Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip"

Saturday 31 August – samedi 31 août
St Lazare Sand Pits and Area
Leaders: Jean Demers and Clémence Soulard

514-694-8240 e-mail

7:30 a.m. From Highway 40 west towards Ottawa take Exit 26. Turn left on Chemin Daoûst (which becomes Avenue Bédard) and proceed 4 km to Chemin Ste-Angelique. Turn right and after 1.4 km turn left on Montée St-Robert. Continue for 2.6 km to Parc St-Robert on the left and meet in the parking lot. Looking for shorebirds, waterfowl and early fall migrants. $2.00 or $3.00 charge (exact change). Half day.

7h30 Depuis l’autoroute 40 ouest vers Ottawa, prendre la sortie 26. Tourner à gauche sur le Chemin Daoust (qui devient l’avenue Bédard) et continuer 4 km jusqu’au Chemin Ste-Angélique. Tourner à droite puis après 1,4 km, tourner à gauche sur la Montée St-Robert. Continuer 2.6 km jusqu’au Parc St-Robert sur la gauche. Le lieu de rencontre est situé dans le stationnement. Nous rechercherons les oiseaux de rivage, la sauvagine et les oiseaux migrateurs hâtifs. 2,00 $ ou $ 3,00 pour l’entrée (monnaie exacte). Demi-journée.

Activity at MBO

Hi all, It has been busy at MBO over the last three days – 223 birds of which 177 were warblers. In all we have identified 19 species of warbler already. The most abundant has been the Tennessee Warbler with 64 individuals banded. This activity is relatively early in the season; typically the peak of their migration is in early September.

If we combine the strong Tennessee Warbler numbers with the banding of several Cape May and Bay-breasted Warblers, we might hypothesize that it is a "good" year for the spruce budworm and that these species have benefitted. The next few weeks will tell us!

Meanwhile, do not forget to take 30 seconds of your time to vote for the MBO in the Jamieson campaign. You can vote once a day until September 15:
https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/app_260654777392958

Gay

Bonjour à tous,Ca bouge pas mal à l'OOM depuis 3 jours, 223 oiseaux bagués dont 177 parulines. En tout nous avons recensés 19 espèces de parulines. L'espèce la plus présente est la Paruline obscure avec 64 individus bagués. C'est relativement tôt en saison, elle qui a son pic de migration plus au début septembre normalement. 

Si on combine cette information avec le baguage de plusieurs Parulines tigrées et Parulines à poitrine baie, on pourrait penser que ce fût une "bonne" année pour la tordeuse du bourgeon d'épinette et que ces espèces en ont profité. Les prochaines semaines nous le diront!

Entre temps, n'oubliez pas de prendre 30 secondes de votre temps pour voter pour l'OOM dans le concours de Jamieson. Vous pouvez voter une fois par jour jusqu'au 15 septembre prochain: https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/app_260654777392958

Simon Duval - Observatoire d'Oiseaux de McGill www.facebook.com/oommbo

Sightings for Saturday August 24

Granby, Centre d'interprétation de la nature du Lac-Boivin,  Map

54 species total: 60 Canada Goose, 22 Wood Duck, 3 Gadwall, 15 Mallard, 6 Geen-winged Teal, 15 Double-crested Cormorant, 4 Great Blue Heron, 1 Green Heron, 1 Northern Harrier, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Killdeer, 8 Ring-billed Gull, 8 Mourning Dove, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2 Downy Woodpecker, 2 Hairy Woodpecker, 6 Northern Flicker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Alder Flycatcher, 1 Least Flycatcher, 1 Great Crested Flycatcher, 2 Warbling Vireo, 1 Red-eyed Vireo, 4 Blue Jay, 5 American Crow, 30 Black-capped Chickadee, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4 Veery, 40 , American Robin, 5 Gray Catbird, 8 European Starling, 15 Cedar Waxwing, 2 Black-and-white Warbler, 5 Tennessee Warbler, 7 Common Yellowthroat, 2 American Redstart, 1 Cape May Warbler, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 1 Bay-breasted Warbler, 1 Blackburnian Warbler, 2 Yellow Warbler, 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 1 Blackpoll Warbler, 6 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 Wilson's Warbler, 10 Song Sparrow, 4 Swamp Sparrow, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 10 Red-winged Blackbird, 8 Common Grackle, 1 Baltimore Oriole, 20 American Goldfinch

