Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip Report" November 22

Field trip to Beauharnois Canal

8 birders attended the field trip this morning. As forecasted, It was rather chilly and windy for our start at Hungry bay. Waves were quite impressive and we all felt we were experiencing winter ocean birding conditions.

At Hungry bay, we enjoyed in particular nice flocks of white-winged scoters, a red-necked grebe as well as a first of season glaucous gull and a lonely surf scoter.

We then headed to Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague. The pond was almost entirely frozen, but waterfowl was still present in the bay north of the road. We added about 10 species of waterfowl. Large flocks of snow and Canada geese had already left by the time we arrived, but there were still a nice raft of ringed-neck ducks, as well as several dozens of hooded mergansers.

We then headed to Beauharnois where we ended the trip at the Parc Nature. While number of species was limited today, this site offers a very promising diversity of habitats and is likely very interesting to visit at different times of the year.

Overall, we oberved 41 species + an additional 5 species seen in Hungry bay before the start of the trip. - Frédéric Hareau

Canada Goose 2000, Snow Goose 58, American Black Duck 12, Gadwall 14, Mallard 100, Ring-necked Duck 400, Greater Scaup 1, Lesser Scaup 2, Surf Scoter 1, White-winged Scoter 40, Long-tailed Duck 2, Common Goldeneye 6, Hooded Merganser 70, Common Merganser 16, Common Loon 1, Red-necked Grebe 1, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Great Blue Heron 1, Bald Eagle 1, Northern Harrier 1, Ring-billed Gull 30, Herring Gull 6, Glaucous Gull 1, Great Black-backed Gull 3, Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 30, Downy Woodpecker 3, Hairy Woodpecker 1, Blue Jay 6, American Crow 10, Common Raven 1, Horned Lark 4, Black-capped Chickadee 10, White-breasted Nuthatch 3, European Starling 40, American Tree Sparrow 16, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Northern Cardinal 1, Snow Bunting 200, American Goldfinch 6, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, House Sparrow 8

Species seen in Hungry bay before the start of the trip: Rough-legged Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Mourning Dove 3, Tufted Titmouse 1, Red-winged Blackbird 1

Bernache du Canada 2000, Oie des neiges 58, Canard noir 12, Canard chipeau 14, Canard colvert 100, Fuligule à collier 400, Fuligule milouinan 1, Petit Fuligule 2, Macreuse à front blanc 1, Macreuse brune 40, Harelde kakawi 2, Garrots à oeil d'or 6, Harle couronné 70, Grand Harle 16, Plongeon huard 1, Grèbe jougris 1, Cormoran à aigrettes 1, Grand Héron 1, Pygargue à tête blanche 1, Busard Saint-Martin 1, Goéland à bec cerclé 30, Goéland argenté 6, Goéland bourgmestre 1, Goéland marin 3, Pigeon biset 30, Pic mineur 3, Pic chevelu 1, Geai bleu 6, Corneille d'Amérique 10, Grand Corbeau 1, Alouette hausse-col 4, Mésange à tête noire 10, Sittelle à poitrine blanche 3, Étourneau sansonnet 40, Bruant Hudsonien 16, Junco ardoisé 2, Cardinal rouge 1, Bruant des neiges 200, Chardonneret jaune 6, Vacher à tête brune 1, Moineau domestique 8

Espèce vu à Hungry bay avant le début d'excursion: Buse pattue 1, Buse à queue rousse 1, Tourterelle triste 3, Mésange bicolore 1, Carouge à épaulettes 1