Saturday, November 21, 2015

Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip Report" - Sunday, November 21

18 birders met this morning for a three hour ramble through the Morgan Arboretum. The temperature started close to zero and didn’t get much warmer, though the sun did decide to shine towards the end of the morning.

Winkling birds out of hiding was seriously hard work today, but by the end we had seen some fifteen species in all as listed below. The Canada Geese, of course, were fly-overs and the Coopers Hawk was a putative Coopers Hawk as it didn’t stay still long enough in its distant tree for a 100% certain identification. This has been an unusually busy year on the West Island for Purple Finches which have been seen in several locations in small groups since the start of the month. Today we had two small groups of five or six each on different feeders and in the bushed around them. Usually House Finches are the predominant species, but not right now (one of our party posted a photo half an hour ago on the BPQ Facebook page). Excellent views of a Pileated Woodpecker were enjoyed. Of the smaller Woodpeckers, Hairies were more in evidence.

On a sadder note, the more northerly of the two McGill farm fields to the east of the arboretum in which Bobolinks have nested in recent years has now been totally occupied by one of the organic farming groups who have now ploughed it from one end to the other. A few years back they only occupied the far end of the field but now it is no longer going to be welcoming to Bobolinks as they have taken over completely.

Canada Goose 71, Cooper's Hawk 1, Downy Woodpecker 5, Hairy Woodpecker 7, Pileated Woodpecker 1, Blue Jay 8, American Crow 9, Black-capped Chickadee 25, White-breasted Nuthatch 14, Dark-eyed Junco 9, White-throated Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 2, House Finch 2, Purple Finch 8, American Goldfinch 40

Bernache du Canada 71, Épervier de Cooper 1, Pic mineur 5, Pic chevelu 7, Grand Pic 1, Geai bleu 8, Corneille d'Amérique 9, Mésange à tête noire 25, Sittelle à poitrine blanche 14, Junco ardoisé 9, Bruant à gorge blanche 1, Cardinal rouge 2, Roselin familier 2, Roselin pourpré 8, Chardonneret jaune 40 - Richard Gregson

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