60 Bernache du Canada, 22 Canard branchu, 3 Canard chipeau, Canard colvert 15, 6 Sarcelle d'hiver, 15 Cormoran à aigrettes, 4 Grand héron, 1 Héron vert, 1 Busard Saint-Martin, 1 Épervier de Cooper, 1 Pluvier kildir, 8 Goéland à bec cerclé, 8 Tourterelle triste, 1 Martin-pêcheur ceinturé, 3 Pic maculé, 2 Pic mineur, pic chevelu 2, 6 Pic flamboyant, 1 Grand pic, 1 Moucherolle des aulnes, 1 Moucherolle tchébec, 1 Tyran huppé, 2 Viréo mélodieux, 1 Viréo aux yeux rouges, 4 Geai bleu, 5 Corneille d'Amérique, 30 Mésange à tête noire, 2 Sittelle à poitrine rousse, 4 Grive fauve, 40, Merle d'Amérique, 5 Moqueur chat, 8 Étourneau sansonnet, 15 Jaseur d'Amérique, 2 Paruline noir et blanc, 5 Paruline obscure, 7 Paruline masquée, 2 Paruline flamboyante, 1 Paruline tigrée, 1 Paruline à tête cendrée, 1 Paruline à poitrine baie, 1 Paruline à gorge orangée, 2 Paruline jaune, 2 Paruline à flancs marron, 1 Paruline rayée, 6 Paruline à croupion jaune, 1 Paruline de Wilson, 10 Bruant chanteur, 4 Bruant des marais, 1 Bruant à gorge blanche, 4 Cardinal à poitrine rose, 10 Carouge à épaulettes, 8 Quiscale bronzé, 1 Oriole de Baltimore, 20 Chardonneret jaune - Monique Berlinguette et Monique Maheu

Vote for MBO @ Jamieson Vitamins

Currently 100 votes out of first place

No need to write letters or donate money. All you have to do is vote online for the McGill Bird Observatory at https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/app_260654777392958

Voting ends September 15th. Please vote every day for MBO. Tell your friends and family. Every vote counts

Vote for MBO @ Jamieson Vitamins

Jamieson Vitamins, as part of its corporate social responsibility program, has put $100 000 on the table in an online voting campaign for five worthy wildlife organizations. This year McGill Bird Observatory has been selected as the Quebec group. We need your help!

It's easy; no need to write letters or donate money. All you have to do is vote online for MBO at https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/app_260654777392958.


If we get 1% of the vote, we will receive $1000. If we get 50% of the vote, we will receive $50 000 and so on. You can see the huge potential to raise money, money which MBO needs to maintain and expand research programs.

Voting started today and ends September 15th. Please vote every day for MBO. Tell your friends and family. Every vote counts.

Thank you for your support!

Gay McDougall Gruner
Director / Directrice
McGill Bird Observatory / Observatoire d'Oiseaux de McGill
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/oommbo

Bonjour à tous,L'OOM a été sélectionné par les vitamines Jamieson pour représenter le Québec dans le concours Appel pour la nature.100 00$ sera divisé entre 5 organismes canadiens en fonction du nombre de votes amassés.Vous pouvez voter à chaque jour jusqu'au 15 septembre. Si vous partager avec vos amis, famille et collègues c'est encore mieux. Vous pouvez nous aider avec le clic de votre souris.Voici l'adresse pour voter: https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonvitamins/app_260654777392958
Merci beaucoup à l'avance,

Simon Duval Observatoire d'Oiseaux de McGill

Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip"

2013 Summer Series of Birding - Trip #7 - Saturday, August 24

Hello everyone. Next Saturday's trip will wrap up our 2013 Summer Series; our 10th anniversary year. We will be making our annual visit to 4 Eastern Ontario sewage lagoons. This summer outing has become one of our most popular and productive trips.

