Petrie Island

June 20, 2016

We had to return our defective depth finder for exchange at Orleans Boat Works.  Having driven all that way, we figured it was worthwhile to send an hour at Petrie Island, even though t was mid-day.

There was a surprising lot of bird song, but few to be seen.  A common Yellowthroat responded to our pishing, and Barbara spotted a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  There were almost no waterfowl on the river, so we photographed a lone turtle.

June Loon Count

June 19, 2016

The kids were at the lake, so there was lots of fishing.  Onone of our forays, we saw a pair on adult Bald Eagles together.

On the loon count, we saw 11 adult Common Loons, including one definite pair (bird on the nest), and 3 more pairs that were together.

Then in Pike Bay, we flushed one of the eagles who flew up to a perch.

Later, there was more fishing and we even got a Father's Day Lake Trout!

Mud Lake

June 15, 2016

After Westend Wednesday supper, we all drove over to Mud Lake for a hike and birding.  We wanted to see if anyone was home at the woodpecker holes.

It's hard to believe that just a few years ago, it was rare to see a Wood Duck.  Now they are everywhere.

The Eastern Screech Owl was not to be seen, but the Wild Turkey was there as usual.

We did not see any Pileated Woodpeckers, but a fledgling Northern Flicker was at the hole.

We circled around on the way back where we saw several Yellow Warblers and a Gray Catbird.

Northern Waterthrush at our Cottage

June 12, 2016

Every other year or so, we are blessed with the song of a Northern Waterthrush right out our back door. We are beside a wetland which seems to be to their liking. A little poking around soon leads to the songster.  He's not the flashiest warbler, but we like him!

In and Around Aylmer with Connie and Sami

June 8, 2016

We met at Champlain Bridge, where there was a rainbow and a family of Common Mergansers.

Next, we went to the park at Allen Road by the golf course.  There were lots of Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches, a few warblers and an Alder Flycatcher which sang persistently from a wire.

Our next stop was the foot of Vanier at the Ottawa River.  On the river there were baby Mallards and Canada Geese.

As we approached the little bridge, we caught sight of a Baltimore Oriole, another flock of Cedar Waxwings and an American Redstart.

 At the bridge, we had an incredibly close view of an adult Black-crowned Night Heron.

There was lots going on in the pond on the other side of the bridge - a muskrat and families of Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers.

 

We capped off our successful morning by looking at the Double-crested Cormorant and Ring-billed Gull colonies on Conroy Island.

Just before returning to the cars for lunch,we had two more very cooperative birds - a Great Blue Heron and another Cedar Waxwing. What a day!

Burnt Lands Park

June 6, 2016

A chap out at Almonte offered to buy our old trailer.  So we drove out there, stopping at nearby Burnt Lands.  It is a great area for birding, but we were not prepared for the vast amount of poison ivy.  Nevertheless, we got some good birds, including Field Sparrow, Red-eyed Vireo, Brown Thrasher and Northern Harrier.