Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sightings for Tuesday June 30th

Philipsburg, avenue Champlain (road along the lake) leaving the village at the north end: ORCHARD ORIOLE - I saw a fledgling just out of the nest beside Champlain ave. The first to arrive was the adult male, followed by the female a few minutes later. The young Orchard oriole probably from last year was in a willow about 200m away beside the lake.
boul. Champlain (chemin du bord du lac), à la sortie nord du village: ORIOLES DES VERGERS - J'ai vu un jeune fraichement sorti du nid en bordure de la route sur l'avenue Champlain et à ma grande surprise le premier adulte à se pointer fût un mâle adulte, la femelle est arrivée quelques minutes plus tard. Le jeune mâle d'un an était toujours dans les grands saules un peu plus loin (200m environ) en bordure du lac. Peut-être qu'il est revenu à son lieu de naissance - Jean-Guy Papineau

Tracy: Northern mockingbird nesting near the bicyle path, between chemin St-Roch & rue Prouville
Moqueur polyglotte nichant près de la piste cyclable, entre le chemin St-Roch et la rue Prouville - Jean Bellerose

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Sightings for Saturday June 21st

Had two recently hatched Upland Sandpipers (Maubèche des champs) walking awkwardly in the center of Chemin William near Rang Bogton just east of Hemmingford. Stopped the car and 'herded' the pair off of the busy road while an adult protested loudly. Hopefully I gave them enough of a scare to instill the idea that roads are unfriendly! - Mark


Summer Series of Birding 2009 - Trip #1 report

6 birders persevered through less than ideal conditions today for the first field trip of this year's Summer Series of Birding. We visited sites in St. Hubert, Carignan and Chambly, getting fairly wet at a number of the stops thanks to on-again, off-again showers.

One of the target birds of the day was the Northern Mockingbird. It has been seen, off and on, around the St. Hubert Airport over the last couple of weeks. Today, unfortunately, was one of the off days. The airport however did provide us with a large number of Bobolinks, found predominantly in the south-east sector, just inside the fencing surrounding the airport grounds. This is the first year I can recall seeing such a large number of Bobolinks in this area.

Heavy rain as we arrived at Fort Chambly prevented us from taking a lengthy look for waterbirds around the fort, but we did manage to spot a few to add to the list.

Here is our complete list of 47 species viewed today. Thanks to our participants for braving the weather.

Canada Goose (10), American Wigeon (2), Mallard (15), Common Goldeneye (1), Double-crested Cormorant (8), Great Blue Heron (2), Black-crowned Night Heron (2), Northern Harrier (2), Killdeer (1), Ring-billed Gull (10), Common Tern (1), Rock Pigeon (20), Mourning Dove (6), Downy Woodpecker (3), Northern Flicker (3), Eastern Wood-Pewee (2), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Eastern Kingbird (2), Red-eyed Vireo (1), American Crow (8), Purple Martin (30), Black-capped Chickadee (12), Brown Creeper (1), House Wren (2), Veery (2), American Robin (40), Gray Catbird (4), European Starling (50), Cedar Waxwing (6), Yellow Warbler (2), Chestnut-sided Warbler (2), American Redstart (3), Ovenbird (3), Common Yellowthroat (4), Chipping Sparrow (6), Savannah Sparrow (2), Song Sparrow (8), White-throated Sparrow (2), Northern Cardinal (2), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2), Bobolink (50), Red-winged Blackbird (20), Common Grackle (8), Brown-headed Cowbird (2), House Finch (1), American Goldfinch (12), House Sparrow (4) - Sheldon

Friday, June 26, 2009

Sightings for Thursday June 25th


Frelighsburg, on private property: PRAIRIE WARBLER 10 minutes after starting a bird cencus I heard the singing of a Prairie warbler. Following the incessant singing the bird was found at the top of a spruce tree.
Ce matin, à 10 minutes du début d'un recensement d'oiseaux que j'effectuais sur un terrain privé à Frelighsburg, j'ai entendu le chant d'une PARULINE DES PRÉS...
...Je me suis approché du chant incessant et après 20 minutes, je trouvais l'oiseau dans le faîte d'une épinette, chantant pour attirer une "belle" sans doute!
- Serge Beaudette - click photo to enlarge

