West End Birding with Jane and Connie's Group

April 17, 2013

Today Jane, Connie and I were driven around in Sami's van - a real treat!

We panned to stop at Andrew Hayden, but we could see that the ponds and near shore area were still frozen; hence we skipped it and went on the Grandview, where we had a surprising number of birds on the wires and at the feeders.

We went on to Hilda and Shirley's Bay, where we saw a FOS Common Loon.  Then on to March Valley Road and Riddell, where we go great close-ups of the Ospreys.

From there we went out 6th Line Rd and Berry Side Road.  Then finally Thomas Dolan Parkway.

 

In the evening, I went to Bruce Pit with my family where we saw an American Woodcock.

 

 

 

Bird and Mammal List

1. Brown Creeper
2. Northern Cardinal
3. Ring-billed Gull
4. Tree Swallow
5. Common Grackle
6. American Goldfinch
7. Brown-headed Cowbird
8. American Robin
9. Ring-necked Duck
10. Red-winged Blackbird
11. Black-capped Chickadee
12. Mourning Dove
13. Dark-eyed Junco
14. Song Sparrow
15. Northern Flicker
16. Canada Goose
17. House Finch
18. American Crow
19. Common Redpoll
20. Pileated Woodpecker
21. American Tree Sparrow
22. Varying Hare
23. European Starling
24. Mallard
25. Osprey
26. Porcupine
27. Common Raven
28. Lesser Scaup
29. Common Goldeneye
30. Common Loon
31. Greater Scaup
32. Killdeer
33. Hooded Merganser
34. Turkey Vulture
35. Eastern Meadowlark
36. Wilson's Snipe
37. Belted Kingfisher
38. Eastern Bluebird
39. American Kestrel
40. Red-tailed Hawk
41. Bufflehead
42. Swamp Sparrow
43. Northern Harrier
44. Turkey Vulture

An Unusual Yard Visitor

April 16, 2:00 pm

I looked out the front window and saw movement in the tangle under our tree.  It was a Song Sparrow.  It must be a returning migrant, because we never see them normally.  Later, several more migrants showed up in the back yard - Dark-eyed Juncos.

 

 

Mer Bleue & Open Country – Ottawa East with Tony Beck

Thursday April 11, 7:30 am

We met at Dolman Ridge Road.  There were Josh, Helena, Nina, Margaraet, Al, Ian, Heather, Tony and me.  Margaret is new, part of the full program.

We birded in the area fro a while - it was freezing!  We went to Navan and left cars at the arena.  We went to look for the Sandhill Cranes, and located 5 on Milton Road.

We checked the waterfowl at the flooded Bear Brook, then drove all the wa south to Marionville/Morewood where we found only about 1500 Greater Snow Geese in the distant field.  This was a far cry from the up to 100,000 seen by others in various locations.

We drove back for a brief stop in Russell, then went to Giroux Ponds.  Finally we went to Petrie Island, where we saw three Bald Eagles on the ice and a Great-horned Owl.

Bird List

1. Red-winged Blackbird
2. Common Redpoll
3. American Tree Sparrow
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Song Sparrow
6. Yellow-rumped Warbler (seen by a few) FOS
7. Hairy Woodpecker
8. Northern Cardinal
9. Common Grackle
10. Pileated Woodpecker (H)
11. Mourning Dove
12. American Crow
13. American Robin
14. Rock Pigeon
15. Rough-legged Hawk
16. Greater Yellowlegs FOS
17. Mallard
18. Ring-billed Gull
19. Canada Goose
20. Northern Pintail
21. Wild Turkey
22. Sandhill Crane
23. American Black Duck
24. American Wigeon
25. Northern Harrier
26. Snow Goose
27. Horned Lark
28. Red-tailed Hawk
29. Great Blue Heron
30. Turkey Vulture
31. Hooded Merganser
32. Bald Eagle
33. Herring Gull
34. Great-horned Owl

The Urgency of Spring – Britannia Conservation Area with Tony Beck

Tuesday April 9, 7:30 am

Today there were Al, Nina, Josh, Helena, Ian, Roger, Tony and me.

