Bird Protection Quebec "Field Trip Report, June 9"

Alfred Kelly Nature Reserve – Prévost/Piedmont

Only a day or so before this trip the meteo was promising a day of rain but the weather gods smiled and we enjoyed a gloriously bright, but not too hot visit to the AKNR accompanied by Guy and Ericka from the local CRPF who had volunteered to show us some new trails and lead us to the Peregrine Falcon nesting site. 28 birders came along, including a couple of very experienced birders up from Massachusetts. On the way out we met a small group walking into the reserve who asked for directins – they had learned about the AKNR from the BPQ website and had been encoouraged to come along and try their luck – word is getting about. The trails took us from our meeting point at the old Prévost rail station along to the cliffs and then by a circuitous and bird-rich trail, steep but not too steep though rather et and muddy in parts, up to the forest above the cliffs. A pause at the belvedere for stunning views over the surrounding countryside and our first Peregrine flypast of the day then along the cliff tops and down to the access view point for the falcon nest (rich with poison ivy – very rich), down to Lac Paradis for a pair of Wood Duck and back to our starting point at a bit after 1:00pm.

Our thanks to Guy and Ericka for their patient guiding which has given us a much better idea of the riches to be foound within the AKNR. This is a wonderful place and less than an hour from Montreal – take a trip, you will enjoy it.

A series of photographs have been posted at the foot of this report to give you a good idea of the nature of the terrain and the habitat. Click on the thumbnails for larger versions.

Birds of the day were undoubtedly the Peregrine Falcons – we saw plenty of flybys from the two adults and heard the young on the nest (there are two this year). Plenty of other excellent birds were well in evidence with a total of 39 being seen by the party. There were a lot of Ravens who signalled our passing to each other as we walked through their territories, four species of Thrushes, 8 Warblers and an Alder Flycatcher.

The 39 species seen were as follows: Wood Duck, American Black Duck, Turkey Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Veery, Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Canada Warbler, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch

Canard branchu, Canard noir, Urubu à tête rouge, large-Petite Buse, Merlin, Faucon pèlerin, Pic maculé, Pic flamboyant, Pioui de l'Est, Moucherolle des aulnes, Viréo mélodieux, Viréo aux yeux rouges, Geai bleu, Corneille d'Amérique, Grand Corbeau, Mésange à tête noire, Sittelle à poitrine rousse, Merlebleu de l'Est, Grive fauve, Grive à dos olive, Grive solitaire, Grive des bois, Merle d'Amérique, Jaseur d'Amérique, Paruline couronnée, Paruline noir et blanc, Paruline masquée, Paruline à collier, Paruline à tête cendrée , Paruline à flancs marron, Paruline à gorge noire, Paruline du Canada, Bruant chanteur, Bruant à gorge blanche, Passerin indigo, Carouge à épaulettes, Quiscale bronzé, Roselin pourpré, Chardonneret jaune - Richard Gregson (organiser, but not really leader)