Sightings for Sunday April 10th

Verdun, île des Soeurs: This morning I found a Louisiana Waterthrush on the trail from of the school at the end of rue Gaspé. It was found after the 3rd bench. I saw it first on the left side of the trail and then on the right near the houses. More later, Francois Grenon and I were able to observe at leisure to the right of path behind the houses. We noted all the criteria to separate it from the Northern Waterthrush and I could take several photos that I will present later. Obviously, this is a record date for this very rare warbler in Quebec, the earliest date known as May 2 in 1998 and 2006.

Ce matin, j'ai trouvé une Paruline hochequeue dans le sentier de l'école au bout de la rue de Gaspé. Elle se trouvait après le 3ième banc. Je l'ai vue d'abord à gauche du sentier puis ensuite à droite près des maisons. Plus tard, François Grenon et moi avons pu l'observer à loisir à droite du sentier derrière les maisons. Nous avons pu noter tous les critères permettant de la séparer de la Paruline des ruisseaux et j'ai pu prendre plusieurs photos que je vous présenterez plus tard. Évidemment, il s'agit d'une date record pour cette paruline très rare au Québec, la date la plus hâtive connue étant le 2 mai en 1998 et en 2006. - Pierre Bannon
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Baie-du-Febvre: Pied-billed Grebe (3), Turkey Vulture (1), Snow Goose (10000), Canada Goose (1000), Cackling Goose (1), Wood duck (30), Gadwall (4), American wigeon (10), Black Duck (6), Mallard (10), Northern Shoveler (20), Northern Pintail (200), Green-winged teal (100), Redhead (2), Ring-necked duck (200), Lesser Scaup (2), Common Goldeneye (50), Ruddy Duck (1), Northern Harrier (3), Rough-legged hawk (2), American Coot (1), Killdeer (10), Ring-billed Gull (50), Great black-backed gull (6), Mourning Dove (4), Belted Kingfisher (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Northern Flicker (1), Blue Jay (3 ), American Crow (10), Raven (1). Horned Lark (5), Tree Swallow (10), Black-capped Chickadee (2), Golden-crowned Kinglet (2), American Robin (50), European starling (20), American Tree Sparrow (3), Savannah Sparrow (2), Song sparrow (40), Dark-eyed Junco (3), Red-winged Blackbird (60), Common Grackle (20), Brown-headed cowbird (15)
 
The fields are free of snow, but the 2 water treatment ponds and the large swamp on the street Janelle are still 95% frozen.

Grèbe à bec bigarré (3), Urubu à tête rouge (1), Oie des neiges (10000), Bernache du Canada (1000), Bernache de Hutchins (1), Canard branchu (30), Canard chipeau (4), Canard d'Amérique (10), Canard noir (6), Canard colvert (10), Canard souchet (20), Canard pilet (200), Sarcelle d'hiver (100), Fuligule à tête rouge (2), Fuligule à collier (200), Petit Fuligule (2), Garrot à oeil d'or (50), Érismature rousse (1), Busard Saint-Martin (3), Buse pattue (2), Foulque d'Amérique (1), Pluvier kildir (10), Goéland à bec cerclé (50), Goéland marin (6), Tourterelle triste (4), Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique (1), Pic mineur (1), Pic flamboyant (1), Geai bleu (3), Corneille d'Amérique (10), Grand Corbeau (1).Alouette hausse-col (5), Hirondelle bicolore (10), Mésange à tête noire (2), Roitelet à couronne dorée (2), Merle d'Amérique (50), Étourneau sansonnet (20), Bruant hudsonien (3), Bruant des prés (2), Bruabt chanteur (40) , Junco ardoisé (3), Carouge à épaulettes (60), Quiscale bronzé (20), Vacher à tête brune (15)

Les champs sont dénudés de neige, mais les 2 plans d'eau ainsi que le grand marécage sur la rue Janelle sont encore glacés sur 95% de leur surface. - Laval Roy
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Brigham, chemin Choinière: a Greater White-fronted Goose was present among the hundreds of Canada geese



 une Oie rieuse était présente parmi les centaines de bernaches du Canada - Bertrand Hamel

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report - Saturday April 9th

The field trip to Baie-du-Febvre was very good, not a lot of birds per species but a good variety. 11 birders worked very hard to find the 39 species seen with the majority and 6 more with only 4 of us at l'Anse du Port St-François. The morning started with a cool 4C partly cloudy but as the morning progressed, the sun came out and temperatures went up to 11C

Snow Goose (Oies des Neiges) 30,000, Cackling Goose (Bernache de Hutchins) 1, Canada Goose (Bernache du Canada) 10,000, Gadwall (Canard Chipeau) 24, American Black Duck (Canard Noir) 6, Mallard (Canard Colvert) 24, Northern Shoveler (Canard Souchet) 20, Northern Pintail (Canard Pilet) 12, Green-winged Teal (Sarcelle d'hiver) 10, Redhead (Fuligule à tête rouge) 2, Ring-necked Duck (Fuligule à collier) 24, Greater Scaup (Fuligule Milouinan) 2, Lesser Scaup (Petit Fuligule) 2, Bufflehead (Petit Garrot) 20, Common Goldeneye (Garrot à oeil d'or) 2, Common Merganser (Grand Harle) 2, Pied-billed Grebe (Grèbe à bec bigarré) 2, Turkey Vulture (Urubu à tête rouge) 2, Northern Harrier (Busard St-Martin) 1, Rough-legged Hawk (Buse pattue) 3, American Coot (Foulque d'Amérique) 6, Killdeer (Pluvier Kildir) 8, Ring-billed Gull (Goéland à bec cerclé) 50, Herring Gull (Goéland argenté) 2, Great Black-backed Gull (Goéland marin) 1, Rock Pigeon (Pigeon biset) 2, Mourning Dove (Tourterelle triste) 5, Downy Woodpecker (Pic mineur) 1, Pileated Woodpecker (Grand Pic) 1, Blue Jay (Geai bleu) 1, American Crow (Corneille d'Amérique) 4, Common Raven (Grand Corbeau) 2, Tree Swallow (Hirondelle bicolore) 23, Barn Swallow (Hirondelle rustique) 1, Black-capped Chickadee/ (Mésange à tête noire) 1, American Robin (Merle d'Amérique) 15, European Starling (Étourneau sansonnet) 12, American Tree Sparrow (Bruant Hudsonien) 10, Song Sparrow (Bruant chanteur) 20, Dark-eyed Junco (Junco ardoisé) 6, Red-winged Blackbird (Carouge à épaulettes) 101, Common Grackle (Quiscale bronzé) 102, Brown-headed Cowbird (Vacher à tête brune) 3, Common Redpoll (Sizerin flammé) 3, House Sparrow (Moineau domestique) 2

