Campbell's Bay to Kazabazua

May 31, 2020

With no pressing agenda, we took a long different route to get to the cottage.  We went up on the Ontario side and crossed at Portage du Fort, then on to Cambell's Bay.  But instead of taking Hwy 301 directly, we did a detour via Ch. Hayes, Stevenson and Belanger.  We were rewarded with great views of Bobolinks and other grassland birds.

At Danford Lake, we saw some Barn Swallows on a wire.

We carried on to the cottage and were hit by a cloudburst just as we were arriving.  Maria got caught on her bicycle as the hail came down.

Champlain Street in Orleans & Petrie Island

May 30, 2020

We decided to check out this park and Ottawa River access in Orleans at the north end of Champlain St.  Least Bitterns had been reported there a few days ago.  We did not see the bitterns, but we did find a delightful birding location and an easy place to launch a canoe.

It is just meters off a busy bike path, but it was quiet and full of birds.  We first saw a Warbling Vireo, then a Yellow Warbler, then a few American Redstarts.  On the river, there was a sentinel Great Blue Heron and two more flew overhead.  There was a large beaver lodge with a beaver sitting outside,  There were also a few Wood Ducks visible in the distance.

We then moved on to nearby Petrie Island, but there were so many people around, we just checked out the turtles and left.  Next time we will bring our canoe!

Twin Elm Dead End and Richmond Conservation Area

May 29, 2020

We made a brief stop at Moodie Pond to look for American Golden Plovers, but they had left,

We proceeded to Twin Elm Road and parked.  Barbara got an American Redstart by the car, and Bill got a Red-eyed Vireo further along.  As we were ready to move on, one of the adult Ospreys returned.  A couple of baby heads were just visible at the nest.

We moved to the Richmond Conservation Area.  Some of the new nest boxes were occupied by Tree Swallows.  There was nothing much in the ponds with water, but the almost dry cell had a Great Blue Heron, some Killdeers and several Mallards.

We walked around to the back where we saw several Yellow Warblers and a Baltimore Oriole.

A Peregrine Falcon tried for a Red-winged Blackbird, but missed, we think.  Finally we spotted a Cedar Waxwing.  At the parking lot, we saw a Common Yellowthroat.

Cottage Birding

May 25-28, 2020

We made a brief stop at Kirk & Karine's to see the boys and their chickens.  Karine is into sour dough bakery now courtesy of her sister.  She gave Barbara some starter to try. Before leaving, Barbara saw a Baltimore Oriole in their yard.

We arrived at the cottage to find that our painted trilliums were blooming even though they were not even showing a few days previously.

Her Eastern Phoebe that was nesting in our wood shed, was on hand to greet us.

In the morning, we were greeted with fog and cloud reflections in the lake.

We went for a buggy bird walk.  Our Northern Waterthrush did not disappoint.  The bugs soon chased us in to observe our feeder birds.

Next on the agenda were fishing and frogging.  We discovered that the waterfall on our pond was leaking, so Barbara did a major fix by raising the side of the liner.

When Grant got up, we decided to drive up Ch du Lac à l'Arche to see the heronry.

We carried on to see the Bobolinks and got a thrasher and redstart too.

The next morning, we went for a paddle and saw some Common Terns.

Later, we went to Maniwaki for shopping/birding.

On the reserve, we heard then saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler.

At the hospital, we found a small loop trail with an Ovenbird singing.

Unable, at first, to find the trail to the river, we drove down to get on it at the other end.  We found an attractive area that warrants further exploration.

In the morning, we attempted a bird walk, but the bugs soon chased us in.  Barbara saw 2 garter snakes and a Red-eyed Vireo.

Bill went fishing again and saw an adult Bald Eagle.

We stopped at Kirk & Karine's again on the way home to see their new (to them) mini travel trailer.