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sightings for Wednesday June 24th

Dundee, Réserve nationale de faune du lac Saint-François: Sandhill crane couple with 2 young ones on territory at the Egret trail (Digue aux aigrettes). If you go to the welcome center the employees can tell you where they can normally be found.
le couple de Grues du Canada, qui a donné naissance à deux gruons il y a 1 mois environ, sur le territoire à la Digue aux aigrettes. Si vous voulez les observer à Dundee, passez à l'accueil et les employés vous diront leur emplacement habituel de ce temps-ci - Patrick Laniel

Summer Series of Birding 2009 - Field Trip #1 - Saturday, June 27

Hello, everyone. This Saturday morning we kick off the 6th season of the "Summer Series of Birding" with a visit to a few different areas that we haven't visited since 2005. We will be visiting a few areas in St. Hubert and also the Chambly Basin.

DATE: Saturday, June 27, 2009
TIME: 8:00 AM - A Half-day outing
MEETING PLACE: Zeller's parking lot, Taschereau Blvd, Brossard.

DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: Meet in the parking lot in front of the Zeller's store on Taschereau Blvd. From Montreal, take the Champlain Bridge to Exit 8 (Taschereau Blvd). Turn right on Taschereau Blvd. The Zeller's will be immediately on your right. Duration: Half day.

ITINERARY: We will begin by visiting two wooded areas in St. Hubert. We will then drive to Chambly, Quebec, visiting the areas around the Chambly Basin and the Richelieu River. All locations allow for easy, flat surface walking. I will provide an easy-to-follow map for the trip. If you have portable two-way radios, please bring them along to stay in communication while driving from location to location.

If you have any question, please contact me by e-mail at ve2shw@yahoo.com or by telephone at 450-462-1459. On the morning of the trip you can reach me on the BPQ cellphone at 514-637-2141.

Sheldon

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Sightings for Saturday June 20th

Sutton
I went hiking on Mont Sutton, left the parking at Altitude 520 (map) and went up by the Dos d’Orignal, then Lac Spruce to the summit, the Round Top, a round trip of approximately 15 to 17 km. My surprise was hear a Bicknell’s thrush close to the intersection at Altitude 860. It sang for about thirty minutes around 1:00 p.m.
Also noted during the excursion: 3 Ruffed grouse, 14 Yellow-bellied flycatchers, 15 winter wren, 14 Golden-crowned kinglets, 10 Swainson’s thrush, 7 Hermit thrush, 19 Nashville warblers, 14 Magnolia warblers, 21 Black-throated blue warblers, 22 Yellow-rumped warblers, 19 Black-throated green warblers, 25 Blackpoll warblers, 16 Black & white warblers, 2 American redstart, 7 Ovenbird, 22 Canada warblers, 21 White-throated sparrows, 22 Dark-eyed juncos, 3 Rose-breasted grosbeak, 1 Purple finch
Strangely no chickadees. 98% of observations were heard

Je suis allé faire une belle randonnée pédestre au Mont Sutton. Je suis parti du stationnement à l’Altitude 520 (carte) et monté par le Dos d’Orignal, puis le Lac Spruce jusqu’au sommet, le Round Top, une randonnée d’environ 15 à 17 km. Ma surprise a été d’entendre longuement une Grive de Bicknell près de l’intersection à l’Altitude 860. Je l’ai entendu chanter pendant une trentaine de minutes vers 13h00. Aussi noté pendant la randonnée
3 Gélinottes huppés, 14 Moucherolles à ventre jaune, 15 Troglodytes mignon, 14 Roitelets à couronne dorée, 10 Grives à dos olive, 7 Grives solitaires, 19 Parulines à joues grises, 14 Parulines à tête cendrée, 21 Parulines bleues, 22 Parulines à croupion jaune, 19 Parulines à gorge noire, 25 Parulines rayées, 16 Parulines noir et blanc, 2 Parulines flamboyantes, 7 Parulines couronnées, 22 Parulines du Canada, 21 Bruants à gorge blanche, 22 Juncos ardoisés, 3 Cardinaux à poitrine rose, 1 Roselin pourpré
Étrangement, aucune mésange. Ces observations sont à 98% des observations auditives -
Richard Guillet