Thanks to all the nice people and eager birders to help us make this day a great success. - Clémence Soulard and Jean Demers

Sightings for Saturday April 9th

Parc Voyageur, Pointe-Fortune, et Carillon: 54 bird species observed - snow geese (150,000 +) , Canada Goose (150,000 +), 14 species of ducks, pintails, gadwall, wood, American wigeon, black, mallard, Green-winged teal, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, and Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, and Common Merganser. Great Blue Heron (8 +), Turkey Vulture (6 +), Bald Eagle (5 +), Northern Harrier (3), Sharp-shinned Hawk (3 +), Cooper's Hawk (1), Red-tailed hawk  (1), American Coot (2), Killdeer (2), American Woodcock (1), Gulls - Ring-billed , Herring, and Great black-backed, Pigeon and Dove. Tree Swallow (4 +), Raven (2 +), Crows, Blue Jay, Eastern Phoebe (4 +), Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher (1), Chickadees, Red and White-breasted  Nuthatch . Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper (4 +), American Robin, European Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Common Redpoll (1), Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Red-winged blackbirds, juncos, song sparrows

54 espèces d’oiseaux observé comme des Oie des neiges (150,000+) et Bernache du Canada (150,000+), et 14 espèces de canards comme des Canards Pilet, chipeau, branchu, d’Amérique, noir, colvert, et Sarcelle d’hiver. Aussi des Fuligule à collier, milouinan, et Petit Fuligule. Des Petit Garrots, Garrot à œil d’or, Harle couronné, et Grand Harles. Grand Héron (8+), Urubu à tête rouge (6+), Pygargue à tête blanche (5+), Busard Saint-Martin (3), Épervier brun (3+), Épervier de Cooper (1), Buse à queue rousse(1). Foulque d’Amérique (2), Pluvier kildir (2), Bécasse d’Amérique (1), Goéland à bec cercle, argenté, et marin. Pigeon et Tourterelle. Hirondelle bicolore (4+), Grand Corbeau (2+), Corneille, et Geai bleu. Moucherolle phébi (4+), Pic mineur et chevelu,Martin-pêcheur d’Amérique (1), Mésanges, Sittelle à poitrine rousse et blanche. Roitelet à couronné dorée, Grimpereau brun (4+),Merle d’Amérique, Étourneau sansonnet, Moineau domestique, Chardonneret jaune, Sizerin flammé (1), Vacher à tête brune, Quiscale bronzé, Carouge à épaulettes, juncos, bruant chanteur - Joël Coutu
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marais de St-Timothée (marsh): Green-winged teal, mallards, black ducks, gadwall, American wigeon, Northern shoveler, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, Canada geese. Tree swallows Great blue Herons on their nests.

marais de St-Timothée: sarcelle d’hiver, colvert, canards noirs, canards chipeau, canard d’Amérique, canards souchet, fuligule à tête rouge, fuligule à collier, harle couronné et bernache du Canada, hirondelles bicolores, Les hérons sont rendu sur leurs nids

Beauharnois Canal: Common goldeneye, Common mergansers, Greater scaup, Snow geese. Double-crested cormorants 16, Bohemian Waxwing, Song sparrows
canal Beauharnois: garrot à œil d’or, grand harle, fuligule milouinan, l’oie des neiges. cormorants aigrettes 16, jaseurs boréals, bruants chanteurs - Denis Collins
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Baie-du-Febvre: Ross's Goose, Cackling Geese, Sandhill Cranes, Redheads and Ruddy Duck. - Serge Lemieux

2 Bald Eagles, Greater white-fronted Goose  at the Halte de la Bernache, Ross Goose, Eastern Phoebe, Savannah Sparrow, Lapland longspur and Snow bunting - Marc Boisvert

Oie de Ross, Bernache de Hutchins, Grue du Canada, Fuligule à tête rouge et l’Érismature rousse. - Serge Lemieux
2 Pygargues, Oie Rieuse dans le ruisseau de la Halte de la Bernache, Oie de Ross, Moucherolle Phebie, Bruant des Près, Plectrophane Lapon et des neiges. -Marc Boisvert
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Montréal: I was at the Mount Royal cemetery this morning & saw both Cooper's hawks (Épervier de Cooper) near the nest at one point, both went after a crow that was too close to the nest. Later, one of the pair flew in with a kill, but quickly gave it up to the other (not sure if it was willingly). The hawk then proceeded to feather & devour the sparrow-size bird. The other flew off. Not too much else besides Robins, Chickadees, Song sparrows, Juncos, Crows, Starlings (Merles, mésanges, Bruant chanteur, Juncos, corneilles, étourneaux) - Audrey
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Chateauguay, Ile Saint-Bernard: - refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville: Not many people there as I believe they think it is closed. Saw a Northern Shrike (Pie-grièche grise) on a snag (just north of the grand digue), heard Wilson's snipe (Bécassines de Wilson) and a Common loon (Plongeon huard) calling. I eventually got to see him in the distance. Lots of Buffleheads (Petit Garrot), Greater Scaup (Fuligule milouinan), Common Goldeneye (Garrot à oeil d'or), Common merganser (Grand harle), and a Red-tailed Hawk (Buse à queue rousse). At the end of the dike to the west, a Piliated woodpecker (Grand pic) was in his nest shovelling woodchips out the door. Plus the regular species Muscrats everywhere and four deer quietly walking thro the woods.

