We returned to the Bell Sensplex to check out the possibility of parking there for CORTEO the following night. We spotted a Savannah Sparrow, but could not get a photo. We had to settle for a friendly Song Sparrow.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Carp River Flood Plain
June 26, 2018
We returned to the Bell Sensplex to check out the possibility of parking there for CORTEO the following night. We spotted a Savannah Sparrow, but could not get a photo. We had to settle for a friendly Song Sparrow.
We returned to the Bell Sensplex to check out the possibility of parking there for CORTEO the following night. We spotted a Savannah Sparrow, but could not get a photo. We had to settle for a friendly Song Sparrow.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Cottage and Martindale Road
June 20, 2018
After the previous outing, we met at our cottage for a short work day. Then on the way home, we birded the Martindale Road, because we had missed that on the JC birding day.
We got a surprise American Bittern in a field, a couple of Eastern Bluebirds, and more Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks, as well as other goodies.
After the previous outing, we met at our cottage for a short work day. Then on the way home, we birded the Martindale Road, because we had missed that on the JC birding day.
We got a surprise American Bittern in a field, a couple of Eastern Bluebirds, and more Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks, as well as other goodies.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Venosta and Heney Lake with JC Birding
June 19, 2018
Text by Connie
We picked a beautiful day to be out enjoying the birds -- sunny, nice temperature and just enough breeze to keep the bugs away. People joined and left the group at various times during the day according to their schedules but having more eyes and ears found us a few good birds!
The Gatineau Trail at Venosta seemed a little quieter than some other times. There were lots of Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Chestnut-sided Warblers and one field with many Bobolinks. We saw and heard several Brown Thrashers, but they did not perch where they were visible. But the Black-billed Cuckoo did stop long enough for us to have a quick look! Bill and Jane commented that we had not seen any Sandhill Cranes in the area for a couple of years, but then we heard one calling in the distance. And then someone managed to find it far back in a field -- a very brown cinnamon colour -- only visible briefly as it moved feeding through some long grass. A bird sped by high above us -- yeah, a Common Loon -- but Barb, who is always looking for Loons, had not joined us yet! Somehow Sami managed to get his camera up and focused for a photo too!! The Indigo Bunting we had on this trail was very pale with lots of gray on it. On Chemin Burroughs we saw a Savannah Sparrow -- not seeing very many this year for some reason. We also heard Hermit Thrush and Ovenbird. Eastern Meadowlarks were flying over a field.
Next were several stops in the Lac Ste-Marie area on the way to Peggy's Cottage for Lunch. A belted Kingfisher flew right in front of Barb's car -- the only one seen for the day. A very distant Wilson's Snipe was calling -- it took us a while to figure this out -- but we did not see it. We did see, Ring-necked Ducks, Great Blue Heron (flyover), Wood Duck, Eastern Kingbird and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Well, time goes by quickly when you are birding and it was well after noon by the time we got to Peggy's Cottage. Down at the lake (Heney) we watched a Loon feeding and then "playing" about on the water. Too bad it was so distant.
We had some more good finds later in the day on chemin Martindale. Still quite a few Chestnut-sided Warblers around but also saw a Black-and-White Warbler. We heard very melodious singing and finally someone found the very brilliant male Purple Finch. Alas it flew before Barb R or I could get a photo. Other good birds here were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Merlin fly-by, and Great-crested Flycatcher. We heard a very loud calling as we drove very slowly down the road and had narrowed it down to a raptor -- yes, Broad-winged Hawk and there it was sitting on a Branch within easy view! I am not sure I had ever seen one perched before -- usually they are soaring overhead. When we were down to one car, Jane and Guy heard another bird calling loudly. I stopped and backed up a bit and yes, there it was, a Wilson's Snipe several fence posts back from the road. A nice end to a good day of birding.
Thanks to Guy for answering all our queries on various plants today. Two are identified with photos in the third email of this report.
Thanks also to Peggy for the pleasant lunch break at her cottage.
List for the day is below.
