Hawks, Snowy Owls & Open Country Birds – Ottawa East with Always an Adventure

Thursday February 12 - Lifer Gyrfalcon today

We met at the Trim Road park & Ride.  Tony and Nina were late for the first time ever, as they had to wait for John Violette to come to Lincoln Fields by bus from Kanata.  There was a large group today.  Besides the aforementioned, there was another John, Josh, Lina, Sandra, Bree and her friends, Meg, visiting from BC, and Julia (new birder).  Rounding out the group were Al and me.

We checked out Frank Kenny and got a Snowy Owl, then Snow Buntings on French Hill.  Then we went straight to Lafleche Dump, where the Gyrflacon was on the ground with an Iceland Gull it had killed.  We got a few photos, then it flew up to a post inside the gate.  Tony went and asked permission to come in to get closer photos, which was given.  As we edged closer and closer, it finally had enough and flew off.  A truly banner day.

We went over to Ste Rose, where Al spotted another Snowy on a pole.  Tony drove past, but we stopped and flushed the owl - at least the others saw it well.  We stopped at Timmys, then returned to Ste Rose where we got a Rough-legged Hawk, then stopped for a large flock of Snow Buntings.  We also saw a few Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks.

From there, we went to Larose Forest for the Evening Grosbeaks and finches.  We returned via Frank Kenny and found yet another Snowy Owl on Regimbald.  This one followed the cars, so was presumed to be a baited owl.

Bird List

1. Snowy Owl
2. Snow Bunting
3. Gyrfalcon
4. Iceland Gull
5. Herring Gull
6. Common Raven
7. Rough-legged Hawk
8. Lapland Longspur
9. Horned Lark
10. Evening Grosbeak
11. Common Redpoll
12. Blue Jay
13. Hairy Woodpecker
14. White-breasted Nuthatch
15. American Tree Sparrow
16. Black-capped Chickadee
17. Red-breasted Nuthatch