What a magical place that is..so close to Montreal. ..good coffee when you get back to the parking lot too. - Gail Desnoyers

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Roitelet à couronne dorée) and a Northern Flicker (Pic flamboyant) - Dave Myburgh

Sightings for Friday April 8th

Chateauguay, Ile Saint-Bernard: - refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville: Canada geese, Wood duck, Mallard, Bufflehead, Great blue heron, Great egret, Killdeer, Ring-billed gull, Downy woodpecker, Northern flicker, Pileated woodpecker, American crow, Tree swallow, Black-capped chickadee, Tufted titmouse, White-breaasted nuthatch, American Robin, European starling, Song sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Northern cardinal, Red-winged blackbird, Common grackle, Brown-headed cowbird, American goldfinch House sparrow


Bernaches du Canada, Canard branchu, Canard colvert, Petit garot, Grand heron, Grande aigrette, Pluvier kildir, Goéland à bec cerclé, Pic mineur, Pic flaboyant, Grand pic  Corneille d'Amérique, Hirondelle bicolore, Mésange à tête noire, Mésange bicolore, Sittelle à poitrine blanche, Merle d'Amérique, étourneau sansonnet, bruant chanteur, Bruant hudsonien, Cardinal rouge, Carouge à épaulettes, Quiscale bronzé, Vacher à tête brune, Chardonneret jaune Moineau domestique - Thomas Long
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Montréal, île de la visitation,
Canada Goose, Mallard Duck, Common Goldeneye, Great Blue Heron, Cooper's Hawk, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Dove, American Crow, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, American Robin, Brown Creeper, Brown thrasher, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Blackbird, Blackbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Bernache du canada, Canard Colvert, Garrot à oeil d'or, Grand Héron, Épervier de Cooper, Goéland à bec cerclé, Pigeon Biset, Corneille d'Amérique, Jaseur d'Amérique, Étourneau sansonnet, Merle d'Amérique, Grimpereau brun, Moqueur roux, Sittelle à poitrine blanche, Mésange à tête noire, Bruant chanteur, Junco ardoisé, Cardinal rouge, Carouge à épaulettes, Quiscale bronzé, Roselin familier, Chardonneret jaune, Moineau domestique - Joël Coutu
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bassin de Chambly (basin): 1 Horned Grebe (seen from afar, winter plumage), 1 Red-necked Grebe (breeding plumage), Double-crested cormorants, 10 Black-crowned Night-Heron (St-Mathias, facing rue Edmond Massé,, Canada Geese, 1 Snow Goose, Wood Ducks, Gadwall, American wigeon, Black ducks, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common goldeneye, Hooded mergansers, Common mergansers, Tree swallows (one ...) in addition to the usual passerines.

All these observations were made ​​from Parc des voiles in St-Mathias, and at Fort Chambly.

Un Grèbe esclavon (vu de loin, plumage d'hiver), Un grèbe jougris (plumage nuptial), Cormorans à aigrettes, 10 Bihoreaux gris (St-Mathias, face à la rue Edmond Massé), Bernaches du Canada, 1 Oie des neiges, Canards branchus, Canards chipeaux, Canards d'Amérique, Canards noirs, Canards colverts, Canards pilets, Sarcelles d'hiver, Fuligules à collier, Petits Fuligules, Petits Garrots, Garrots à oeil d'or, Harles couronnée, Grands Harles, Hirondelle bicolore (une seule...), en plus des passereaux habituels.
Toutes ces observations ont été faites à partir du Parc des voiles à St-Mathias, et à Chambly au fort. - Jean Marc Béliveau
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Vaudreuil-Dorion, field across from the Wal-Mart in between hwy's 40, 540 and blvd. Cité des jeunes: 7 red-tailed hawks, 2 rough-legged hawks, 1 Northern Harrier (male), 1 American Kestrel (male), 1 juvenile Northern shrike, 5 pairs of mallards, 2 pairs of wood ducks, a pair of northern pintail 

terrain en face du Wal-Mart entre la 40, la 540 et le boul. Cité des jeunes: 7 buses à queue rousse, 2 buses pattues, 1 busard St-Martin mâle, 1 crécerelle d'amérique mâle, 1 pie grièche grise juvénile, 5 couples de canards colverts, 2 couples de canards branchus, 1 couple de canard pilet - Michel Juteau
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Bergeronnes: Western Meadowlark near the church

Sturnelle de l'Ouest près de l'église - Samuel Belleau

Sightings for Thursday April 7th

Chateauguay, Ile Saint-Bernard: - refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville: 9-9:45 am 22 species
Canada geese, Wood duck, Mallard, Great egret, Killdeer, Ring-billed gull, Rock pigeon, Mourning dove, Downy woodpecker, American crow, Common raven, Black-capped chickadee, White-breaasted nuthatch, American Robin, European starling, Bohemian waxwing, Song sparrow, Northern cardinal, Red-winged blackbird, Common grackle, Brown-headed cowbird, House sparrow