Connie Denyes
************************************************************************
Birds Observed Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Quebec North of Gatineau -- Venosta, Peggy's Cottage (Lac Heney), Martindale Road
(Jane, Barb C, Barb R, Peggy, Sami, Bill, Guy, Connie)
Quebec - Gatineau Trail (Venosta)
1 Alder Flycatcher
2 American Crow
3 American Goldfinch
4 American Robin
5 Black-billed Cuckoo
6 Blue Jay
7 Bobolink
8 Brown Thrasher
9 Cedar Waxwing
10 Chestnut-sided Warbler
11 Chipping Sparrow
12 Common Grackle
13 Common Loon (flying over)
14 Common Yellow-throat
15 Eastern Phoebe
16 Gray Catbird
17 Hairy Woodpecker
18 Indigo Bunting
19 Killdeer
20 Pileated Woodpecker
21 Red-eyed Vireo
22 Red-winged Blackbird
23 Rock Pigeon
24 Sandhill Crane (seen and heard)
25 Song Sparrow
26 Turkey Vulture
27 Warbling Vireo
28 White-throated Sparrow
29 Wild Turkey
30 Yellow Warbler
Quebec - Burrough Road (Venosta)
31 American Kestrel
32 Black-capped Chickadee
33 Common Raven
34 Eastern Meadowlark
35 European Starling
36 Hermit Thrush
37 Mourning Dove
38 Ovenbird
39 Red-tailed Hawk
40 Savannah Sparrow
41 Tree Swallow
Quebec - Lac Sainte-Marie
42 Barn Swallow
43 Belted Kingfisher
44 Canada Goose
45 Common Tern
46 Eastern Kingbird
47 Great Blue Heron
48 Mallard
49 Marsh Wren
50 Osprey
51 Ring-necked Duck
52 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
53 Wilson Snipe (heard, later saw)
54 Wood Duck
55 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Quebec - Martindale Road
56 Black-and-White Warbler
57 Broad-winged Hawk
58 Great-crested Flycatcher
59 House Sparrow
60 Merlin
61 Purple Finch
62 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
63 Veery
64 White-breasted Nuthatch
Quebec - Gatineau
65 Northern Cardinal
66 Ring-billed Gull
Total Birds Observed = 66
Note: Also saw White-tailed Deer
Text by Connie
We picked a beautiful day to be out enjoying the birds -- sunny, nice temperature and just enough breeze to keep the bugs away. People joined and left the group at various times during the day according to their schedules but having more eyes and ears found us a few good birds!
The Gatineau Trail at Venosta seemed a little quieter than some other times. There were lots of Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Chestnut-sided Warblers and one field with many Bobolinks. We saw and heard several Brown Thrashers, but they did not perch where they were visible. But the Black-billed Cuckoo did stop long enough for us to have a quick look! Bill and Jane commented that we had not seen any Sandhill Cranes in the area for a couple of years, but then we heard one calling in the distance. And then someone managed to find it far back in a field -- a very brown cinnamon colour -- only visible briefly as it moved feeding through some long grass. A bird sped by high above us -- yeah, a Common Loon -- but Barb, who is always looking for Loons, had not joined us yet! Somehow Sami managed to get his camera up and focused for a photo too!! The Indigo Bunting we had on this trail was very pale with lots of gray on it. On Chemin Burroughs we saw a Savannah Sparrow -- not seeing very many this year for some reason. We also heard Hermit Thrush and Ovenbird. Eastern Meadowlarks were flying over a field.
Next were several stops in the Lac Ste-Marie area on the way to Peggy's Cottage for Lunch. A belted Kingfisher flew right in front of Barb's car -- the only one seen for the day. A very distant Wilson's Snipe was calling -- it took us a while to figure this out -- but we did not see it. We did see, Ring-necked Ducks, Great Blue Heron (flyover), Wood Duck, Eastern Kingbird and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Well, time goes by quickly when you are birding and it was well after noon by the time we got to Peggy's Cottage. Down at the lake (Heney) we watched a Loon feeding and then "playing" about on the water. Too bad it was so distant.
We had some more good finds later in the day on chemin Martindale. Still quite a few Chestnut-sided Warblers around but also saw a Black-and-White Warbler. We heard very melodious singing and finally someone found the very brilliant male Purple Finch. Alas it flew before Barb R or I could get a photo. Other good birds here were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Merlin fly-by, and Great-crested Flycatcher. We heard a very loud calling as we drove very slowly down the road and had narrowed it down to a raptor -- yes, Broad-winged Hawk and there it was sitting on a Branch within easy view! I am not sure I had ever seen one perched before -- usually they are soaring overhead. When we were down to one car, Jane and Guy heard another bird calling loudly. I stopped and backed up a bit and yes, there it was, a Wilson's Snipe several fence posts back from the road. A nice end to a good day of birding.