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report for Saturday June 20th

RIGAUD MOUNTAIN AREA SUMMER SOLSTICE TRIP

15 birders attended yesterday's Summer Solstice outing on Rigaud Mountain hearing or seeing a total of 54 species. Many participants arrived before the scheduled early morning start of 5:30 a.m. so the leaders are discussing whether this is a sign that maybe we can start even EARLIER next year!!!!!!!

Cloudy skies prevailed through the morning with temperatures eventually reaching 20C. A light breeze was evident only in the few open areas we visited.Mosquitoes were present but certainly not in the numbers one might expect given the time of year, humid weather conditions and habitat.

The group birded the woodland trails of the south west section of "L'escapade -Les Sentiers du Mont Rigaud" which are well maintained. We did have to make a detour around one section of a "spur" trail for about 200m by "bush-whacking" through undergrowth but a very cooperative singing Mourning Warbler helped mark the correct path for us! This bird (and a half dozen others of his species) was voted bird of the day as he was a lifer for some and definitely among the best and most prolonged views many others have had of this normally more secretive species.

The detour was well worth the effort as it led to a small great blue heronry with a dozen or more young birds occasionally being fed by several adults in attendance. Great views. A "posing" black-billed cuckoo with a mouthful of caterpillars seen by most of the group was another highlight making the side trip and detour to the small lake very worthwhile.

When we gathered back at the main trail Pauline spotted a pileated woodpecker through the trees and this eventually led to one of our other highlights of the trip, an active pileated nest right over our heads with adults feeding at least 2 young birds. The nest tree had several other large holes in it which led to a,discussion of whether or not these were connected and could serve as escape routes from predators.

The trip finished up at 11:00 a.m. with the traditional count taking place in the parking lot of the "Sucrerie de la Montagne."

Our complete list of 54 species includes: Wood Duck – 2, Great Blue Heron – 15, Mourning Dove – 3, Black-billed cuckoo -1, Belted Kingfisher – 1, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 25, Downy Woodpecker – 2, Hairy Woodpecker – 2, Northern Flicker – 5, Pileated Woodpecker - 4 (Includes 2 young in nest), Eastern Wood-Pewee – 6, Alder Flycatcher – 1, Least Flycatcher – 2, Eastern Phoebe – 3, Great-crested Flycatcher – 2, Eastern Kingbird – 1, Warbling Vereo – 1, Red-eyed Vereo – 10, Blue Jay – 3, American Crow – 10, Tree Swallow – 1, Black-capped Chickadee – 6, White-breasted Nuthatch – 2, Veery – 25, Hermit Thrush – 5, Wood Thrush – 3, American Robin – 7, Gray Catbird – 2, European Starling – 6, Cedar Waxwing – 20, Yellow Warbler – 1, Chestnut-sided Warbler – 16, Black-throated Blue Warbler – 8, Yellow-rumped Warbler – 1, Black-throated Green Warbler – 12, Black-and-White Warbler – 1, American Redstart – 1, Ovenbird – 20, Northern Waterthrush – 2, Mourning Warbler – 7, Common Yellowthroat – 4, Scarlet Tanager – 6, Chipping Sparrow – 4, Song Sparrow -10, Swamp Sparrow – 2, White-throated Sparrow – 6, Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 8, Indigo Bunting – 6, Red-winged blackbird – 10, Common Grackle – 6, Brown-headed Cowbird – 2, Baltimore Oriole – 3, Purple Finch – 1, American Goldfinch – 15
Canard branchu, Grand Héron, Tourterelle triste, Coulicou à bec noir, Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique, Pic maculé, Pic mineur, Pic chevelu, Pic flamboyant, Grand Pic, Pioui de l'Est, Moucherolle des aulnes, Moucherolle tchébec, Moucherolle phébi, Tyran huppé, Tyran tritri, Viréo mélodieux, Viréo aux yeux rouges, Geai bleu, Corneille d'Amérique, Hirondelle bicolore, Mésange à tête noire, Sittelle à poitrine blanche, Grive fauve, Grive solitaire, Grive des bois, Merle d'Amérique, Moqueur chat, Étourneau sansonnet, Jaseur d'Amérique, Paruline jaune, Paruline à flancs marron, Paruline flamboyante, Paruline Bleu, Paruline à croupion jaune, Paruline à gorge noire, Paruline noir et blanc, Paruline flamboyante, Paruline couronnée, Paruline des ruisseaux, Paruline triste, Paruline masque, Tangara écarlate, Bruant familier, Bruant chanteur, Bruant des marais, Bruant à gorge blanche, Cardinal à poitrine rose, Passerin indigo, Carouge à epaulettes, Quiscale bronze, Vacher à tête brune, Oriole de Baltimore, Roselin pourpré, Chardonneret jaune