Bernaches du Canada, Canard branchu, Canard colvert, Grande aigrette, Pluvier kildir, Goéland à bec cerclé, Pigeon biset, Tourterelle triste, Pic mineur, Corneille d'Amérique, Grand corbeau, Mésange à tête noire, sittelle à poitrine blanche, Merle d'Amérique, étourneau sansonnet, Jaseur boréal, bruant chanteur, Cardinal rouge, Carouge à épaulettes, Quiscale bronzé, Vacher à tête brune, Moineau domestique - Thomas Long
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Bergeronnes: Western Meadowlark near the church

Sturnelle de l'Ouest près de l'église - Samuel Belleau
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Montréal: Five Turkey vultures flying over the École Polytechnique at noon and landed on the School itself. We saw them very close. :-)

Cinq Urubu à tête rouge survolaient l'École Polytechnique ce midi et se posaient sur l'École elle-même. On les voyait de très proche. :-) - Julie Tremblay
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A small outting of observation allowed me to see in 30 minutes: a nice Rough-legged hawk dark form, 5 Red-tailed hawks (3 adults and 2 immature), a beautiful male Northern Harrier and 5 turkey vultures all in the same area. This is the field across from the Wal-Mart in Vaudreuil-Dorion between hwy's 40, 540 and blvd. Cité des jeunes.


Une petite sortie d'observation m'a permis de voir en 30 minutes une belle buse pattue de forme sombre, 5 buses à queue rousse (3 adultes et 2 immatures), un merveilleux busard St-Martin mâle et 5 urubus à tête rouge et tout cela dans le même secteur. Il s'agit du terrain en face du Wal-Mart à Vaudreuil-Dorion entre la 40, la 540 et le boul. Cité des jeunes. - Michel Juteau

Sightings for Wednesday April 6th

Saint-Anne-De-Bellevue, Morgan Arboretum: Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Cooper's Hawk, Song Sparrows, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Pileated Woodpeckers, 100+ Bohemian Waxwings, Northern Pintail, Killdeer, Common Redpolls, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Turkey Vulture etc.

Pic maculé, Épervier de Cooper, Bruant chanteur, Carouge à épaulettes, Grand Pic, 100 + Jaseurs boréal, Canard pilet, Pluvier kildir, Sizerin flammé, Chardonneret jaune, Tarin des pins, Urubu à tête rouge etc. - Chris Cloutier
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Montréal: Two Turkey vultures flew and perched on Place Montréal Trust - 2:30pm

Deux Urubu à tête rouge  volant et perchés sur Place Montréal Trust - 2:30 pm - Rachel Jacklyn Bilodeau
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St-Stanislas-de-Kostka, Hungry Bay et Baie-des-Brises: Great Blue Heron, Tree Swallow, Northern Harrier, Bufflehead, Ring-necked duck and Scaup, Tufted Titmouse, Green-winged Teal etc. Several Horned larks in the fields, and a Rough-legged hawk.


Grand Héron, Hirondelle bicolore, Busard St-Martin, Petit Garrot, Fuligule à collier et Milouinan, Mésange bicolore, Sarcelle d'hivers etc. Plusieurs alouettes hausse-col dans les champs et une buse pattue.

Marais Halte du Héron (Marais (marsh) de St-Timothée): 4 Redhead and other species of ducks


4 Fuligule à tête rouge et autres espèces de canards.- Marc Boisvert

Sightings for Tuesday April 5th

Bergeronnes: Western Meadowlark was again observed today. She is usually near the church, especially on grass that emerges along the streets and houses where she foraged. A Merlin got very close to catching her this afternoon, but she managed to escape her assailant.

Sturnelle de l'Ouest a de nouveau été observée aujourd'hui. Elle se tient généralement près de l'église, particulièrement sur les plaques de gazon qui se dégagent le long des rues et des maisons où elle recherche sa nourriture. Un Faucon émerillon est passé bien près de la capturer en après-midi, mais elle a réussi à échapper à son assaillant. - Samuel Belleau
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Tadoussac, near la Pointe rouge: King eider (M) accompanied by a group of 12 Common eiders
near the (sandbar) la batture aux vaches  a Lesser black-backed gull (adult) in a group of gulls (about 200 individuals): Gulls - herring, Great black-backed, iceland, Glaucous and ring-billed

près de la Pointe rouge: Eider à tête grise accompagnant un groupe de 12 Eiders à duvet. 
Près de la batture aux vaches un Goéland brun adulte dans un bau groupe de laridés ( environ 200 individus): Goélands argentés, marins, arctiques, bourgmestres et à bec cerclé.- Renaud Pintiaux
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Boisbriand, Centre de la Nature, 16 participants 6-8pm: 31 Canada Geese, 8 Wood Ducks, 20 Mallards, 12 Hooded Merganser, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 30 Ring-billed Gulls, 3 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Grand Pic, 4 American Crow, 5 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Brown Creeper, American Robin * heard *, 15 European Starling, 1 Northern Cardinal * heard *, 1 Red-winged Blackbird * heard *, 6 House Sparrows

31 Bernaches de Canada, 8 Canards branchus, 20 Canards colverts, 12 Harles couronnés, 1 Épervier de Cooper, 30 Goélands à bec cerclé, 3 Pics mineurs, 1 Grand Pic, 4 Corneilles d’Amérique, 5 Mésanges à tête noire, 1 Sittelle à poitrine blanche, 1 Grimpereau brun, Merles d’Amérique *entendus*, 15 Étourneaux sansonnet, 1 Cardinal rouge *entendu*, 1 Carouge à épaulettes *entendu*, 6 Moineaux domestiques - Luc Laberge

