Lime Kiln Trail

Dec 16, 2012

We were looking after Sam, so took him to feed the Chickadees at the Lime Kiln Trail.  This year we had good luck as Sam enjoyed watching "les oiseaux mangent" out of his hand.
 

 It was a cold day, so we hurried on to the kiln.  Sam did not seem to be bothered at all by the cold.

 

Since we were so close, I decided to make a quick detour to the burned area, while the others went back to the car.  At first it was quiet, but soon a Hairy Woodpecker appeared.  It bounced from one tree to the next while I followed.  

Briefly I saw another woodpecker, then a second that I thought were Black-backs.  They quickly took off with me following behind.  Then they flew back towards the first place.  I came back too and saw a few more Hairys.  Then I saw the Black-backed Woodpeckers too.  They did not stick, but I got off a couple of distant shots.

 Suddenly I thought about the family, who must be already at the car.  So I quickly headed back down the trail to meet them.

 

Harlequin Duck

Dec 6, 2012

A Harlequin Duck had been reported at Bate Island, so I pulled in after driving Barbara to work.  I knew it was my lucky day when I saw some birders with scopes.  As I approached, I recognized Chris and Bob, Bruce, Connie and Sami.

The subject bird was far on the Quebec side, actually quite close to the bridge.  I contemplated going to the other side, but did not have the right footwear.  Besides, Connie said that Bruce had just returned from there.  So we contented ourselves with distant views as it dove frequently in the company of Common Goldeneyes.  The experts said that it was a young male, as it did have more white on the face than a typical female.

It was way too far for photos, but some Common Goldeneyes were a bit closer.  Suzanne joined the group and it was a lifer for her.

 

On the way home, I stopped at the Deschenes Rapids lookout, but the Northern Pintail had moved on, leaving a bunch of Mallards and a single American Black Duck.

 

Surprise Northern Pintail

Nov 30, 2012 12:30 pm

We stopped at Lac Deschenes Rapids Lookout ,to check out the waterfowl.  Of course there were lots of Mallards and a few Ring-billed Gulls.  But imagine my surprise to see a male Northern Pintail.  There was also an American Black Duck.

Woodpecker at Lime Kiln Trail

Nov 28, 2012

I went hoping to see the Black-backed Woodpecker, but only found a female Pileated.  It was a nice consolation prize.

Bohemian Waxwings on the Trail Behind Bell Arena

Nov 27, 1:30 pm

This is a good area for waxwings and also Pine Grosbeaks because of the old apple trees still bearing fruit.  I saw a flock of about 50 of the former on my hike along the forest edge.  There were a few skittish American Robins also sharing in the bounty.

 

Andrew Haydon Park

November 17, 2012     3:00 pm

The day was way too nice to be indoors the whole time. so Barbara and I went over to Andrew Haydon to check out the ponds and river.

The eastern pond had three or four Hooded Mergansers along with the Canada Geese and Mallards.  The western pond had about a dozen Lesser Scaup.

Out on the river we saw three Buffleheads and four Great Black-backed Gulls along with he geese and Ring-billed Gulls.

 

Lake Doré and Barron Canyon with Tony Beck

Nov 13, 2012 6 am to 6 pm

A good sized group today - Tony, Nina, Josh, Pavel, Antonia, Gary, Sue, Al, Ian and me.  It was horribly windy at Lake Doré, so viewing was very difficult.  Best bird was an adult Bald Eagle spotted by Josh.  On the other side of the lake, Josh spotted a Northern Shrike.  With conditions so bad, we decided to hightail it for the Barron Canyon Road.  On the way, we saw a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk.  In Algonquin Park, we saw a Black-backed Woodpecker, a family group of Gray Jays, a bunch of Red Crossbills high in a tree, and a couple of Pine Grosbeaks.  As we turned around, we saw a bull Moose.  On the way home we saw a Pileated Woodpecker and a Great Blue Heron while whizzing by on Highway 17.

 

 

 

 

 

Bird List

1. Ring-billed Gull
2. American Crow
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Wild Turkey
5. Rock Pigeon
6. Canada Goose
7. Mallard
8. Bald Eagle
9. Bufflehead
10. Common Goldeneye
11. Bonaparte Gull
12. Horned Grebe
13. Northern Shrike
14. Ring-necked Duck
15. Rough-legged Hawk (dark morph)
16. Blue Jay
17. Black-capped Chickadee
18. Common Merganser
19. Hooded Merganser
20. Red-winged Blackbird
21. Common Grackle
22. European Starling
23. Common Raven
24. Hairy Woodpecker
25. Northern Cardinal
26. Bohemian Waxwing
27. Red-breasted Nuthatch
28. White-breasted Nuthatch
29. Black-backed Woodpecker
30. Red Crossbill
31. Pine Grosbeak
32. Gray Jay
33. American Tree Sparrow
34. Pileated Woodpecker
35. Great Blue Heron

 

 

Northern Hawk Owl

November 10, 2012

Thanks to OntBirds, we were able to visit Bowesville Road early on Saturday and see the Hawk Owl.

Barbara thought she saw it as we drove slowly by, but I thought the light would be better from the trail in behind.  Well, that did not work, as we could see nothing at all.  Returning to the road, we joined a few other birders, and one of them spotted our quarry.

We had a partially obscured view, but tried photographs nonetheless.  Suddenly a Pileated Woodpecker flew in close to the owl.  We believe that it was not initially aware of the danger, since it suddenly began to make a huge racket when it noticed the owl.

The woodpecker flew off calling wildly, but the owl was unperturbed.  It flew further back into the woods, but was shortly spotted in a more open area to the north.  We got our photos.

Some geocachers alerted us to a Snowy Owl on Earl Armstrong by the S bend.  So we went over there but did not find it, only a Red-tailed Hawk.

Mer Bleue and Eastern fields with Jane and Connie's Group

November 7, 2012

I met Jane, Connie and Sami at Mer Bleu by the boardwalk on Ridge Road.  It was very quiet there except for Chickadees and a Hairy Woodpecker, so we decided to go to Milton Road, stopping along the way.  There was no action until we got up Milton Road between Perrault and Smith.  Here we were amazed to see 155 Sandhill Cranes at the edge of the cornfield.  We got our photos as they lifted off.

(Photo by Sami, hand by Bill)

 

 

 

From there we cruised the roads, finding a Merlin on 10th Line.  It was quiet after that until we turned onto Giroux Road.  Here we were treated to a large mixed flock of Snow Bunting and Horned Larks.  I even spotted an American Pipit with the flock.

Bird List

1. Ring-billed Gull
2. Rock Pigeon
3. American Crow
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Hairy Woodpecker
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Red-winged Blackbird
8. Common Raven
9. Blue Jay
10. Canada Goose
11. Sandhill Crane (155!)
12. Snow Bunting
13. Merlin
14. Northern Harrier (Jane only)
15. Horned Lark
16. American Pipit
17. Mallard
18. Great Black-backed Gull
19. Common Merganser
20. American Black Duck
21. Hooded Merganser
22. Northern Pintail