Thanks to Lance for helping decipher some of the various Rigaud Mountain dialects our birds seem to have had. Many thanks to all who pulled themselves out of bed so early to take part in an enjoyable outing. Good birds, good company, good conversation. (Only bird atlassers could come up with a potential bumper sticker phrase such as "Fecal sacks are better than copulation!")

Sheldon's "Summer Series of Birding" trips will should begin soon. Destinations to be made by Thursday on a week to week basis.

Martin and Wayne

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sightings for Friday June 19th

Montreal: Northern Mockingbird seen at the Tim Horton's corner of Ray-Lawson & Henri-Bourassa
Moqueur polyglotte était bien visible au Tim-Horton, au coin de Ray-Lawson et Henri-Bourassa - André Provost

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sightings for Tuesday June 16th

Montréal: Northern mockingbird - rue Notre-Dame south side a little east of Monarque ave.
Moqueur polyglotte perché sur le fil barbelé sur la rue Notre-Dame à Montréal-Est ce matin. L'oiseau était du côté sud, un peu à l'est de l'avenue Monarque - Eve Bélisle

Friday, June 12, 2009

Sightings for Friday June 12th

Philipsburg, avenue Champlain: Black-billed cuckoos - un couple de Coulicou à bec noir - Jean-Guy Papineau

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Sightings for Wednesday June 10th

North Hatley, rte143 près du (near)Chemin Sherbrooke: Black-billed cuckoo (Coulicou à bec noir - Serge Beaudette

Monday, June 08, 2009

Montréal: 8 Turkey vultures over the Metropolitain autoroute at Papineau
8 urubus qui tournoyaient au dessus de l'autoroute metropolitaine, à la hauteur de Papineau - Eve Bélisle

Tadoussac: Northern mockingbird near the big church
Moqueur polyglotte près de la grande église - Renaud Pintiaux

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report for Saturday June 6th

Results of the Alfred /Larose Forest field trip in Ontario

14 keen participants identified 70 SPECIES on Saturday from 2h30 pm to 9h30 pm. We birded at the Alfred lagoons and bog, the Larose Forest and points in between. Last year at about the same date we had 60 species.

The day was sunny and warm (26 C) but the high winds shook the scopes and made ear-birding difficult

Our birds of the day were both found in Larose Forest: 3 male CAPE MAY WARBLERS, and about a dozen WHIP-POOR-WILLS heard and/or seen by all.

