Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Sparrows and Open Country - Ottawa South/East with Tony Beck

Tuesday May 18, 7:30am

We met at Tim Horton’s on Hunt Club – Russell, Heather, Sally, Tony & me.

We drove to Bowesville Road. We saw a Baltimore Oriole from the parking area and also heard a Common Yellowthroat.

We started down the trail and I commented on the huge bunch of Lilacs. Tony said it was thrasher territory. No sooner had he said it than Sally spotted a Brown Thrasher. We heard a Song Sparrow and saw a Savannah Sparrow on a post. We heard a distant Field Sparrow and the buzzy Clay-colored Sparrow. We saw a Vesper Sparrow and a distant Eastern Kingbird.

I got some photos of the Vesper Sparrow before it got chased off by an American Goldfinch. We heard a Chipping Sparrow and a Grasshopper Sparrow, and then had a fly by from a Pileated Woodpecker.

We saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler. Then Sally played her tape and a Grasshopper Sparrow popped out. We also had good looks at a Clay-colored Sparrow.
Back at the cars, we saw a pair of Eastern Bluebirds on a wire.

We drove to Britannia to look for a reported Little Gull. We scanned the bottom of the rapids area, but could not spot it. We did see a Red-necked Grebe and several Double-crested Cormorants and some Common Terns.

Tony heard a Scarlet Tanager, so we went down the trail behind the Filtration Plant and were able to see it. We carried on to the end of Mud Lake where we met up with a OFNC group, which included Rick, Hedrik and some of the other regulars. We saw a couple of Black-crowned Night-herons and a Green Heron (scope views). We saw a pair of Wood Ducks, a Great-crested Flycatcher and a female Blackpoll Warbler in the corner as well.

Heading down towards the Parkway, we saw a Red-eyed Vireo and a Warbling Vireo and several Yellow Warblers. We also saw a Northern Cardinal and a Gray Catbird. Returning to the cars, we decided to check the river again. This time we did see the Little Gull and a couple of Bonaparte’s Gulls floating far off on the river.

Fletcher Wildlife Garden

Monday, May 17 2010
I made a quick stop to check Fletcher. The Tree Swallows were occupying the nest boxes, as usual.
There was lots of bird song, but they were had to locate. I did see a Baltimore Oriole and a Warbling Vireo.

Cycloparc PP&J

Thurs, May 13 2010

For our anniversary, Barbara & I headed up to Shawville to bike on the Cycloparc after stopping for breakfast at Eardley. There was nobody else on the trail, which passed through lots of swamps. Wildflowers were at their peak and the migrants were pouring through. The highlights were some co-operative Nashville Warblers and a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Gatineau Park with Tony Beck

Tuesday, May 11, 7:30am

A big group today! Judith, Sally, Dave from BC, Rick, Russell, Allan, Heather, Chris, Irene, Tony & me.

We met at the Gamelin Blvd Information Kiosk. It was cool but sunny – a great day to be out birding. We got a Chipping Sparrow, Canada Goose, White-crowned Sparrow, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch and Common Yellowthroat from the parking lot. We chased down the latter.We also spotted an American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow and Blue Jay along the trail.

We car-pooled to the Champlain Lookout. Tony paused briefly along the way, but being in the back car, we did not see the Chestnut-sided Warbler and other goodies.

At the lookout we saw a few Eastern Phoebes and Black-capped Chickadees and a Mallard. Heather spotted a Black and White Warbler -the first of several we would see.

We started along Ridge Road trail towards Western. We got good looks at an Ovenbird (heard dozens) and a Northern Waterthrush. Rick drew our attention to a Blackburnian Warbler. Tony played the magic machine and a Veery came in close. Also attracted were a pair of Purple Finches and another Black and White Warbler. A Black-throated Green Warbler came by, but was chased off by the Black and White. A Nashville Warbler was heard.

Moving along the trail, we saw a White-breasted Nuthatch and a very cooperative Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We heard, then saw, a Black-throated Blue Warbler. We started down Western Trail towards the lodge and heard a very close Hermit Thrush. At the lodge, a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker came right in close as we watched the Turkey Vultures soaring over the cliffs. We could hear a Common Raven out there. Another Sapsucker, almost albino, came in too.