We began at Mud Lake checking the ridge and the wood.  Then we went to the point behind the filtration plant.  Then, after a quick stop at Tim Horton's, we went to Burnside, then to the dead end on Twin Elm Road.  From there went out to Munster Road, checking on both sides of Franktown Road.

Bird List

1. Red-winged Blackbird
2. Common Redpoll
3. Ring-billed Gull
4. Canada Goose
5. Common Grackle
6. Mallard
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. House Finch
9. Wood Duck
10. Dark-eyed Junco
11. Northern Cardinal
12. Downy Woodpecker
13. Common Goldeneye
14. Great-horned Owl
15. White-breasted Nuthatch
16. American Goldfinch
17. Eastern Phoebe FOS
18. Mourning Dove
19. Hairy Woodpecker
20. Bufflehead
21. Herring Gull
22. Pied-billed Grebe
23. European Starling
24. American Robin
25. Ring-necked Duck
26. Lesser Scaup
27. Common Merganser
28. Tree Swallow
29. Herring Gull
30. Killdeer
31. Pectoral Sandpiper
32. Green-winged Teal
33. Hooded Merganser
34. Red-tailed Hawk
35. Song Sparrow
36. Turkey Vulture
37. American Kestrel

Eardley-Masham Road with Tony Beck

April 4, 2013; 7:30 am

This was a substitute for the trip to Plaisance, because there was no open water there and hence no waterfowl.

Today there were Tony, Nina, Judith, Helena, Josh, Al, Ian and me.  We also checked Deschenes and Parc Brebeuf on the way back.

Bird List

1. Blue Jay
2. Northern Cardinal
3. Cooper's Hawk
4. White-throated Sparrow
5. American Crow
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Bohemian Waxwing
8. Common Raven
9. Song Sparrow
10. Red-winged Blackbird
11. Hairy Woodpecker
12. Turkey Vulture
13. Eastern Meadowlark
14. Brown-headed Cowbird
15. Mourning Dove
16. Common Redpoll
17. American Goldfinch
18. Red-tailed Hawk
19. Wild Turkey
20. Bald Eagle
21. Great Blue Heron
22. Common Grackle
23. European Starling
24. Evening Grosbeak
25. American Robin
26. Killdeer
27. Ring-billed Gull
28. Mallard
29. Canada Goose
30. Hooded Merganser
31. Common Goldeneye
32. Bufflehead
33. Common Merganser
34. Lesser Scaup
35. Ring-necked Duck
36. House Sparrow
37. Double-crested Cormorant

The Greenbelt Trails – Ottawa West with Tony Beck

Thursday Mar 28, 7:30 am

A big group today for this first spring outing:  Heather, Josh, Sue, Gary, Al, Rick, Tony, Nina, me, and a new person, Louise.  We visited Jack Pine Trail, Burnside Pit, March Valley Road and Hilda feeders.

Bird & Mamal List

1. American Goldfinch
2. White-breasted Nuthatch
3. Northern Cardinal
4. American Crow
5. Mourning Dove
6. Common Grackle
7. Canada Goose
8. Hairy Woodpecker
9. Red-winged Blackbird
10. Blue Jay
11. Hooded Merganser
12. White-tailed Deer
13. Porcupine
14. Dark-eyed Junco
15. Brown Creeper
16. Downy Woodpecker
17. Great Bleck-backed Gull
18. Herring Gull
19. Ring-billed Gull
20. Iceland Gull
21. Killdeer
22. American Robin
23. Bald Eagle
24. Black-capped Chickadee
25. Common Redpoll
26. Hoary Redpoll
27. Melanistic Chipmunk
28. Merlin
29. American Tree Sparrow
30. Pileated Woodpecker