Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip Report" June 13

On behalf of Felix Hilton here is a brief report concerning our field trip to Ile Bizard yesterday, Saturday, June 13th.

Twenty-four birders were greeted with sunny skies, light breezes and temperatures which ranged from 15 - 20 ° C that made for a very pleasant morning with relatively few mosquitoes.

As usual with this trip participants were spread out over long stretches of the boardwalk and adjacent woods so not all participants saw or heard all species. But our cumulative list of 57 species was a good total for a trip which had birders of all experience levels. We even enjoyed some non-avian related discussions of flowers, ferns, dragonflies, butterflies, frogs and turtles. The latter was stimulated by the sightings of many Painted Turtles and a probable large female Northern Map Turtle (Tortue géographique) in the marsh. Anyone wishing to verify our ID a photo is below, click to enlarge

photo Tom Long

Birding highlights of the day included a Cooper's Hawk low in the marsh being harassed by Tree Swallows and Red-winged Blackbirds. A Sharp-shinned Hawk put on a show overhead carrying prey. Least Bitterns were seen and heard by two participants. Several Eastern Kingbird nests were located and although we only saw one Barn Swallow he was very obliging as he sat on a branch at close range and chortled at us for a long period of time. Marsh Wrens played their usual game of hide and seek in the cattails. Several Virginia Rails "grunted" at us from the reeds.

Barn swallow / Hirondelle rustique

photo Tom Long

Although we had the successes mentioned above there was a general impression among regular visitors to the park that bird numbers had definitely declined. Notable for their absence were Pied-billed Grebes and Moorhens which can usually be found here. Many regular forest birds were also very quiet or not present. 

Thanks on behalf of Felix and myself for a very enjoyable morning spent in good company. - Wayne Grubert

Our complete list of 57 species seen or heard by at least some of our group members includes:

Canada Goose - 5, Wood Duck - 3, Mallard - 20, Double-crested Cormorant - 1, Least Bittern - 2, Great Blue Heron - 1, Green Heron - 2, Black-crowned Night-heron - 2, Turkey Vulture - 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1, Cooper's Hawk - 1, Red-shouldered Hawk - 2, Virginia Rail - 3 (heard only), Ring-billed Gull - 5, Common Tern - 2, Black Tern - 1, Chimney Swift - 2, Belted Kingfisher - 3, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 8, Downy Woodpecker - 1, Hairy Woodpecker -2, Northern Flicker - 1 (heard only), Pileated Woodpecker - 2, Eastern Wood-Pewee - 5 (mostly heard), Great -crested Flycatcher - 4, Eastern Kingbird - 12, Warbling Vireo - 2 (heard only), Red-eyed Vireo - 9 (heard only), Blue Jay - 4, American Crow - 1, Purple Martin - 1, Tree Swallow - 35, Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2, Barn Swallow - 1, Black-capped Chickadee - 6, White-breasted Nuthatch - 2, Brown Creeper - 2, Marsh Wren - 12 (mostly heard), Veery - 1, American Robin - 2, Gray Catbird - 2, Brown Thrasher - 1, European Starling - 6, Cedar Waxwing - 12, Yellow Warbler - 12, American Redstart - 8, Common Yellowthroat - 5, Song Sparrow - 9, Swamp Sparrow - 12, White-throated Sparrow - 1 (heard only), Northern Cardinal - 2, Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1, Red-winged Blackbird 24, Common Grackle - 6, Brown-headed Cowbird - 2, Baltimore Oriole - 8, American Goldfinch - 10

Bernache du Canada - 5, Canard branchu - 3, Canard colvert - 20, Cormoran à aigrettes - 1, Petit Blongios - 2, Grand héron - 1, Héron vert - 2, Bihoreau gris - 2, Urubu à tête rouge - 1 , Épervier brun - 1, Épervier de Cooper - 1, Buse à épaulettes - 2, Râle de Virginie - 3 (entendu seulement), Goéland à bec cerclé - 5, Sterne pierregarin - 2, Guifette noire - 1, Martinet ramoneur - 2 , Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique - 3, Pic maculé - 8, Pic mineur - 1, Pic chevelu -2, Pic flamboyant - 1 (entendu seulement), Grand Pic - 2, Pioui de l'Est - 5 (entendu), Tyran huppé - 4, Tyran de l'Est - 12, Viréo mélodieux - 2 (entendu seulement), Viréo aux yeux rouges - 9 (entendu seulement), Geai bleu - 4, Corneille d'Amérique - 1, Hirondelle noire - 1, Hirondelle bicolore - 35, Hirondelle à ailes hérissées Nord - 2, Hirondelle rustique - 1, Mésange à tête noire - 6, Sittelle à poitrine blanche - 2, Grimpereau brun - 2, Troglodyte des marais - 12 (entendu), Grive fauve - 1, Merle d'Amérique - 2, Moqueur chat - 2, Moqueur roux - 1, Étourneau sansonnet - 6, Jaseur d'Amérique - 12, Paruline jaune - 12, Paruline flamboyante - 8, Paruline masquée - 5, Bruant chanteur - 9, Bruant des marais - 12, Bruant à gorge blanche - 1 (entendu seulement), Cardinal rouge - 2, Cardinal à poitrine rose - 1, Carouge à épaulettes 24, Quiscale bronzé - 6, Vacher à tête brune - 2, Oriole de Baltimore - 8, Chardonneret jaune - 10