Monday, April 29, 2013

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

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

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

Monday, April 8, 2013

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