We started back, and at the trail junction, Heather spotted an American Redstart, right after I said it was strange we had not seen one. We heard a Barred Owl calling, then two going back and forth. We all got great looks at the owl. We headed back to the Champlain Lookout and watched the Turkey Vultures swinging in close.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Cottage Weekend - Lac des Cèdres, Qc

May 7-9 , 2010


Who would have thought there would be so much snow?
Anyway, the birds were sure active at the feeders.

Scrubland & Wetland Birds - Ottawa West with Tony Beck

Thursday May 6, 7:30am

There were Allan, Sally, Heather, Russell, Rick, Tony & me -2 vehicles.

Today’s text is by Russell, as my voice recorder had broken down.


Andrew Hayden Park
Solitary Sandpiper
Canada Goose
Red-winged Blackbird
Greater Yellowlegs

Shirley's Bay Area
Lesser Scaup
American Black Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Flicker
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Downy Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher White-throated Sparrow
House Wren
Song Sparrow

Shirley's Bay - Trail to Dyke and along Dyke
Nashville Warbler
Black and White Warbler (heard)
Rusty Blackbird (heard)
Great Blue Heron
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
White-throated Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Common Tern
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Purple Martin
Chimney Swift

Along South March Road, Thomas Dolan Hwy, etc.
Turkey Vulture Osprey Eastern Bluebird
Other Birds seen at various locations
Double-crested Cormorant
Mallards
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Killdeer
Mourning Dove
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Grackle
European Starling
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Migrants and Nesting Birds - Ottawa West with Tony Beck

Tuesday, May 4, 7:30am. Allan, Heather, Russell, Rick, Irene, Tony & me

Andrew Haydon Park

Common Goldeneye
Northern Flicker
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Canada Goose Spotted Sandpiper
Double-crested Cormorant
Lesser Scaup Common Grackle
Barn Swallow
Greater Yellowlegs


Burnside Pit

Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall
Pied-billed Grebe
Black Tern
Common Merganser

March Valley Road

Killdeer
American Robin
Tree Swallow
Yellow Warbler
Mourning Dove
Hooded Merganser
Riddell Road & Berry Road

Osprey Brown Thrasher (H)
Swamp Sparrow
Blue Jay
Wilson’s Snipe (H)
Sora (H)
Virginia Rail (H)
Cooper’s Hawk
Turkey Vulture
American Goldfinch
Northern Waterthrush (H, Tony)
Great Blue Heron
Red-shouldered Hawk
Constance Creek

Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay


Old Burn Site

Red-headed Woodpecker
Dunrobin Road

Upland Sandpiper
Eastern Meadowlark
Wild Turkey

Camp Opemikon

Sunday, May 2 2010

While at Scout RSVP camp, I checked out the road early Sunday Morning and was rewarded with a couple of warblers. Other birds seen were Eastern Phoebes, Blue Jays, American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds & Common Grackles. An American Bittern called several times from the back of the swamp.

Petrie Island & Migratory Staging Areas - Ottawa East with Tony Beck

Thursday Apr 29, 7:30am

Just Tony and me this morning.

Petrie Island

American Tree Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird
Pied-billed Grebe
American Bittern (H)
Virginia Rail (H)
Barn Swallow
Chipping Sparrow
Belted Kingfisher
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
American Robin
Wood Duck
Black Duck
Northern Flicker
Song Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Myrtle Warbler


We went to Navan for coffee, then scoured the surrounding roads.

American Kestrel
Common Raven
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Common Merganser
Ring-necked Duck
Green-winged Teal
Killdeer

Sparrows, Kinglets and Early Warblers - Ottawa West with Tony Beck

Tuesday Apr 27, 7:30am, Jack Pine Trail

Tony, Heather, Irene & myself

We started at Jack Pine Trail in the half-rain, half snow – a miserable morning.
We went to the feeders and around the boardwalk.

Chipping Sparrow
Brown Creeper singing
White-breasted Nuthatch
Chickadee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Robin
Great Blue Heron
Mallard
Canada Goode
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow

We went to warm up at Tim Horton’s, then proceeded to Mud Lake to look for the Eastern Screech Owl (no luck, in 3 visits to the area).

Pied-billed Grebe (H)
Pine Warbler (H)
Wood Duck
Nothern Cardinal Belted Kingfisher
Tree Swallow

In between checks for the owl, we looked on the ridge.

White-throated Sparrow
American Goldfinch
House Finch
Common Grackle Cooper’s Hawk