We will be repeating the route of last year, starting at the St-Albert Lagoons, then on to Embrun. We'll take a lunch break at the Tim Horton rest stop in Casselman around noon and then move on to the Casselman Lagoons and finally to the St-Isidore Lagoons.

DATE: Saturday, August 24
TIME: 7:00 AM – Full day; combination driving/walking trip.
MEETING PLACE: Departing from the Hudson Inn parking lot in Hudson, Quebec at Exit 17 off of Highway 40. Please arrive early to be ready to depart for Ontario at 7 AM sharp. We have roughly a 90 km. drive from Hudson to our first stop in St-Albert, thus the need for the early start.

DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: The driving route for the day is available in a file in the "Files" section of the Songsparrow group. The document includes links to the individual sewage lagoon information pages. Click on "Files" on the menu on the left of the group page. Look for the file BPQ Driving Instructions. Click on it and the document 2013-08-24 E. Ontario Sewage Lagoon trip details.doc is there. If possible, please print out a copy to bring with you on Saturday.

ITINERARY: We will visit 4 different sewage lagoons; St-Albert, Embrun, Casselman and St-Isidore. We'll be looking for a variety of shorebirds and marsh-dwellers, together with whatever other songbirds, raptors, etc. that show up throughout the day. St-Albert and Embrun will easily fill the morning. We'll break for lunch at Tim Horton's in Casselman prior to heading on to the Casselman and St-Isidore stops. Bring your lunch or pick up something at a number of restaurants located at the Cassleman stop. Picnic tables, washrooms and gasoline are all available here.

There is a lot of walking required at each site, particularly at St. Albert, the largest of the four sites. The lagoons are located in wide open, exposed areas, away from any facilities. They provide no shade or shelter from the sun or rain. Therefore dress accordingly and bring along fluids and/or snacks. The grass can
be quite wet at these locations, particularly early in the morning. Be equipped with suitable footwear. We also noted last year that a couple of the lagoon sites have substantial amounts of ragweed present. This caused problems for a few people with allergy issues last year, so be forewarned.

Spotting scopes will be very useful. Also, if you have portable two-way radios, please bring them along. They are excellent tools on road trips to stay in communication with others in the convoy. Car-pooling is recommended, if possible, as parking at a couple of the lagoons is limited. Cars may be left at the Hudson Inn parking lot if you are able to double up with someone.

If you have any question, please contact me by e-mail, or by telephone at 450-462-1459. If you are delayed on Saturday morning, please call me on the BPQ cellphone at 514-637-2141. We will leave Hudson at 7 am sharp. However you will have time to catch up to us at our first stop in St-Albert.

This is a full day of birding. We usually do not get back to the Montreal area until quite late in the afternoon. Should you choose to leave the group at any point during the day, there is easy access back to Highway 417 from any of the sewage lagoon locations.

We look forward to a great day of birding on Saturday. - Sheldon

Bird Protection Quebec "Field trip Report"

2013 Summer Series of Birding - Trip #6

Yesterday's Summer Series Trip #6 to Boucherville's Parc de la Frayere attracted 7 birders on probably one of the best summer days of the season so far. Fresh, humid-free air, mild temperature and nice breezes off the water made for exceptional conditions. Bird-wise it was a little quiet, literally, as so many of the birds are going about their business at this time of the year almost silently. Our only set-back was the wooded area where our walk down the trail ended quickly as we were set upon by blood-thirsty mosquitoes. The riverfront was full of 500+ Canada Geese, with more flocks coming in every few minutes. We noted many, many birds tagged with the orange and white neck collars. Tom Long recorded a number of them to check out. Many will probably be from the same tagging exercises noted in Roger Titman's previous posting.

