Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip"

STARTING POINT: Parc de la Frayere, boul. Marie-Victorin, Boucherville, in the parking lot. 
DATE: Saturday, November 30, 2013
TIME: 8 AM - Half day trip

Snowy Owls and other winter birds have begun showing up in different area around the Montreal region.  For this Saturday's spontaneous destination, we are going to attempt to track down some of these birds around the South Shore areas of St-Hubert, St-Bruno, Varennes, etc.  Although cold weather is forecast, conditions should be good.  This will predominantly be a driving trip.  We will be looking for Snowy Owls (already seen at St-Hubert Airport & Varennes, Rough-legged Hawks, Snow Buntings, and whatever else we can stumble across.

To facilitate matters, we will meet at a spot familiar to most of you have participated in some of our previous South Shore outings. This is Parc de la Frayere, on boul. Marie Victorin in Boucherville, on the St-Lawrence River.  After quickly exploring that parc, particularly its waterfront, we will head out on the road trip taking us through parts of Boucherville, Varennes, St-Bruno and finally to the airport in St-Hubert.


DRIVING DIRECTIONS: The park 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: Because there are reduce lanes available on Champlain Bridge, HIGHWAY 132 East can also be accessed from any of the other bridges to the South Shore (Mercier,  Victoria, Jacques-Cartier, or the Lafontaine Tunnel, as well as the new Highway 30 bridge at Vaudreuil-Dorion.) Once on Highway 132 east, route instructions above apply.

Dress warmly!  We will be in some wide open areas so wind and cold will be a factor. We will work in a pit stop, or two, throughout the trip.  Carpooling is recommended on these types of trips, plus if you have two-way radios, bring them along, tuned to channel 11, for inter-vehicle communications. If you have any questions, please contact me at 450-462-1459, or on Saturday morning at 514-637-2141.

Sheldon