Mud Lake, Andrew Haydon Park and Shirley's Bay with JC Birding

 October 19, 2022

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We - Ken, Eleanor, Barb, Sami, Lynne and me - met at Mud Lake at 8:00.  There were lots of Mallards on the shore, and Canada Geese on the lake, with a scope we found a Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck and two Wigeon.  Ken was anxious to check out the berm because there were some good warblers reported in the past week, sadly we just got to see many many Yellow-rumped Warblers.  We saw Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglets and two Red-winged Blackbirds high up on the top of a tall tree. There seemed to be a small flock of American Robins flying about.  

I had to go back to the car since I had forgotten to bring my phone - I had told the Bowmans that they could contact me when they arrived.  On my return Eleanor and Barb were looking at something on the ground, lucky me I got to see it -- weasel.  I never liked weasels, but looking on the internet I found they eat chipmunks and squirrels, mmm we could use less of those rodents. Unfortunately none of the photographers were around.  Looking down at the Ottawa River, we saw literally no birds - strange.  There was a small flock of American Goldfinch flying about.  We walked back to the car area and then to the river, found 2 very still Mallards, Ken said they looked like decoys.

Walking toward the filtration plant we saw an Eastern Phoebe.  I received a call from  Bill saying they had arrived, I told him where we were. Lynne and I noticed a Red Fox - I called Ken and Sami to turn around.  They did and got some good photos.  Then the fox trotted off to the wooded area.  Ken and Sami followed suit but to no avail.  Then I saw what I thought was the fox's mate up ahead of us.  We kept walking and for some reason we turned and the fox came out of the woods and started rubbing a tree, it would stop and look at us, finally it trotted off toward the filtration plant and passed another photographer by maybe 3 feet.  Ken followed, Sami said he did not need any more photos, he took lots.

Lynne spotted a very focused Woodpecker  drilling a hole in a small branch.  Not sure how the photos will look since there were lots of branches.  Ken, Bill and Barbara came walking up with smiles on their faces - guess they were happy with their fox photos.  A very small flock of Dark-eyed Juncos flew in and then we saw even more walking on the path behind the filtration plant.  Ken was ahead of me and I said to him, that bird was too big for a Junco, it flew maybe 2 feet from me at eye level.  Ken asked Barb how big was that bird, Blue Jay size was the response.  Merlin, not sure if it caught a Junco or not because we could not find it.

Walking to Mud Lake, two Wood Ducks come waddling toward us, they expected a hand out, sorry that did not happen.  Two Wigeon were at the water's edge under a bushy area.  Ken said he got an ID photo of a Great Egret.  Walking towards the car, I was looking at all the maple trees, and the different colors of yellows, oranges and reds, a beautiful time of year.  I think the fall colours are just beyond their peak.

While we were doing the bird list, Bill and Barbara went up to check out the berm.  Bill came back and reported seeing a Cape May Warbler - darn for the rest of us.  We decided we would go to Andrew Haydon Park, there we saw Green-winged Teal, Red-breasted Mergansers, Great Blue Heron, a Great Black-back Gull in the distance and a Herring Gull near the far path. I watched a Ring-billed Gull harass a Wood Duck, maybe it had a small morsel of food that the Gull want or maybe it was just being a big bully.

Bill and Barbara had gone to Fletcher Wildlife Garden on Tuesday and were not interested in seeing that area again, so they headed to Shirley's Bay.  Barb C. joined them there and said she would join Ken, Sami, Lynne and I later.  Off to Fletcher Wildlife Garden we went, at the garden we saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch, lots of Black-capped Chickadees and a lone Evening Grosbeak, thanks to Sami.  We had heard from others at the garden there were good birds at the Butterfly Gardens.  Before going to the Butterfly Garden, lunch was in order.  Ken and I were chit chatting and decided Barb C had decided not to join us, and who should drive in Barb C.  She reported that she had seen a Double-crested Cormorant and Blue-winged Teal

Now I am not at all sure if I like the 'wildlife garden', it seems too cultivated to me, but there are lots of paths.  But the Butterfly Garden is wonderful, lots of good habitat for our feathered friends and definitely for butterflies.  They did a great job.  We walked the paths and came upon White-crowned Sparrows.  Again a small flock of American Robin were there along with a couple of absolutely beautiful Blue Jays.  Barb and I decided we should investigate why the American Crows were making such a fuss.  While going there Barb C, not totally aware of what she was trying to walk through, came out the other side with lots of burdock burrs on her.  The plants were taller than her!!!  They were in her hair, her silk scarf tied around her neck and mostly her gloves that she moved the burdock plants with.  I received a phone call from Ken who said he was watching a Nashville Warbler, I indicated we were investigating the crowing.  After a good search, we came up with, it must have been the American Crows' night roost.

We went over to say goodbye to Ken, Barb and I were going to check out the garden once again.  I ended up going home, lucky Barb found a Wood Thrush and a Cedar Waxwing.

I was home for maybe 10 minutes when I had to get back into the car and drive to Richmond to pick up one of my granddaughters.

The weather was rather cool, most had hats and warm gloves on.  Yeah I did not have a hat nor did I have warm gloves.  From now on I have to accept the warm weather is behind us and the cool to cold weather is here.

Species Noted

1. Ring-billed Gull
2. White-throated Sparrow
3. Yellow-rumped Warbler
4. Northern Cardinal
5. Red-winged Blackbird
6. American Robin
7. Wood Duck
8. Mallard
9. American Wigeon
10. Downy Woodpecker
11. Hairy Woodpecker
12. Pileated Woodpecker
13. Great Egret
14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
15. Golden-crowned Kinglet
16. Canada Goose
17. White-breasted Nuthatch
18. American Goldfinch
19. European Starling
20. American Crow
21. Cape May Warbler
22. Merlin
23. House Finch
24. Red-breasted Merganser
25. Green Winged-Teal
26. Great Blue Heron
27. Great Black-backed Gull
28. Herring Gull
29. Red-breasted Nuthatch
30. Common Raven
31. EveningGrosbeak
32. Nashville Warbler
33. White-crowned Sparrow
34. Dark-eyed Junco
35. Mourning Dove
36. Blue Jay
37. Wood Thrush
38. Cedar Waxwing
39. Blue Winged-Teal