Here is our list of 36 species for the day: Canada Goose 500+, Wood Duck 24, American Black Duck 2, Mallard 50+, Pied-billed Grebe 6, Double-crested Cormorant 6, Great Blue Heron 12, Great Egret 3, Green Heron 1, Turkey Vulture 1, Northern Harrier 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 6, Spotted Sandpiper 3, Ring-billed Gull 24, Herring Gull 1, Caspian Tern 2, Common Tern 12, Rock Pigeon 2, Mourning Dove 3, Belted Kingfisher 1, Northern Flicker 3, Eastern Kingbird 1, Blue Jay 2, American Crow 2, American Robin 1, Gray Catbird 1, European Starling 3, Cedar Waxwing 2, Yellow Warbler 3, Song Sparrow 4, Northern Cardinal 4, Red-winged Blackbird 12, Common Grackle 1, American Goldfinch 45, House Sparrow 20

Bernache du Canada 500 +, Canard branchu 24, Canard noir 2, Canard colvert 50 +, Grèbe à bec bigarré 6, Cormoran à aigrettes 6, Grand Héron 12, Grande Aigrette 3, Héron vert 1, Urubu à tête rouge 1, Busard Saint-Martin 1, Épervier brun 1, Gallinule poule d'eau 6, Chevalier grivelé 3, Goéland à bec cerclé 24, Goéland argenté 1, Sterne caspienne 2, Sterne pierregarin 12, Pigeon biset 2, Tourterelle triste 3, Martin-pêcheur 1, Pic flaboyant 3, Tyran tritri 1, Geai bleu 2, Corneille d'Amérique 2, Merle d'Amérique 1, Moqueur chat 1, Étourneau sansonnet 3, Jaseur d'Amérique 2, Paruline jaune 3, Bruant chanteur 4, Cardinal  rouge 4, Carouge à épaulettes 12, Quiscale bronzé 1, Chardonneret jaune 45, Moineau domestique 20

Believe it or not, we wrap up the 2013 Summer Series next Saturday with our ,annual trip to the always popular, and usually productive, eastern Ontario ,Sewage Lagoon tour. Sounds exotic, doesn't it? Watch for the full details in a posting early this coming week. - Sheldon

Sightings for Saturday August 17

Sainte-Martine: There was a large number of Lesser Yellowlegs. But the observation that stands out is that of a Black-bellied Plover wearing quasi summer plumage.List of species observed: Mallard, Double-crested cormorant, Great blue heron, Great Egret, Black-Crowned Night-Heron, Osprey, Black-bellied plover, Killdeer, Greater yellowlegs, Lesser yellowlegs, Spotted sandpiper, Least sandpiper, Ring-billed gull, Rock pigeon, Mourning dove, Belted kingfisher, American crow, American robin, European starling, Cedar waxwing, Song sparrow, Red-winged blackbird

Il y avait un nombre élevé de Petit Chevalier. Mais, l’observation qui se démarque est celle d’un Pluvier argenté arborant un quasi plumage d’été. Voici la liste des espèces observées: Canard colvert, Cormoran à aigrettes, Grand Héron, Grande Aigrette, Bihoreau gris, Balbuzard pêcheur, Pluvier argenté, Pluvier kildir, Grand Chevalier, Petit Chevalier, Chevalier grivelé, Bécasseau minuscule, Goéland à bec cerclé, Pigeon biset, Tourterelle triste, Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique, Corneille d’Amérique, Merle d’Amérique, Étourneau sansonnet, Jaseur d’Amérique, Bruant chanteur, Carouge à épaulettes - Régis Fortin