Photos of participants and of a male and female Whip-Poor-Will can be seen at
this site: http://jacquesbouvier.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html

Here is the list of all the other 68 species: 1 SNOW GOOSE, Canada Goose, 2 Wood
Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Black Duck, 100 Mallard, NORTHERN SHOVELLER, 2 Northern Pintail, 1 Green-winged Teal, REDHEAD, 1 Ring-necked Duck, RUDDY DUCK, 2 Pied-billed Grebe, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Common Moorhen, AMERICAN COOT (one pair was seen with several newly hatched young that still had reddish waxy tips on down of neck, throat and front of head), Killdeer, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, (a dozen ''peeps'' that could have been Semi-palmated Sandpipers), 1 Wilson's Snipe, 2 very colourful female WILSON'S PHALAROPE (the drab males have been absent recently; they are thought to be busy incubating the eggs nearby), Ring-billed Gull (en route), 4 BLACK TERN, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Alder Flycatcher, 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, COMMON RAVEN, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Veery, American Robin, European Starling, 50 Cedar Waxwing, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, 3 EASTERN MEADOWLARK, BOBOLINK (lots), Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch and House Sparrow. -
Jacques Bouvier

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Sightings for Wednesday June 3rd

Chateauguay, Île St-Bernard - Refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville: Great egrets, Green herons, Black-crowned night-herons, heard many Pied-billed grebes, numerous Tree swallows and cliff swallows
Our most interesting observation was a NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW perched on a small bush besid the Grande digue - total species 37
beaucoup de Grandes Aigrettes, quelques Hérons vert, une couple de Bihoreaux gris; entendu beaucoup de Grèbes à bec bigarré et vu énormément d'Hirondelles bicolore et à front blanc.
Mais notre observation la plus surprenante et intéressante fut celle d'un BRUANT DE NELSON perchée sur un p'tit buisson sur le bord de la Grande digue. Nous avions finalement une liste de 37 esp - Lucette d'Amours

Île Verte: Great gray owl, Great horned owl, Black-bellied plover, Semipalmated plover, Ruddy turnstone, Purple sandpiper, Dunlin, Red-knot, Semipalmated sandpiper, Short-billed dowitcher. Did not see the cattle egret or the magnificent frigate bird
une Chouette Lapone et un Grand-Duc d'Amérique, pluvier argente, pluvier semipalme, tournepierre a collier, becasseau violet, becasseau variable, becasseau maubeche, becasseau semipalme, des becassins roux. Pas revu le héron garde-boeuf ni la frigate - Rejean Gaudreault & Danielle Boulet

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Sightings for Tuesday May 2nd

Montréal, Île Sainte-Hélène: Clay-coloured sparrow around 11am. It sand from the roof of the ecological solar home between the Biosphere and the metro station.
Bruant des plaines à ce matin vers 11h00. Il a d'abord chanté à partir du toit de la Maison solaire écoologique entre la biosphère et la station de métro - Pierre Bannon

Terrebonne, au coin des (corner of) rues Terrebonne & St-Pierre: Northern mockingbird (Moqueur polyglotte) - Jean-Pierre Hameury

Île Verte: at the western point – MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, Red knot, Red-throated loons, Common murre, Black guillemots, Razorbills, Purple sandpipers, Dunlin, Semipalmated sandpiper, Ruddy turnstone, Black-bellied plovers
Species omnipresent around the island are Brant geese and Red-throated loons
11h30am sur la pointe ouest (Bout d'en Haut): FRÉGATE SUPERBE, plusieurs Bécasseau maubèche, plusieurs dizaine de Plongeon Catmarin, des guillemots marmette, à mirroir, des petits pingouins, Une vingtaine de bécasseau violet, accompagné de becasseau variable, de becasseau semipalmé, 3 Tournepierre a collier, 4 becasseau maubeche parmis les nombreux pluviers argenté.
L'espèce omniprésente autour de l'île est la Bernache cravant et le Plongeon Catmarin - Rejean Gaudreault

Monday, June 01, 2009

Sightings for Monday June 1st

Bergeronnes, rang Saint-Joseph: Sandhill crane found in a field east end of the road about 2km pass the intersection in the middle of the village.
Grue du Canada l'individu se trouvait dans un champ à l'Est du chemin à environ 2 km passé l'intersection au milieu du village - Eddie Bouchard, Pascal Côté
 
Nature Blog Network