Lac Leamy, Qc - Quest for a Boreal Owl

 January 30, 2023

We were anxious to try for the Boreal Owl at Lac Leamy.  We did not know the exact location, but were confident that we would see a group of birders on it.  Well, that turned out to be a fallacy.

We started along the main trail heading east and came to the first COO (Club des Ornithologues de l'Outaouais)  feeder.

A trail led into the woods, so we followed it for a few minutes, then gave up and came back.  Shortly afterwards, a Northern Shrike flew beside Bill then landed briefly in a nearby tree.  It was right over Barbara's head, but she could not get clear to see it.

We carried on to the next COO feeder, and Bill went a short distance down the trail into the woods, then returned without seeing anything.  Bill suggested that they split up, with Bill staying on this trail and Barbara returning to the one at the first feeder.  The problem was that there were too many junctions off these trails, and we had no idea which to take.  So Bill decided to return.  Meanwhile, Barbara ran into a very helpful birder by the name of Maurice Thibaudeau.  He showed her a photo of the Boreal Owl on his phone that he had taken on a previous trip.

He offered to show us the trail and we gratefully accepted.  So off we went down the same trail that Bill had just returned on, but this time we went much further.  Suddenly, Maurice stopped and pointed out a Barred Owl perched high in a tree.

We carried on at times in deep snow.  We saw a few deer and a Hairy Woodpecker, but no Boreal Owl.  We met a few other people that Maurice knew, but none of them had seen the Boreal Owl.

We returned via the same trail except we took a side trail at the end that came out at the first feeder.  Maurice told us that a Hermit Thrush was seen up towards the Casino. So after thanking him for leading us, we tried for it, but had no luck.  

We were dog tired and had stayed much longer than we had planned.  A tiring but rewarding day.