Sigtings for Monday April 4th

Bergeronnes,  près de l'église (near the church): WESTERN MEADOWLARK (STURNELLE DE L'OUEST) PHOTO- Samuel Belleau, Amélie Goulet, Jean-François Tremblay Pascal Côté-------------------------------------------------------------------------
quai de Rivière-Ouelle (dock): An hour and forty-five minutes (6:15 to 8:00) stationary observation
Hybrid Common Goldeneye x Barrow's Goldeneye... 1
Red-throated Loon ... 3 (1 alone and 2 en route to the west)
Double-crested cormorant ... 20
Canada Goose ... 5 (2 small groups, flying west)
Black Duck ... 45 (couples or small groups flying east)
Mallard ... 16
Domestic Duck ... 1 (accompanying a small group of mallards in flight to the east)
Northern Pintail ... 12 (small groups flying east)
Common Eider ... 6 (two groups of 3 flying east)
Black Scoter ... 90 (small "rafts" far off, others flying to the west)
Common Goldeneye ... 45 (small groups flying east)
Common Merganser ... 25 (on the water, the other flight in 2 directions)
Red-breassted Merganser ...
Hooded merganser ... 1 (solitary male in flight to the east)
Ring-Billed Gull ... 85
Iceland Gull ... 4
Great black-backed Gull ... 4
Razorbill ... 3 (two groups of 3 to the east, my earliest life to the site)

Une heure quarante-cinq minutes (6h15-8h00) d'observation en stationnaire
Hybride G. à oeil d'or x G. d'Islande ...1 (un solitaire puis 2 en vol vers l'ouest)

Plongeon catmarin ...3
Cormoran à aigrettes ...20 (Quelques'uns posés, les autres vers l'est)
Bernache du Canada ...5 (En 2 mini-groupes, en vol au large vers l'ouest)
Canard noir ...45 (couples ou petits groupes en vol vers l'est)
Canard colvert ...16 (idem)
Canard domestique ...1 (accompagne un petit groupe de colverts en vol vers l'est)
Canard pilet ...12 (petits groupes en vol vers l'est)
Eider à duvet ...6 (deux groupe de 3 vers l'est)
Macreuse noire ...90 (petits «radeaux» en formation loin au large, les autres en vol vers l'ouest)
Garrot à oeil d'or ...45 (petits groupes en vol vers l'est)
Grand Harle ...25 (Quelques'uns à l'eau, les autres au vol dans les 2 directions)
Harle huppé ... (idem)
Harle couronné ...1 (un mâle solitaire en vol vers l'est)
Goéland à bec cerclé ...85
Goéland arctique ...4
Goéland marin ...4
Petit Pingouin ...3 (deux groupe de 3 vers l'est, mes plus hâtif à vie au site) - Jean-François Rousseau

Sightings for Sunday April 3rd

Montréal, Parc-nature du Cap Saint-Jacques, (34 people) With a beautiful sunny spring, we observed some 43 species of birds: Snow Goose (112 +), Canada Goose (200 +), Wood Duck (4), Black Duck (8), Mallard (12), Pintail (8), Teal (1), Ring-necked Duck (6), Bufflehead (2), Goldeneye Goldeneye (45 +), Hooded Merganser (4), Merganser (6). Turkey Vulture (3), Northern Harrier (1), Goshawk (1), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), Red-tailed Hawk (1), Killdeer (3), Ring-billed Gull (20 +), Herring Gull (3), Gull (1), Rock Dove (6), American Crow (20), Northern Shrike (1), Grand-peak (1), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Downy (3), Black-capped Chickadee (20 +), white-breasted nuthatch (3), Brown Creeper (1), American Robin (6), Starling (3), Bohemian Waxwing (300 +), Cedar Waxwing (12), Song Sparrow (4), Dark-eyed Junco (2), Cardinal (6), Red-winged Blackbird (12 +), Common Grackle (4), Brown-headed Cowbird (4), Finch (1), Goldfinch (6), House Sparrow (2)

Parc-nature du Cap Saint-Jacques, (34 personnes!). Avec un beau soleil du printemps, nous avons peu observé 43 espèces d’oiseaux: Oie des neiges (112+), Bernache du Canada (200+), Canard branchu (4), Canard noir (8), Canard colvert (12), Canard pilet (8), Sarcelle d’hiver (1), Fuligule à collier (6), Petit Garrot (2), Garrot à œil d’or (45+), Harle couronné (4), Grand Harle (6). Urubu à tête rouge (3), Busard Saint-Martin (1), Autour des palombes (1), Buse à épaulettes (1), Buse à queue rousse (1), Pluvier kildir (3), Goéland à bec cerclé (20+), Goéland argenté (3), Goéland marin (1), Pigeon biset (6), Corneille d’Amérique (20), Pie-grièche grise (1), Grand-pic (1), Pic chevelu (1), Pic mineur (3), Mésange à tête noire (20+), Sittelle à poitrine blanche (3), Grimpereau brun (1), Merle d’Amérique (6), Étourneau sansonnet (3), Jaseur boréal (300+), Jaseur d’Amérique (12), Bruant chanteur (4), Junco ardoisé (2), Cardinal rouge (6), Carouge à épaulettes (12+), Quiscale bronzé (4), Vacher à tête brune (4), Roselin familier (1), Chardonneret  jaune(6), Moineau domestique (2) - Joël Coutu

Bird Proctection Quebec's Monthly Meeting

Monday April 4, 2011


Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm


Location: Knox Crescent, Kensington and First Presbyterian Church
625 Godfrey ave. NDGA LECTURE FOR EGG-HEADS with Dr. David Bird
Birds are the only taxon of vertebrates where no species bears live young. They lay eggs instead. Which bird species lays the largest egg? The smallest egg? Did you know that an extinct bird species used to lay eggs with a volume equivalent to 150 chicken eggs? How does one explain all the different colours and shapes of eggs? Why do some birds like American Robins lay such conspicuously coloured eggs? Why do some bird species lay a specific number of eggs while others can lay several clutches if need be? Have you ever been grossed out by a seemingly fertile egg in the frying pan? And do brown chicken eggs taste better than white ones? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in Dr. Bird's talk on eggs and clutches.

