Twenty OFNC members gathered at Trim Road Park & Ride for a goose chase with Tony and Nina. Unfortunately, the weather was far from ideal, with light drizzle turning to rain later and a steady 4 deg C.
Our first stop was at Giroux Ponds where there were lots of Canada Geese, and a few Northern Pintails, Buffleheads and Green Winged Teals. Tony was able to pick out a couple of Cackling Geese.
The pond on the south side had lots of Common Mergansers and a few Hoodeds.
We went from there to the arena in Navan for a washroom break, passing a huge murder of crows on the way.
Next we drove down Trim Road stopping where we could look down on the fields between us and Milton Road. Wow, 78 Sandhill Cranes, the most we have ever seen!
So far, we were having a good day, but had not seen any rare geese. Tony promised to fix that, so we drove down to the 417, then out to the Lafleche Sod Farm. Surprisingly, there was not even a single Snow Goose to be seen!
We looked at the gulls for a while, and a small flock of Snow Geese flew over and kept on going.
Tony suggested going over to the other side of the 417 to look for raptors and maybe geese, so we got in the cars and headed over. Tony stopped on Conc. 19 and said "First Snowy Owl of the season". That is early. He theorized that conditions had been bad in the arctic all summer and that they were coming south to feed.
We turned north on St. Rose, then west on Conc. 20, where Barbara spotted a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk
.
Just ahead we spotted our second and third Snowy Owls. At the end of the road, we saw a Red-tailed Hawk and then a group of Snow Buntings and a small flight of Snow Geese..
It was time to return to Lafleche. But the Snow Geese had not returned, although out fourth Snowy Owl was out in the field.
The rain really picked up, and Tony called it a day. What a good early November day of birding.
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