St Lawrence Snow Geese Trip with JC Birding

March 27, 2019

Birds observed

1. Northern Cardinal
2. European Starling (mating)
3. Wild Turkey
4. Canada Goose
5. Red-winged Blackbird
6. American Crow
7. Bufflehead
8. Common Merganser
9. Common Goldeneye
10. Red-breasted Merganser
11. Herring Gull
12. Bald Eagle
13. Turkey Vulture
14. Ring-billed Gull
15. Buteo Hawk sp
16. American Robin
17. Song Sparrow
18. House Finch
19. Rock Pigeon
20. Common Grackle
21. Mourning Dove
22. House Sparrow
23. Black-caped Chickadee
24. Snow Goose
25. Hooded Merganser
26. Mute Swan
27. Gadwall
28. Mallard
29. Northern Harrier
30. America Kestrel
31. Lesser Scaup
32. Downy Woodpecker
33. White-breasted Nuthatch
34. Dark-eyed Junco
35. Blue Jay
36. Killdeer (H)
37. Northern Flicker
38. Hairy Woodpecker
39. Common Redpoll
40. American Goldfinch
41. Double-crested Cormorant
42. Merlin
43. Peregrine Falcon
44. Common Raven
45. Pileated Woodpecker

We left home at 7:45 am with Northern Cardinals singing out front.  At the corner of Greenbank and Fallowfield, we saw 13 Wild Turkeys and a pair of amorous starlings. We met the others at Jane’s house – Sami, Lynne, Ken, Lynn, and Barb C.  Connie is still recovering from surgery.  We left in two cars with walkie talkies and headed down HWY 416 to Johnstown, just east of Prescott.

We parked at Johnstown United Church right on the river, beside the bridge.  We got a few ducks and gulls as well as common land migrants.  A highlight was a distant Bald Eagle.

We headed east on Co Road 2, venturing down residential roads like Riddell and Blair/Hudson looking for views of the river.  We were rewarded with our first batch of white Snow Geese.

We stopped and got out at Galop Canal where we saw some Hooded Mergansers.

Our next stop was Flett St where we had our first really large flock of Snow Geese on the ice.  Two photographers on the other side of the canal put them up which created an amazing spectacle for us to see.

On Galop Lane we saw more Snow Geese, Hooded Mergansers and a Gadwall.

At the mouth of Doran Bay, we had another immense flock of Snow Geese.  What a sight!

 Back on Lakeshore Dr, Ken spotted a Northern Harrier patrolling the shoreline.  A little further along, we continued to see flocks of Snow Geese as well as some Hooded Mergansers.

At Morrisburg Dock, we had a late lunch in the cars while scanning the river.  Barb C found a pair of Lesser Scaups  and a distant heronry  in the scope.

Our next stop was Ault Island where we found a couple of woodpeckers and a Common Grackle.

We went part way down the west end of Long Sault Parkway, but saw nothing of note.  So, we carried on to the east end and saw lots of Canada Geese and a few Buffleheads.

Ken suggested that we check some feeders on Moulinette Island, where he had seen a Tufted Titmouse in December. No luck on the titmouse, but we did see Common Redpolls and American Goldfinches at the feeders.

We were circling around Sunset Dr and Lakeside Dr when Lynn spotted 5 Turkey Vultures perched in a tree beside the road.  Some of them took off and soon all were circling above us.

We continued on to Cornwall, stopping to check out the Power Dam Visitor Centre (closed).  There was not much on the river except a Double-crested Cormorant.

We took Second St W into Cornwall where we saw a very tall abandoned tower.  Ken said we should check the bird perched on the ledge half way up, although it might be only a pigeon.  We pulled over and got the bins on it.  That was no pigeon – Peregrine Falcon.  We quickly radioed the other car to come back.  We got amazing views.  Click, click, click.  The first bird disappeared into the hole behind the ledge, but a second falcon soon appeared and flew to the ledge and went inside too.  One flew out after awhile and took off, but the second one hopped up onto a railing on another ledge where Common Ravens had a nest.

We wanted a bathroom break so stopped at a gas station and also had our supper in the cars.

We carried on east on Road 2, and stopped along the side when we saw a lot of Common Mergansers in the river.  A Redhead morphed into another merganser. 

A little further along, Ken spotted a Red Fox out on the ice.  We made a final stop at Cooper Marsh.  Ken thought he saw a Belted Kingfisher, but it was a blackbird in the failing light. 

By now, it was getting rather dim, so we decided to take he 401 back to 416 and home. It was an amazing day.  The geese were in; our timing was perfect.  We were tired but very satisfied with our sightings.