Ottawa Area Birding: Mud Lake Yet Again with JC Birding

September 8, 2022

The lure of fall warblers is too strong to resist.

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

When I arrived at Mud Lake around 7:15, Sami and Lynne were already there, then came Eleanor, Barb, Ken then Bill, no Barbara today (she wished to do gardening). Before Barb, Ken and Bill came, Sami, Lynne. Eleanor and I walked around the woods on the east side of Mud Lake to see the Eastern Phoebe and a Yellow-rumped Warbler, the Gray Catbird was singing but did not make an appearance. Seven, quite a big group for us and Louise joined us later, so 8. We gathered at the lake's edge and noted the absences of Wood Ducks, well there was one far out along with Mallards. We walked up to the ridge, it was slow at first, but we did get some warblers - Yellow-rumped, Bay-breasted, Cape May and Magnolia. We decided to check out the wooded area along the road, there was activity further away and it made identification difficult, thank goodness for cameras. Clearly a Wood Thrush in the big tree along with Robins. No, those spots were not the spots of a young Robin.

Walking down the path, we saw many Wood Ducks and Mallards, walking the path was incredibly slow. So much bird activity. I saw a Scarlet Tanager at a glance and so I decided to walk into the small 'clearing' off the main path. Wow lots of activity - Tennesses, Nashville, maybe a Blackpoll, Swainson Thrush (good find on Eleanor's behalf). Looking up continuously is not easy on the back, Sami and Lynne left first followed by me. We saw the one and only Song Sparrow of the day walking the path doing its scratch and peck thing. A bit further, I received a call from Louise asking where we were, I told her and she indicated that she was still at home and would join us in about 20 minutes. Not to worry, we are not moving very fast. Bill and I were walking together and spotted a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on a low bush. By the time Bill had got his camera up to his eye, it had flown and was not going to be photographed.

Where the big pines are, we were entertained by two male Turkeys fighting, was it territorial or was it just boys being boys, who knows. A female Turkey walked by paying absolutely no attention to the two testosterone filled boys. I was walking with Bill and said my Dad used to raise turkeys, he stopped that sort of thing by debeaking the turkeys (cutting half the upper beak of, yes they can still eat) and he pulled off the stoot so the other turkeys could not pull it and perhaps cause some bleeding. Louise joined us, I think we moved maybe 100 feet from when she called. We decided to turn around, oh beautiful a Black-throated Green and we all got to see it. So beautiful.

Back to the cars, for some snacks (Barb handed out her home grown prune plums -- delicious) and liquid refreshment and off to the water edge we went. Just before we got to the big pines, we saw something coming out of the ground then disappear, then again out, slowly slowly slowly out came a chipmunk. The hole was pretty tiny, I wish the chipmunks around my home would make small holes rather than one huge one. The Belted Kingfisher came flying by calling loudly making its presence known. The Common Merganser seems to have taken up residence with the Mallards. We came back to the grassy area and searched the bushes for more warblers, and were rewarded with Black-capped Chickadees and a Warbling Vireo. Ken spoke to a group and asked what they had seen, a shorebird that they could not identify on the river's edge. So we walked through the wooded area to the edge, to see no shorebirds, but we did see a Caspian Tern and a Great Egret. We proceeded to walk behind the Filtration Plant -- we got such excellent views of a Blackpoll Warbler. Louise stopped to point out a very tiny turtle. She picked it up and there was no doubt it was a hatchling snapping turtle. We all took photos and then Louise moved it off the trail. Then where one can take a path around the lake, we looked for more birds. Ken pointed skywards for the rest of us to see a Northern Harrier.

Back at the car, the Gray Catbird was still singing and showing itself. We decided it was time to have lunch and Andrew Haydon would be a good place to go. Louise left us at this point. We were doing the bird list when a very large flat winged bird flew towards us -- first year Bald Eagle. Good last bird for Mud Lake.

Once at Andrew Haydon, we moved a picnic table so it would be in the shade. Eleanor had not brought her lunch, so she took out her scope and off she went to check the water. She came back and told us all the birds that we were there. We did not see Least Sandpiper or Greater Yellowlegs but she reported them to us and hence they are on the list. While at AndrewHaydon Park, Barb checked her phone and told us that the Queen had died. We all agreed how sad. She said I think I will go home and watch the news. Why? It will be the same all day long.

We decided to go down Rifle Road, really nothing. We did see a large raptor, but it was too far to identify, so we drove back to Carling Ave. Darn bird had disappeared by then. We stopped a couple of times on Rifle Road and the only bird we saw wasa Rose-breasted Grosbeak female. We heard Black-capped Chickadees. There were lots of people at Shirley's Bay enjoying the day on the water and the warmth of the sun. We heard American Goldfinches. It was about 2:30 and we decided to call it a day. Going down Rifle Road we saw a pair of Mourning Doves, one of them had nesting material in its beak. Go figure, that time was months ago. As I turned on the Carling Ave, what do I see, that very large dark raptor, I drove onto the side of the road to get a better look, yeah it disappeared on me.

Photographs sometimes reveal surprises. Ken's surprise photograph was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - good one. I wish I had seen it.

Thank you Bill, Ken and Sami for the photos.