Sightings for Friday August 16

Châteauguay, Refuge Faunique Marguerite-D’Youville: This morning I observed 45 species of bird on Île Saint-Bernard. Also seen was 1 red fox running along the dyke at the petite digue. Plus 14 deer - 3 male with their antlers stating to grow and 7 female + 4 young scattered around the island.
Canada Goose  1, Wood Duck  3, Mallard  20, Double-crested Cormorant  125, Great Blue Heron  3, Great Egret  11, Green Heron  1, Black-crowned Night-Heron  2, Northern Harrier  1, Cooper's Hawk  1, Spotted Sandpiper  2, Ring-billed Gull  12, Great Black-backed Gull  1, Caspian Tern  2, Common Tern  2, Rock Pigeon  1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1, Downy Woodpecker  3, Hairy Woodpecker  1, Northern Flicker  3, Eastern Wood-Pewee  5, Eastern Phoebe  2, Great Crested Flycatcher  1, Warbling Vireo  2, Red-eyed Vireo  3, American Crow  2, Tree Swallow  5, Black-capped Chickadee  30, Tufted Titmouse  2, White-breasted Nuthatch  4, House Wren  1, Gray Catbird  7, Common Yellowthroat  4, American Redstart  2, Blackburnian Warbler  1, Yellow Warbler  20, Black-throated Green Warbler  1, Song Sparrow  30, Swamp Sparrow  2, Northern Cardinal  2, Red-winged Blackbird  20, Common Grackle  3, American Goldfinch  4, House Sparrow  8

Bernache  du Canada 1, Canard branchu 3, Canard colvert 20, Cormoran à aigrettes 125, Grand  héron 3, Grande Aigrette 11, Héron vert 1, Bihoreau gris 2, Busard Saint-Martin 1, Épervier de Cooper 1, Chevalier grivelé 2, Goéland à bec  cerclé 12, Goéland marin 1, Sterne caspienne 2, Sterne pierregarin 2, Pigeon biset 1, Colibri à gorge rubis 2, Pic maculé 1, Pic mineur 3, Pic chevelu 1, Pic flaboyant 3, Pioui de l'Est 5, Moucherolle phébi 2, Tyran huppé 1, Viréo mélodieux 2, Viréo aux yeux rouges 3, Corneille d'Amérique 2, Hirondelle bicolore 5, Mésange à tête noire 30, Mésange bicolore 2, Sittelle à poitrine blanche 4, Troglodyte familier 1, Moqueur chat 7, Paruline masquée 4, Paruline flamboyante 2, Paruline à gorge orangée 1, Paruline jaune 20, À gorge noire Paruline 1, Bruant chanteur 30, Bruant des marais 2, Cardinal rouge 2, Carouge à épaulettes 20, Quiscale bronzé 3, Chardonneret jaune 4, Moineau domestique 8  -  Tom Long

Sightings for Thursday August 15

Boucherville, Parc: 2 Caspian Terns resting on a rock in the river, at the mouth of the Rivière aux Pins. 1 adult Bald eagle, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Gadwall, Mallard Black and  Wood ducks. A family of Common moorhen with chicks. Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Ring-billed Gulls, Yellow warblers, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Black-capped Chickadees, Sp Flycatcher, Eastern kingbird, Song sparrow, Northern cardinal.

Returning on Boul. Clairevue in Saint-Hubert, I observed: American robins feeding young, 1 Turkey Vulture in the field, 1 American Kestrel and 1 Northern Harrier male hunting in the same field of Saint-Hubert Airport.

Boucherville, 2 Sternes caspienne posées sur une roche dans le fleuve, à l'embouchure de la Rivière aux Pins. 1 Pyguargue à tête blanche adulte, 1 Épervier brun, Canards chipeau, branchu, colvert et noir. Famille de Galinules poule d'eau avec poussins. Grand héron, Bernaches du Canada, Goélands à bec cerclé, Parulines jaune, Viréos mélodieux et aux yeux rouges, Mésanges à tête noire, Moucherolle sp, Tyran tritri, Bruants chanteur, Cardinal rouge.

