BPQ field trip report, Saturday September 3

Superb weather today for our field trip to the Lac-St-Francois Reserve in Dundee, except it seemed like some of the birds usually found in the area decided to go away for the long Labour Day weekend! We found the area around the Great Egret Walk to be extremely quiet for the time of year, but we did have a nice mixture of birds, particularly on the first stretch of boardwalk leading out from the welcome centre. A massive flock of 1000+ Common Grackles was seen emerging from a cornfield along Highway 132. A number of Osprey in the area put on some great displays for us also. The group did not see any of the resident Sandhill Cranes, but Wayne did come across a few out feeding along the highway on his way to the reserve. The day started out cool, around 10 C, but warmed up nicely into the low 20s by midday. 15 birders participated in the trip. Here is the breakdown of our 48 species seen. - Wayne Grubert and Sheldon Harvey

Canada Goose 1, Wood Duck 1, American Black Duck 1, Mallard 6, American Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron 2, Turkey Vulture 6, Osprey 6, Bald Eagle 2, Northern Harrier 3, Cooper's Hawk 2, Ring-billed Gull 12, Rock Pigeon 40, Mourning Dove 2, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3, Belted Kingfisher 1, Downy Woodpecker 1. Hairy Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 6, Eastern Phoebe 2, Eastern Kingbird 1, Philadelphia Vireo 1, Red-eyed Vireo 2, Blue Jay 12, American Crow 12, Tree Swallow 20, Barn Swallow 1, Black-capped Chickadee 12, White-breasted Nuthatch 2, American Robin 16, Gray Catbird 6, European Starling 300+, Cedar Waxwing 24, Nashville Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 6, Cape May Warbler 1, Magnolia Warbler 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, Wilson's Warbler 3, Song Sparrow 15, Swamp Sparrow 6, White-throated Sparrow 2, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 12, Bobolink 8, Red-winged Blackbird 200+, Common Grackle 1000+, Brown-headed Cowbird 16, American Goldfinch 24

Bernache du Canada 1, Canard branchu 1, Canard noir 1, Canard colvert 6, Butor d'Amérique 1, Grand héron 2, Urubu à tête rouge 6, Balbuzard pêcheur 6, Pygargue à tête blanche 2, Busard Saint-Martin 3, Épervier de Cooper 2, Goéland à bec cerclé 12, Pigeon biset 40, Tourterelle triste 2, Colibri à gorge rubis 3, Martin pêcheur d'Amérique 1, Pic mineur 1. Pic chevelu 1, Pic flaboyant 6, Moucherolle phébi Est 2, Tyran tritri 1, Viréo de Philadelphie 1, Viréo aux yeux rouges 2, Geai bleu 12, Corneille d'Amérique 12, Hirondelle bicolore 20, Hirondelle rustique 1, Mésange à tête noire 12, Sittelle à poitrine blanche 2, Merle d'Amérique 16, Moqueur chat 6, Étourneau sansonnet 300+, Jaseur d'Amérique 24, Paruline à joues grises 1, Paruline masquée 6 , Paruline tigrée 1, Paruline à tête cendrée 1, Paruline à croupion jaune Paruline 1, Paruline de Wilson 3, Bruant chanteur 15, Bruant des marais 6, Bruant à gorge blanche 2, Cardinal à poitrine rose 12, Goglu des prés 8, Carouge à épaulettes 200+, Quiscale bronzé 1000+, Vacher à tête brune 16, Chardonneret jaune 24