More Cottage Activities

July 18-21, 2015

We arrived at the lake to find a Gray Tree Frog on our bbq cover.

A tour of the lake enabled us to get close to a group of Common Terns.

While picking raspberries, Barbara spotted a Chestnut-sided Warbler, an Indigo Bunting and a Cedar Waxwing.

On the way home, we saw three American Kestrels on wires.  Poor photos through the windshield.  Since it's the first ones we had seen all year, we concluded that they were migrating.

Birding around the Cottage

July 9-11, 2015

We went shopping at Maniwaki and then birding at Egan Sud.  It was slow, but we got a few familiar species and a Willow Flycatcher, new for the list.

The following day, we went towards Forêt de l'Aigle, and discovered a small heronry that we had never seen before.

The grandkids came up on the weekend, and we were treated to a Mink walking right up to us by the water.

Early Evening Eagle

July 27, 2015

While fishing in Pike Bay, we noticed this guy perched in a pine tree at the mouth of the bay.  The setting sun highlighted him nicely for the photo.

Loon Count at Grand Lac des Cèdres

July 5, 2015

We should have been doing a Merganser Count - we would have had good results.

We found two pairs of Common Loons, each with a chick.  The first one was a little larger, the second one tiny.  We are hoping for more chicks from other pairs, but it may not happen.

Andrew Haydon Park

July 2, 2015

We decided to go for a picnic supper at Andrew Haydon Park.  Before leaving the house, we noticed some juvenile sparrows at our suet feeder.  They were Chipping Sparrows - we did not know that the juveniles are heavily streaked.

At the park, a family of Hooded Mergansers, nearly full grown, were swimming around the ponds with mom.

Madawaska River Canoe Trip

June 28-30, 2015

Always on the lookout for birds...

Little Egret

June 26, 2015

We saw an ebird post that the Little Egret was at the mouth of Pinecrest Creek, together with the American Avocet.  We were able to photograph it from the bike path along the parkway.

Nepean Sailing Club, Andrew Hayden and Pinecrest Creek

June 24, 2015

We had spent the morning birding, but could not resist a quick trip to Andrew Hayden Park to look for the rare Little Egret that had been reported.  Alas, it had left, so we walked over to the Sailing Club to photograph the Purple Martins.  When we returned, and egret was there, but not the Little Egret, one of the Great Egrets.

The previous day we had gone to Britannia Point to see a reported American Avocet.  We could see it in the scope, but it was too distant to photograph.  So we decided to walk over to the parkway to see if we could get closer looks from there.  Indeed we did, although the light was starting to drop by then.  We also saw a bonus Spotted Sandpiper.

Cross Loop Road, Chelsea

June 24, 2015

We brought Rick up to Chelsea in the morning, and after picking up Kirk and Sam, we headed for Meech Creek. We had a great time at the creek enjoying the wildlife and playing with Sam.

We then went up the road and checked out the Bobolinks in the field.  We went up to the old cemetery and found the Brown Thrasher that is usually there.