As a Full Professor of Wildlife Biology and Director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Dr. David Bird has published over 175 scientific papers on birds of prey and supervised over 40 graduate students. He has written and/or edited several books, the most recent ones being Birds of Canada (published by published by Dorling Kindersley) and The Bird Almanac: A Guide to Essential Facts and Figures on the World's Birds. Dr. Bird is a regular columnist for the Montreal Gazette as well as for BirdWatcher's Digest magazine and its newsletter, Backyard Bird News.

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report - Saturday April 2nd

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Morgan Arboretum

16 birders and 29 species on the Morgan Arboretum trip today, which also made a little detour to the MBO.

Bird(s) of the day: Pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers and mixed flock of Cedar and Bohemian waxwings.

400 Canada Geese, 2 Mallard, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 24 Ring-billed Gull, 4 Mourning Dove, 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Pileated Woodpecker, 10 Blue Jay, 24 American Crow, 30 Black-capped Chickadee,  White-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Brown Creeper (MBO), 4 Golden-crowned Kinglet (MBO), 20 American Robin, 6 European Starling, 30 Bohemian Waxwing, 2 Cedar Waxwing, 10 American Tree Sparrow (MBO), 8 Song Sparrow, 8 Dark-eyed Junco, 8 Northern Cardinal, 50 Red-winged Blackbird, 6 Common Grackle, 2 Common Redpoll, 12 Pine Siskin, 6 American Goldfinch

400 Bernaches du Canada, 2 Mallard, 1 Épervier brun, 1 Buse à queue rousse, 24 Goéland à bec cerclé, 4 Tourterelle triste, 2 Pic à ventre roux, 1 Pic mineur, 1 Pic chevelu, 3 Grand Pic, 10 Geai bleu, 24 Corneille d'Amérique, 30 Mésange à tête noire, Sittelle à poitrine blanche, 1 Grimpereau brun (MBO), 4 Roitelet à couronne dorée (MBO), 20 Merle d'Amérique, 6 Étourneau sansonnet, 30 Jaseur boréal, 2 Jaseur d'Amérique,, 10 Bruant Hudsonien(MBO), 8 Bruant chanteur, 8 Junco ardoisé, 8 Cardinal rouge, 50 carouge à épaulettes, Quiscale bronzé 6, 2 Sizerin flammé, 12 Tarin des pins, 6 Chardonneret jaune - Betsy

Sightings for Saturday March 2nd

Chateauguay, Ile Saint-Bernard: Weather conditions were very pleasant and a nice variety of species (47), this morning at refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville
Among them: Wood ducks, Northern pintail, Greater scaup, Ring-necked ducks, Bufflehead and Common goldeneye,  Common mergansers, and Hooded mergansers, Great blue heron, Red-tailed hawk, Rough-legged hawks and Cooper's hawk, Glaucous gulls (1 adult and 2 juveniles), Double-crested cormorant, waxwings Bohemian and Cedar (100 +), Common raven, a pair of Eastern bluebirds, Tufted titmouse, Commonredpolls and Brown-headed cowbirds.


Des conditions météo très agréables et une belle diversité d'espèces (47) ce matin au refuge faunique Marguerite d'Youville.

Parmi celles-ci: canards branchus, canards pilet, fuligules milouinan et à collier, petits garrots et garrots à oeil d'or, grands harles et harles couronnés, grand héron, buse à queue rousse, buse pattue et épervier de cooper, goélands bourgmestres (1 adulte et 2 juvéniles), cormoran à aigrettes, jaseurs boréaux et d'amérique (100+), grand corbeau, un couple de merlebleus de l'est, mésanges bicolores, sizerins flammés et vachers à tête brune. - Frédéric Hareau
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Montréal, Parc Nature de l’île de la Visitation: with a group of 21 persons, we found 28 species of birds.
Canada Goose (250 +), Black Duck (8 +), Cooper's Hawk (2), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), Buse sp /?, Hairy Woodpecker (1), Northern flicker (possible?), Gull-billed Gull (30 +), Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Pileated Woodpecker (1), American Crow (10), Common Raven (1), Black-capped Chickadee (6 +), white-breasted nuthatch (3 +), American Robin (12 +), European starling (8 +), Cedar Waxwing (20 +), Common Redpoll (8 +), House finch (1), Common grackle (2), Red-winged Blackbird (12 + ), Dark-eyed Junco (1), Song Sparrow (3), American goldfinch (1), House Sparrow (8)

avec un groupe de 21 personnes, nous avons observé 28 espèces d’oiseaux.- Bernache du Canada (250+), Canard noir (8+), Épervier de Cooper (2),  Buse à épaulettes (1), Buse sp/?, Pic chevelu (1), Pic flamboyante (possible?), Goéland à bec cerclé (30+), Pigeon biset, Tourterelle triste, Grand pic (1), Corneille d’Amérique (10), Grand Corbeau (1), Mésange à tête noire (6+), Sittelle à poitrine blanche (3+), Merle d’Amérique (12+), Étourneau sansonnet (8+), Jaseur d’Amérique (20+), Sizerin flammé (8+), Roselin familier (1), Quiscale bronzé (2), Carouge à épaulettes (12+), Junco ardoisé (1), Bruant chanteur (3), Chardonneret jaune (1), Moineau domestique (8) - Joël Coutu
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parc national du Bic at belvédère (lookout) Raoul-Roy:  observed in the space of twenty minutes a Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Merlin, 1 Gyrfalcon (gray morph) and 2 Peregrine Falcons.

