Fall Colours and Fall Migrants (PART 2) - Gatineau Park with Tony Beck

Tuesday Oct 12, 7:30am

I missed PART 1, since it was on the weekend. Today there was Janet Wall, Rick, Heather, Nina, Bob, Tony and me. We met at the visitor kiosk on Gamelin and the Gatineau Parkway.

There were all kinds of migrating Robins and European Starlings as we hiked the trail across the road. We saw a few Blue Jays, then a couple of Hermit Thrushes. They were really buried, and it took a while for everyone to get on one. We saw a Hairy and Downy Woodpecker in the same tree. There was a White-throated Sparrow and numerous Black-capped Chickadees along the trail.

We headed up 148 to Luskville, and went into the Park on Hotel de Ville. We saw a very energetic young Merlin playing tag with starlings without success, as we drove in the road. Some Ravens and a Red-tailed Hawk flew over too. Tony also spotted some Dark-eyed Juncos and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

We took the horse trail towards Western CWM. Along the trail, we saw some Golden-crowned Kinglets and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. A nice Hermit Thrush posed for photos while a Blue Jay scolded from the other side of the trail.

I almost stepped on a good-sized American Toad, which kept the troops entertained for quite some time. We went as far as the trail up to the climbing areas, and then turned back.

Back on Hotel de Ville, we saw an American Pipit on a wire. Shortly after Tony got it in the scope, A Red-tailed Hawk flew over causing the pipit to vanish.

We drove up to the Eardley-Masham Road, and stopped at the Dépanneur for quick break. Back on the road, we drove up into the Park again and stopped a couple of times. It wasn’t very productive outside of a Red-breasted Nuthatch and many more American Robins and Blue Jays. There was a Great Blue Heron in the pond (Ramsey Lake?)

We hiked in on Trail 56 as far as the junction to the Richard Yurt. It was a fine day, and the fall colours were superb. So we were not too disappointed that we only saw a few Turkey Vultures along the trail. I heard a woodpecker, but it slinked off before anyone could get on it. We hoped for a Black-backed, but ….