En revenant, sur le Boul. Clairevue à Saint-Hubert, j'ai observé: Merles d'Amérique nourrissant des jeunes, 1 Urubu à tête rouge posé dans le champ, 1 Crécerelle d'Amérique et 1 Busard St-Martin mâle, chassant dans le même champ de l'Aéroport de Saint-Hubert. - Pierre Casavant, Gilles Ethier

Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip"

2013 Summer Series of Birding - Trip #6

This Saturday August 17 at 8 AM we will be returning to the spot where the very first Summer Series of Birding trip was held back in June 2004. We'll visit Parc de la Frayere in Boucherville on the South Shore. This is a Ducks Unlimited site, with an excellent variety of birds and habitats. We have not been back to this site for a summer trip since July 3, 2010.

LOCATION: Parc de la Frayere, boul. Marie-Victorin, Boucherville, (FREE PARKING)
DATE: Saturday, August 17, 2013
TIME: 8 AM - Half day trip

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: The site is a little less than 30 minutes from the South Shore side of the Champlain Bridge. From Montreal, take the Champlain Bridge, to the first exit off the bridge. Follow Highway 20/Highway 132 EAST, heading towards Varennes/Longueuil). Continue east on Highway 20/132. Note that Highways 20 and 132 split at exit for Quebec City & Hippolyte-Lafontaine Tunnel. Stay to the left at this exit, continuing east on Highway 132. Continue past the exits for de Montarville, de Montbrun
and chemin du General Vanier. The next traffic lights will be at Boul. de la Marine/Boul. Lionel Boulet (Highway 229). Turn left at the traffic lights on to Boul. de la Marine, heading north towards the waterfront. Continue north, cross the railway tracks and turn left at the traffic lights at the corner of boul. Marie Victorin.
Continue on boul. Marie Victorin, past the hydro pylons. You will see an entrance road into the parking lot for the Parc de la Frayere on your right.

NOTE that depending on your starting point, HIGHWAY 132 East can be accessed from any of the bridges to the South Shore (Mercier, Champlain, Victoria, Jacques Cartier, or the Lafontaine Tunnel, and even the new Highway 30 bridge at Vaudreuil-Dorion.) Once on Highway 132 east, route instructions above apply.

SITE DESCRIPTION: There are five distinct habitats at this one location, all easily accessible on foot: open water, shoreline, a marsh, open farm fields, and wooded trails with small streams and ponds. There are paths and trails throughout the site, as well as two observation platforms on the marsh.

Washroom facilities and picnic tables available on-site. Insect repellent is recommended for the wooded area. Spotting scopes will be very helpful, particularly on the waterfront and marsh.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at e-mail - phone 450-462-1459. On Saturday morning you may reach me on the BPQ cellphone at 514-637-2141. Sheldon

Bird Protection Quebec "Field trip Report"

2013 Summer Series of Birding - Trip #5

At the start of yesterday's Summer Series trip to the St-Lazare sand pits and surrounding areas it felt more like a fall trip than a summer one. It was a little chilly with a stiff wind but things warmed up later in the morning with sunny conditions throughout. 8 birders participated in the outing, gathering a collection of 41 species. The Bird of the Day was a really unexpected find. Mark Dennis had suggested that we check out a gravel road, Montee Chenier, south of the sand pits area, where he had been seeing a number of sparrow species moving through earlier in the week. We didn't find the sparrows but did find an empty farm field with 12 Black-bellied Plovers together with a couple dozen Killdeer!

Here is the list of 41 species for the day that covered the sand pits, Montee Chenier and chemin Fief.

Snow Goose 1 (perhaps injured), Canada Goose 10,  American Black Duck 1, Mallard 30,Great Blue Heron 8, Green Heron 2, Turkey Vulture 5, Northern Harrier 1, Accipiter species - 1, Merlin 2, Black-bellied Plover 12, Killdeer 25, Greater Yellowlegs 8, Lesser Yellowlegs 8, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Sandpiper species (Least or Semipalmated), Pectoral Sandpiper 1, Ring-billed Gull 80, Mourning Dove 6,  Woodpecker species 1 (heard hammering only), Alder Flycatcher 1, Eastern Phoebe 2, Eastern Kingbird 3, Flycatcher species 1, Blue Jay 2, American Crow 12, Tree Swallow 5, Barn Swallow 20, Black-capped Chickadee 12, American Robin 2, European Starling 4, Cedar Waxwing 20, Scarlet Tanager 2 (females), Chipping Sparrow 20, Song Sparrow 12, Swamp Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird 6, Common Grackle 1, American Goldfinch 30, House Sparrow 2

