamp Sparrow (1), White-throated Sparrow (1), Northern Cardinal (3), Red-winged Blackbird (50), Common Grackle (1), House Finch (9), American Goldfinch (2), House Sparrow (15).

Bernache du Canada (200), Canard chipeau (12), Canard d'Amérique (4), Canard noir (2), Canard colvert (20), Fuligule milouinan (20), Petit Fuligule (2), Petit Garrot (6), Garrot à (200 ), Garrot d'Islande (2), Harle couronné (2), Grand Harle (150), Cormorans à aigrettes (6), Grand Héron (6), Épervier de Cooper (1), Buses à épaulettes (1), Goéland à bec cerclé (100), Goéland argenté (4), Goéland marin (15), Pigeon biset (2), Tourterelle triste (1), Petite nyctale (1), Pic mineur (3),  Pic chevelu (1), Grand Pic (1), Corneille d'Amérique (100), Mésange à tête noire (15), Sittelle à poitrine blanche (2), Merle d'Amérique (8),  Étourneau sansonnet (20), Bruant Hudsonien (10 ), Bruant chanteur (6), Bruant des marais (1), Bruant à gorge blanche (1), Cardinal rouge (3), Carouge à épaulettes (50), Quiscale bronzé (1), Roselin familier (9),  Chardonneret jaune (2), Moineau domestique (15)
Thank you everyone for coming and showing such enthusiasm. - Diane Demers