au belvédère Raoul-Roy dans le parc national du Bic: observé en l’espace de vingt minutes 1 Buse à queue rousse, 1 Faucon émerillon, 1 Faucon gerfaut (forme grise) et 2 Faucons pèlerins. - Laurent Brisson
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in the Bay of Saint-Fabien-sur-mer: 2 Mallards, 1 King Eider at the western tip of the islet au Flacon, 60 Common eider, 80 Barrow's Goldeneye and 30 Red-breasted Mergansers.

dans la baie de Saint-Fabien-sur-mer: 2 Canards colverts: 1 Eider à tête grise à la pointe ouest de l’îlet au Flacon, 60 Eiders à duvet, 80 Garrots d’Islande et 30 Harles huppés. - Denis Desjardins

Sightings for Friday April 1st

Montréal: I was on McGill University's downtown campus this afternoon and saw an immature Golden Eagle (Aigle royal) being buffeted around in the wind over Mount Royal. The bird flew close enough to observe the distinct white patches on the primaries and the contrast between the white tail feathers and dark terminal band. It was also joined briefly by the area's resident Peregrine falcons (Faucon pèlerin),  and three Turkey Vultures (Urubu à tête rouge) - Vivek Govind Kumar

Sightings for Thursday March 31st

Montréal, parc nature du Cap Saint-Jacques - 35 species (espèces): Wood Duck (1), Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye (+ +), Hooded merganser (3), Common merganser (3), Turkey Vulture (1), Red-shouldered hawk (1), Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk,  Pileated woodpecker, Blue jay, Cedar Waxwing (10 +), Bohemian Waxwing (20 +), European Starling, American Robin, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped chickadee, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern cardinal, Common Grackle, Common Redpoll, American Goldfinch


Canard branchu (1), Petit Garrot, Garrot à œil d’or (++), Harle couronné (3), Grand harle (3), Urubu à tête rouge (1), Buse à épaulettes (1), Buse à queue rousse, Buse pattue, Grand pic, Geai bleu, Jaseur d’Amérique (10+), Jaseur boréal (20+), Étourneau sansonnet, Merle d’Amérique, Sittelle à poitrine blanche, Mésange à tête noire, Bruant hudsonien, Bruant chanteur, Junco ardoisé, Cardinal rouge, Quiscale bronzé, Sizerin flammé, Chardonneret jaune - Joël Coutu

Sightings for Wednesday March 30th

parc d'Oka (park): A Snowy Owl (Harfang des neiges), seen at the water filtration plant, then flying over open scrubby fields and still partially-frozen marsh immediately to the south. Also, many Red-winged Blackbirds (Carouge à épaulettes) , several American Tree Sparrows (Bruant Husdonien), Song Sparrows (Bruant chanteur), Mallards (Canard colvert), American Black Ducks (Canard noir), Canada Geese (Bernache du Canada) , and, in the woods, at least 5 individual Pileated Woodpeckers (Grand pic). - Ian Turner
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St-Louis-de-Gonzague, blvd. Pie XII: 50,000 Snow geese (Oie des neiges) in the bay and the Beauharnois canal near the bridge. At Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka another 10,000 in a field near the junction of rte. 236 and 132. Plus 5,000 beside rte 132 just before Dundee. Canada geese (Bernache du Canada) were also everywhere, in the fields and in the sky probably 10,000 or so. - Thomas Long
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Godmanchester, Montée Smellie: adult Golden Eagle, 4 turkey vultures, buteo hawks (4 or 5) but too far for a good identification, but a red-tailed and rough-legged for sure. a male pileated woodpecker, 2 Song Sparrows, an acepiter hawk sp.

Montée Smellie: Aigle royal adulte, 4 urubus à tête rouge, buses (4 ou 5) mais trop loin pour une bonne identification, mais une queue rousse et une pattue assurément. un grand pic mâle, 2 bruants chanteur, un épervier sp

Dundee, Réserve Nationale de Faune du Lac St-François: Rough-legged hawk on ch. Pointe Fraser, and for dessert returning on Route 132 opposite the mail box 2441, south into the fields about 400 ft Route 2 Sandhill cranes feeding. A little further on the 132, 1 Red-tailed hawk

Réserve Nationale de Faune du Lac St-François.Une buse pattue vue sur le ch. de la pointe Fraser, et le dessert au retour sur la route 132 est, face à la boite à courrier 2441, au sud dans le champs environ 400 pds de la route 2 grues du canada se nourissent. Un peu plus loin sur la 132 une buse à queue rousse - Luc Goneau, M.Cardinal et un ami, Pierre Casavant
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Chambly basin: 2 Cackling geese, 1000's Canada geese and Snow geese

au Bassin de Chambly: 2 Bernaches de Hutchins,  milliers de bernaches et d'Oies des neige - Michel Bertrand

Sighting for Tuesday March 29th

bassin de Chambly (basin): An adult Golden eagle passed by quickly at high altitude, without frightening anyone. There were at least another 7,000 Geese Canada (two with yellow neck-bands from Greenland - GIL and GC3). But the surprise came from a Pink-footed Goose, hidden in the group, until it gets up and displays its pink legs.

The Greatet White-fronted Goose was still present

bassin de Chambly: Aigle royal adulte a passé vitement, haut en altitude, sans effrayer qui que ce soit. Il y avait encore au moins 7 000 Bernaches du Canada (avec deux colliers jaunes du Groënland GIL et GC3). Mais la surprise est venue du côté d'une Oie à bec court, dissimulée dans le groupe, jusqu'à ce qu'elle lève la tête et étale ses pattes roses.


