Ottawa Area Birding: Murphys Point with JC Birding

August 16, 2022

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We left Ottawa about 8:00 a.m. and proceeded to Murphy's Point Provincial Park, arriving around 9:00. On the way we saw the usual suspects, but as we got ready to hit the trail, we saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Flicker and Eastern Kingbird. Good birds and we have not even started the trail. The Lally Homestead trail is a good mix of habitats - grassy lands, forest and swamp. We heard and saw Eastern Phoebe and Eastern Wood Pewee several times during the day. As we were leaving the treed area, I think it was Barb C who spotted a Red-tailed Hawk. At the swamp we saw 4 mature Trumpeter Swan. At the edge of the swamp we heard Marsh Wren. We looked up at the sky, high up in the sky, photos were taken to ID the bird. One can't really ID a bird so high using binoculars. Lots of discussion, Broadwing, Red Shouldered, Goshawk (that was just wishing big time, but they are known to nest in this park). We eliminated Broadwing and Goshawk, the feathering just not right, but something just wasn't right about the pattern for Red-shouldered, but it looked the closest. Well just write it down as a Red-shouldered question mark and a more accurate identification will come once the photo is on the computer. Walking through the forest again and out into shrubby habitat, someone spotted a bird in the low shrub with dead shrubs around it. Great a Eastern Towhee, Lots of photos. We came up a mowed area and saw some flycatchers around a lone tree -- Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird and Eastern Wood Pewee. Barbara and Ken went after those birds while Bill, Barb and Jane went after a Scarlet Tanager (female). Ken and Barbara were very lucky they got to see a Willow Flycatcher, we got to hear it but not see it.

Next we took the trail to Silver Queen Mica Mine. Lots of Eastern Towhees making chip sounds but they would not stay on the branch very long - I think many of them were juveniles given their coloration. We met up with Mark Read, the Assistant Superintendent of the park who stopped to ask about the birding. He indicated the only warblers he had seen were a Black & White and an American Redstart. I asked if he knew his hawks, yes. Barbara showed him the photo, and after a bit of thought he came up with Red Shoulder first year Hawk. Okay, I will take off the question mark from the list. Bill and Barbara had taken a bird walk with him in the past. We continued on the path until we reached the mine, the bunk house and a pair of plastic horses. We decided we should turn around since we were not finding any new birds.

It was about noon time and Bill suggested we eat at the Park Store -- Bill knew they sold ice cream. So we park in the shade, take out our lunches and go to the picnic table beside the park store. This female park employee (lets call her Miss Congeniality) came and told us we could not park there, no signage indicating no parking. We figured it was because we parked in the shade and not in the sun! We took our time moving the vehicles, while some were getting their ice cream cones, Miss Congeniality radios to the rangers for help, we had no idea why. While Ken was moving his vehicle he spoke to three fellows indicating there was one officious employee on site. They disappeared. The rangers came and all Miss Congeniality said was the people moved. One of the people who showed up was Mark Read. We spoke to him again. Barbara, Barb and Bill enjoyed their cones. We decided it was time to get moving. While walking to our vehicles, Miss Congeniality tells us of an Osprey nest and where it could be located. Okay she isn't too bad. We walked the trail but no Osprey.

Bill led us to the short Loon Lake Trail where birding was slow, but we did hear a Pileated Woodpecker.

We decided to try the Group Camping Road, the gate was open so we drove in. Then Bill said perhaps we should park just before the gate one vehicle on either side of the road between the pylons. After parking the vehicles off we went down the road, noticing the sign about not making loud noises. We walked and walked and decided we should turn around, since we had seen no birds. Well along comes this van, with guess who is driving it -- Miss Congeniality. "You can't be on this road, this area is for group camping, you are parked where you should not be. I have called the rangers." Bill drove out first and Ken had to pull up and straighten up and make a tight turn. But Miss Congeniality comes roaring down the road, so Ken who is on the road just makes a very wide turn. We leave, Bill following. We had our windows opened and we heard this blood curdling scream, we kept driving. We park at the Lally Homestead lot. Well Miss Congeniality drives in after us and parks beside Ken. She gets out and stands in front of her van, her hands on her hips giving Ken the death stare. Ken and I chit chat a bit and he leisurely gets out, opens the passenger door and gets a long slow drink of water. He finally turned around to look at her and she said "you ran over two pylons and they are in the back of my van." Don't remember Ken's response. She leaves. We asked the others if they had heard the screaming, they had not, we did think of the sign about making excessive noise, but thought better about reminding Miss Congeniality. There were four cyclists in the parking lot and their reaction was that they thought they should be extra careful on the bike trails, she might be after them, laughing and biked away. Miss Congeniality did not ruin our day, it was some light entertainment.

We birded around where the Willow Flycatcher was seen, a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks juveniles were there. Bill, Ken and Barbara walked up the road, they had heard, then saw a Field Sparrow. Barb and I caught up to them and we heard Barbara say it flew. Lucky for us it flew in our direction and we saw it well. At this point, Bill was finding it just too hot and his back was bothering him. Just a few minutes later Barbara said she was going to see what was up with Bill. We eventually got back to the vehicles and Bill said they were going to head home. Barb took her stuff out of Bill's vehicle and put it in Ken's.