Oie des neiges 1 (peut-être blessé), Bernache du Canada 10, Canard noir 1, Canard colvert 30, Gand héron 8, Héron vert 2, Urubu à tête rouge 5, Busard Saint-Martin 1, espèces Accipiter - 1, Faucon émerillon 2, Pluvier argenté 12, pluvier kildir 25, Grand Chevalier 8, Petit Chevalier 8, Chevalier grivelé 2, espèces Bécasseau (moins ou Semipalmated), Bécasseau à poitrine cendrée 1, Goéland à bec cerclé 80, Tourterelle triste 6, Espèces de pics 1 (entendu marteler uniquement), Moucherolle des aulnes 1, Moucherolle phébi 2, Tyran tritri 3, espèces Moucherolle 1, Geai bleu 2, Corneille d'Amérique 12 Hirondelle bicolore 5, Hirondelle rustique 20, Mésange à tête noire 12, Merle d'Amérique 2, Étourneau sansonnet 4, Jaseur d'Amérique 20, Tangara écarlate 2 (femelle), Bruant familier 20, Bruant chanteur 12, Bruant des marais 1, Cardinal rouge 1, Carouge à épaulettes 6, Quiscale bronzé 1, Chardonneret jaune 30, Moineau domestique 2

Thanks to all who attended and thanks to Mark Dennis for suggesting a few spots to check out that ended up leading us to the Plovers.

Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip"

2013 Summer Series of Birding - Trip #4 - Saturday, August 10

Date: Saturday, August 10, 2013
Time: 8 AM - Half-day, predominantly walking trip
Location: Parking lot of the park at Montee St-Robert and Rang Lotbiniere in St-Lazare.


Contact Info: Sheldon Harvey,  e-mail  450-462-1459, or on the morning of the outing
514-637-2141 

St. Lazare Sandpits, and surrounding areas. This is a favourite spot of BPQ member Mark Dennis who has seen many great birds at this location in the past. We will meet at the park on Montee St-Robert just slightly right of Rang Lotbiniere. Here are the details:

DIRECTIONS: From Autoroute 40, after you cross the Ile aux Tourtes Bridge, take
Highway 30 (formerly Highway 540) direction-Toronto, and then take Exit 2 (Highway 340-Boul. de la Cite des Jeunes-St. Lazare). Turn left on highway 340. Travel several kilometers, past a flashing yellow light and traffic lights. Continue a kilometre or so, and then veer off right onto a smaller road, Rang Lotbiniere (Highway 340 bears left at this fork). At the end of Rang Lotbiniere, turn right on Montée St-Robert, and then right into the parking lot of a park which is facing the sand pits.

NOTE: If coming from Highway 20, you can exit to Highway 30 (formerly Highway 540), then take the exit for Boul. de la Cite des Jeunes, and follow the rest of the route indicated above.

If you have a GPS, simply enter City- St. Lazare, then intersection St. Robert and Lotbiniere and follow the route.

ITINERARY: We will observe the sandpits from above on Montee St-Robert, then walk through the sandpits area, and walk the gravel road alongside the pits leading to the Base de Plein Air Les Forestiers where we can explore wooded areas for songbirds.
Note: There is an "admission fee" box at the entrance to the sand pits. Be prepared to drop a few bucks in for access to the site.

Here is a link to to a page on the Sand Pits from "Birding Montreal" which includes a description, photos and an interactive map.
http://www.sparroworks.ca/Site_pages/stLsandpits2.html

The forecast, at least at this point, for Saturday looks great...sunny and 22 degrees. See you all on Saturday. - Sheldon

Piedmont,Turkey Vultures drying their wings after morning rain

Urubus à tête rouge sécher leurs ailes après la pluie du matin

Rosita Labrie