March 25, 2025
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Monday, March 24, 2025
Fourth Line & Twin Elm Roads
March 24, 2025
We went looking for White-fronted Geese on Fourth Line, but got something better, a Ross's Goose (Thanks Al C.) It was too far and obscured by CAGOs to get a photo, but we got a Trumpeter Swan and others.
On the way home, we stopped at Twin Elm dead end. Some nice ducks and turkeys.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Fox Sparrow at Sarsaparilla Trail
March 23, 2025
Suddenly, Fox Sparrows are all over the place. Some at Sarsaparilla Trail were quite close to our house. At the parking lot, there were a few Bohemian Waxwings high up and behind branches.
Friday, March 21, 2025
Trumpeter Swan on John Shaw Road
March 21 25
Up to four swans have been reported in this area, and we were fortunate to have good views of one of them. A pair of Green-winged Teals were also seen.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
St Lawrence River with JC Birding
March 20, 2025
Birding Report by Jane Burgess
When I left my house, I felt spring
was in the air -- hearing Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Common
Grackle all singing at 6:30 - it put a smile on my face. Driving down
Greenbank Road, there were many,many Canada Geese in the fields. I got
to Bill and Barbara's place at 6:50 and we headed to Elmvale Acres via
Baseline Road. It was a good route because we arrived at Elmvale Acres
by 7:15, where Eleanor was waiting for us. She put her stuff in the car
and Alan and Carole arrived. I suggested that when we turn off the
417, we take two routes. Alan took the #138 while we took #20, we did
this in the hope we would double our chances of seeing Snow Geese. Gee
we drove and drove no Snow Geese, just Canada Geese, then all of a
sudden, we saw white. Snow Geese. I tried to phone Alan and Carole,
but discovered I did not have their number, Bill took a few photos and
then called them. Eleanor called them and then we discovered they had
driven up behind us. The service was not all that great.
We
watched the Snow Geese for at least 30 minutes as more flew in, we took
out our scopes and found Ring-necked Duck, Northern Pintail and of
course Canada Geese. Eleanor saw a couple of Turkey Vultures. A flock
of water fowl flew over, Bill took a photo and told us they were
Northern Pintails about 40 of them. I think I will be able to identify
fly over Northern Pintails now. We drove a bunch of roads, but we did
not see any more Snow Geese. Bill had done his research and had pinned
the area on his maps, but that was yesterday and today was a different
day.
We ended up at Cooper Marsh. We walked to
the visitors' centre and of course it was closed. There we saw Downy
Woodpecker, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow and a single Mallard. Since
we had had an early start, we thought maybe a snack would hold us until
noon. Eleanor and I walked toward the road and said to her, if you come
back here, always check the other side of the road from here. We
joined the other, then a Pileated Woodpecker sounded and sounded again
from the other side of the road, then it flew over us.
On highway #2 we stopped a number of times to see Lesser and Greater Scaup, 2 Redheads, Common Merganser and Bufflehead
While
driving through Cornwall, I recounted a memory from I think about 12
years ago. Barb C., Sami, Connie and I were birding the area and we
heard on the news that Prince George was born, so we stopped at the
Prince George Restaurant (we don't normally go to a restaurant while
birding) to have lunch in honour of the little prince. The weather was
pretty nice, the temperature was 17 degrees. A young lady thought it
was warm enough to wear a crop top and flip flop and here we are in
winter gear!!!!
The next stop was the
visitors' centre at Saunders Hydro Dam, it was closed. I said that is
okay, just take your lunches and we will have lunch inside, oh but it is
closed. I walked in and asked to use the toilets and if we could eat
our lunch inside. Of course, said the lady. Where we had lunch
overlooking the river and looking onto the dam. The only bird we saw
was a Turkey Vulture. Walking out Carole said they thought they would
leave us, at Guindon Park is not far and we often see Black-backed
Gulls.
The road to the water was bumpy, but
who goes into the beach area anyways at this time of year. Birders do!
We saw what we thought were Mallards, so we did not pay any attention
to the 2 on the ice. We proceeded over to where we could see gulls -
Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. While we were looking at
the gulls, Alan and Carole were scoping the 2 water fowl that we assumed
were Mallards. We were wrong, 2 Gadwalls.
Alan
and Carole left at this point, indicating they were going to check out
the Greater White-fronted Goose that had been reported on Anderson Road.
We drove to the west end of the Long Sault Parkway. Lots of Hooded
Mergansers, Bufflehead and of course Canada Geese. I think it was here
Bill saw the Black Duck. Bill and I were looking on one side of the
bridge, Eleanor the other side, where she saw a couple of Common
Goldeneye.
We checked out Upper Canada Bird
Sanctuary and Ault Island and the only bird new was an American Tree
Sparrow. Driving out of Ault Island we saw a Bald Eagle flying
overhead.
On our homeward journey we checked
out Winchester, hoping we would see Snow Geese, we had difficulty even
seeing the lagoons. Eleanor suggested opening the windows, we would
hear them if they were there, we heard nothing. We decided to check out
Anderson Road for the Greater White-fronted Goose, nope. Alan and
Carole did not have any luck in seeing the Greater White-fronted either.
Spring is here for sure, we got, 38 species.
Species Noted
- Northern Cardinal
- American Robin
- Common Grackle
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Canada Goose
- American Crow
- Ring-billed Gull
- Rock Pigeon
- European Starling
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Mourning Dove
- Wild Turkey
- Blue Jay
- Snow Geese
- Northern Pintail
- Ring-necked Duck
- House Sparrow
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Song Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Downy Woodpecker
- Mallard
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Common Merganser
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Lesser Scaup
- Greater Scaup
- Redhead
- Turkey Vulture
- Herring Gull
- Lesser Black-back Gull
- Gadwall
- Black Duck
- Common Goldeneye
- Hooded Merganser
- Green-wing Teal
- American Tree Sparrow
- Bald Eagle
Critters Noted
- White-tail deer
- Groundhog
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