Thanks to Guy for answering all our queries on various plants today. Two are identified with photos in the third email of this report.
Thanks also to Peggy for the pleasant lunch break at her cottage.
List for the day is below.
Connie Denyes
************************************************************************
Birds Observed Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Quebec North of Gatineau -- Venosta, Peggy's Cottage (Lac Heney), Martindale Road
(Jane, Barb C, Barb R, Peggy, Sami, Bill, Guy, Connie)
Quebec - Gatineau Trail (Venosta)
1 Alder Flycatcher
2 American Crow
3 American Goldfinch
4 American Robin
5 Black-billed Cuckoo
6 Blue Jay
7 Bobolink
8 Brown Thrasher
9 Cedar Waxwing
10 Chestnut-sided Warbler
11 Chipping Sparrow
12 Common Grackle
13 Common Loon (flying over)
14 Common Yellow-throat
15 Eastern Phoebe
16 Gray Catbird
17 Hairy Woodpecker
18 Indigo Bunting
19 Killdeer
20 Pileated Woodpecker
21 Red-eyed Vireo
22 Red-winged Blackbird
23 Rock Pigeon
24 Sandhill Crane (seen and heard)
25 Song Sparrow
26 Turkey Vulture
27 Warbling Vireo
28 White-throated Sparrow
29 Wild Turkey
30 Yellow Warbler
Quebec - Burrough Road (Venosta)
31 American Kestrel
32 Black-capped Chickadee
33 Common Raven
34 Eastern Meadowlark
35 European Starling
36 Hermit Thrush
37 Mourning Dove
38 Ovenbird
39 Red-tailed Hawk
40 Savannah Sparrow
41 Tree Swallow
Quebec - Lac Sainte-Marie
42 Barn Swallow
43 Belted Kingfisher
44 Canada Goose
45 Common Tern
46 Eastern Kingbird
47 Great Blue Heron
48 Mallard
49 Marsh Wren
50 Osprey
51 Ring-necked Duck
52 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
53 Wilson Snipe (heard, later saw)
54 Wood Duck
55 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Quebec - Martindale Road
56 Black-and-White Warbler
57 Broad-winged Hawk
58 Great-crested Flycatcher
59 House Sparrow
60 Merlin
61 Purple Finch
62 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
63 Veery
64 White-breasted Nuthatch
Quebec - Gatineau
65 Northern Cardinal
66 Ring-billed Gull
Total Birds Observed = 66
Note: Also saw White-tailed Deer
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Cottage Birding
June 17, 2018
We have had multiple sightings of the Bald Eagles this year, but not the nest yet.
We checked out our resident Northern Waterthrush, as it was singing up a storm.
We took a drive out towards Cayamant to check on the heronry we discovered last year. There were 3 nests occupied and a bonus Snapping Turtle trying to lay her eggs.
Patrolling up and down the road, we discovered a Cedar Waxwing, a Magnolia Warbler, a Common Yellowthroat and a Swamp Sparrow.
Further along the road, by open fields, we saw a few Bobolinks, and an Eastern Kingbird.
We have had multiple sightings of the Bald Eagles this year, but not the nest yet.
We checked out our resident Northern Waterthrush, as it was singing up a storm.
We had good action at the feeders, including a Hairy Woodpecker drinking from the hummingbird feeder!
We did our first loon count with disappointing results. We counted 10 adult loons, but none on a nest, not even the old reliable gull rock site, which was occupied by Common Terns.
We took a drive out towards Cayamant to check on the heronry we discovered last year. There were 3 nests occupied and a bonus Snapping Turtle trying to lay her eggs.
Patrolling up and down the road, we discovered a Cedar Waxwing, a Magnolia Warbler, a Common Yellowthroat and a Swamp Sparrow.
Further along the road, by open fields, we saw a few Bobolinks, and an Eastern Kingbird.
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