Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip Report" June 20

A number of south-western Quebec's favourite birding hotspots were on the route for today's annual BPQ Summer Solstice field trip...and they did not disappoint. A small group this year, just 7 birders, were treated to an average of 11 species per birder for a total of 77 species in roughly 7 consecutive hours of birding. That's a really great number considering that the route did not take us to any significant bodies of water, thus no ducks or geese on the list, and only a handful of marsh and shorebirds.

Single-digit temperatures greeted us at our 5:15 AM start time in Ormstown. Things warmed up fairly quickly throughout the morning and we were treated to a spectacular day of clear skies, cooling breezes and low humidity. Our stops included 3e Rang/Gore Road, ch. des Planches, 4e rang and Mtee. Biggar in Godmanchester, ch. Paul and ch d'Athelstan in Athelstan, wrapping up in downtown Huntingdon for lunch.

Highlights of the day included Upland Sandpipers at the Graham Family farm on Gore Road; Clay-coloured Sparrows on ch. des Planches, north of Ridge Road; and a Golden-winged Warbler on Mtee. Biggar.

Thanks to everyone for getting up early to join Wayne and me on our final spring outing of 2015. Next week we kick off the 12th year of the Summer Series of Birding. Keep an eye on here, the Songsparrow group and BPQ's Facebook page for each week's destination. - Sheldon Harvey

Here is today's complete list: Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret 1, Turkey Vulture 6, Northern Harrier 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, Virginia Rail 1, Killdeer 2, Upland Sandpiper 2, Wilson's Snipe 3, Ring-billed Gull 30, Rock Pigeon 12, Mourning Dove 20, Chimney Swift 6, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 10, Downy Woodpecker 2, Northern Flicker 4, Eastern Wood-Pewee 4, Alder Flycatcher 4, Willow Flycatcher 1, Least Flycatcher 6, Eastern Phoebe 5, Great-crested Flycatcher 6, Eastern Kingbird 5, Warbling Vireo 8, Red-eyed Vireo 15, Blue Jay 6, American Crow 15, Common Raven 2, Horned Lark 1, Tree Swallow 24, Cliff Swallow 1, Barn Swallow 20, Black-capped Chickadee 6, White-breasted Nuthatch 2, Brown Creeper 3, House Wren 5, Eastern Bluebird 8, Veery 10, Wood Thrush 4, American Robin 20, Gray Catbird 6, European Starling 30, Cedar Waxwing 35, Golden-winged Warbler 1, Yellow Warbler 6, Chestnut-sided Warbler 2, Black-throated Blue Warbler 1, Black and White Warbler 1, American Redstart 20, Ovenbird 12, Northern Waterthrush 1, Common Yellowthroat 8, Scarlet Tanager 2, Eastern Towhee 2, Chipping Sparrow 8, Clay-coloured Sparrow 2, Field Sparrow 4, Savannah Sparrow 6, Song Sparrow 12, Swamp Sparrow 3, White-throated Sparrow 5, Northern Cardinal 3, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 6, Indigo Bunting 4, Bobolink 20, Red-winged Blackbird 15, Eastern Meadowlark, American Goldfinch 20, House Sparrow 6
Grand héron 2, Grande Aigrette 1, Urubu à tête rouge 6, Busard Saint-Martin 1, Buse à épaulettes 1, Buse à queue rousse 1, Crécerelle d'Amérique 1, Râle de Virginie 1, 2 Pluvier kildir, Maubèche des champs 2, Bécassine de Wilson 3, Goéland à bec cerclé 30, Pigeon biset 12, Tourterelle triste 20, Martinet ramoneur 6, Colibri à gorge rubis 1, Pic maculé 10, Pic mineur 2, Pic flamboyant 4, Pioui de l'Est 4, Moucherolle des aulnes 4, Moucherolle des saules 1, Moucherolle tchébec 6, Moucherolle phébi 5, Tyran huppé 6, Tyran tritri 5, Viréo mélodieux 8, Viréo aux yeux rouges 15, Geai bleu 6, Corneille d'Amérique 15, Grand Corbeau 2, Alouette hausse-col1, Hirondelle bicolore 24, Hirondelle à front blanc 1, Hirondelle rustique 20, Mésange à tête noire 6, Sittelle à poitrine blanche 2, Grimpereau brun 3, Troglodyte familier 5, Merlebleu de l'Est 8, Grive fauve 10, Grive des bois 4, Merle d'Amérique 20, Moqueur chat 6, Étourneau sansonnet 30 , Jaseur d'Amérique 35, Paruline à ailes dorées 1, Paruline jaune 6, Paruline à flancs marron 2, Paruline bleue 1, Paruline noir et blanc 1, Paruline flamboyante 20, Paruline couronnée 12, Paruline des ruisseaux 1, Paruline masquée 8, Piranga écarlate2, Tohi à flancs roux 2, Bruant familier 8, Bruant des plaines 2, Bruant des champs 4, Bruant des prés 6, Bruant Chanteur 12, Bruant des marais 3, Bruant à gorge blanche 5, Cardinal rouge 3, Cardinal à poitrine rose 6, Passerine indigo 4, Goglu des prés 20, Carouge à épaulettes 15, Sturnelle des prés, Chardonneret jaune 20, Moineau domestique 6