L'Oie rieuse était encore présente. - Raymond Belhumeur

Sightings for Monday March 28th

Ste-Martine: Great egret just passed my place in the direction of Ste-Martine Dam

Grande Aigrette vient juste de passer chez-moi en direction du Barrage de Ste-Martine - Micheline Ouellet
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Brownsburg​-Chatham: Turkey vultures (Urubu à tête rouge) - Claudia Meyer

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Sainte-Juile,  industrial park: Killdeer (Pluvier Kildir) au Parc Industriel - Serge Couvrette
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at the Chambly Basin, all Anatidae (waterfowl) resting on the water suddenly took off all at once, due to the passage of a Gyrfalcon.

au bassin de Chambly, tous les anatidés posés sur le plan d'eau ont soudainement levé d'un coup, en raison du passage d'un Faucon gerfaut. - Raymond Belhumeur

Sightings for Sunday March 27th

Montreal, Parc Nature de la Pointe-aux-Prairies: Eastern meadowlark in the Rivière-des-Prairies sector of the park

(Sturnelle des prés) dans le secteur Rivière-des-Prairies du parc. - Joël Coutu

Sightings for Saturday March 26th

Just to mention at sunset, 2 Pied-billed grebes, near Highway 132, St. Timothy (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield), past the old dam. Lac St. Louis is thawing and a small part is thawed at the edge of the road (east side of the dam is functional).

Juste pour mentionner au coucher du soleil, 2 Grèbes à bec bigarré, tout près de la route 132, à Saint-Timothée (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield), devant l'ancien barrage. Le lac Saint-Louis est en train de dégeler et une petite partie est dégelée en bordure de cette route (côté est du barrage fonctionnel).  - Patrick Laniel

Bird Protection Quebec's Field Trip Report - Saturday March 26th

Lasalle / Verdun

I was joined by a very hardy and most enjoyable group of 23+ birders. We had a visiting birder, Matt Medler, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Increasing winds combined with cooler than normal temperatures made for a freezing morning.

We started off at the Parc des Rapides, LaSalle. From there, we saw a few Great Blue Herons. None of them stood on the nests of Île aux Hérons, although one bird tried but left immediately (too windy and freezing cold we guessed). We scanned in the hope of finding the Wild Turkeys that had been seen on the islands there earlier in the month, but had no luck. We enjoyed observing some of the Common Mergansers perching on a tree. A member of the group found a Swamp Sparrow before leaving the park, on the east side of the trail. Unfortunately the bird went hiding and despite many efforts could not be found again.

From there, we did some car pooling and stopped at the end of rue Clemenceau, in Verdun. From the overlook, we could see hundreds of ducks, mostly goldeneye, but also a few scaup, including two Lesser Scaup. Some members of the group thought they had a Barrow's Goldeneye, but the flock lifted a few times, due to some disturbance, before landing again . in a different order. Matt finally identified a male and female Barrow's Goldeneye together, and everyone had a nice look at both birds. The head shape and entirely yellow-orange color of the bill of the female were very convincing. We also had a quartet of Double-crested
Cormorants there.

We then stopped in front of Douglas Hospital. We got better numbers of Greater Scaup as well as an American Wigeon. At this point, we were all very cold and did not feel like lingering any longer along the river.

The rest of us, about a dozen, then headed for the Boisé de L'Île-des-Soeurs, in hope of a better climate down there. We parked at the end of Boulevard de la Forêt. Before entering the woods we heard the noisy calls of a murder of crows that got our attention for most of the time we were there. At some point, a Red-shouldered Hawk called a few times and finally emerged and flew over the treetops for a quick show. Later on, once in the woods, a Cooper's Hawk called several times before being escorted into view by mobbing crows. The greatest surprise though, and consequently bird of the day, was discovered at the end of the field trip by now adored birder Joel Coutu: a Northern Saw-whet Owl that the whole group had plenty of time to enjoy. It was a lifer for some of the members and a rare sight for most of us. What a reward for the perseverance of the group!

Here is the complete list for the trip (40 species): Canada Goose (200), Gadwall (12), American Wigeon (4), American Black Duck (2), Mallard (20), Greater Scaup (20), Lesser Scaup (2), Bufflehead (6), Common Goldeneye (200), Barrow's Goldeneye (2), Hooded Merganser (2), Common Merganser (150), Double-crested Cormorant (6), Great Blue Heron (6), Cooper's Hawk (1), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), Ring-billed Gull (100), Herring Gull (4), Great Black-backed Gull (15), Rock Pigeon (2), Mourning Dove (1), Northern Saw-whet Owl (1), Downy Woodpecker (3), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1), American Crow (100), Black-capped Chickadee (15), White-breasted Nuthatch (2), American Robin (8), European Starling (20), American Tree Sparrow (10), Song Sparrow (6), Swamp Sparrow (1), White-throated Sparrow (1), Northern Cardinal (3), Red-winged Blackbird (50), Common Grackle (1), House Finch (9), American Goldfinch (2), House Sparrow (15).

Bernache du Canada (200), Canard chipeau (12), Canard d'Amérique (4), Canard noir (2), Canard colvert (20), Fuligule milouinan (20), Petit Fuligule (2), Petit Garrot (6), Garrot à (200 ), Garrot d'Islande (2), Harle couronné (2), Grand Harle (150), Cormorans à aigrettes (6), Grand Héron (6), Épervier de Cooper (1), Buses à épaulettes (1), Goéland à bec cerclé (100), Goéland argenté (4), Goéland marin (15), Pigeon biset (2), Tourterelle triste (1), Petite nyctale (1), Pic mineur (3),  Pic chevelu (1), Grand Pic (1), Corneille d'Amérique (100), Mésange à tête noire (15), Sittelle à poitrine blanche (2), Merle d'Amérique (8),  Étourneau sansonnet (20), Bruant Hudsonien (10 ), Bruant chanteur (6), Bruant des marais (1), Bruant à gorge blanche (1), Cardinal rouge (3), Carouge à épaulettes (50), Quiscale bronzé (1), Roselin familier (9),  Chardonneret jaune (2), Moineau domestique (15)
Thank you everyone for coming and showing such enthusiasm. - Diane Demers