Ottawa Area Birding: Ridge Road to Beyond Casselman with JC Birding

October 26, 2023

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

Eleanor and I met at Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre at 8:00 and proceeded to Dolman Ridge. On the Ridge Road we saw a small flock of Wild Turkeys. We usually drive very slowly down Dolman Ridge Road, we did not get very far when we heard bird song -- turned out we found a medium sized flock of American Robins. Then Eleanor heard Golden-crowned Kinglet singing, we never did see it, but we did try hard to find it. A lady was filling up all the bird feeders at the Dewberry Trail. She told us, she had a helper cut down some trees in the forest where she had put up more feeders thus allowing the birds to be undisturbed while eating. We saw Blue Jays, it is amazing how they know when someone throws peanuts on the ground, they fly in and gobbling the nuts up. There were White-breast Nuthatches, Hairy Woodpeckers, White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mourning Doves and I think two Fox Sparrows.

Eleanor checked her phone and said Bill called. He told me he would call, yes and I left my phone in the vehicle. He told us that he would join us at Mer Bleue Bog. We walked down the Dolman Road, the trail part, in hopes we might be lucky and see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo that had been reported there over the past several days. We played the song, but it was not to be, no Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

We met up with Bill at Mer Bleue Boardwalk. More bird feeders have been put up, by the same lady who fills the feeder at Dewberry Trail. We had the same species of birds we had seen at the Dewberry feeders. We had a little visitor, a tailless mouse, well I thought it was tailless, until I saw Bill's photos - a House Mouse. When we were leaving I noticed a painter, I went over to speak with him. My mother was a painter and I have always been curious how artists paint. This fellow had done three pencil sketches, one for depth, one for contrast and I can't remember the third. He said it would take him about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to paint (in oils) to complete the painting, then because he was using oil paints, it would take up to 2 days to dry. He had done some stuff to the wood he was painting on and he said it helps the oils dry more quickly. I asked if he shows his work, yep in the next week or so he will be showing his paintings at the Blackburn library. I apologized to Eleanor and Bill for taking so long, I said I was sorry and yet I was not sorry, I quite enjoyed the conversation with him.

Off to Farmer's Way where we saw a flock of four birds flying ahead of us, they would light then fly, again and again, finally we got to see one of them -- Chipping Sparrow. In the same general area we head a Song Sparrow.

On Perrault Road we stopped because we saw something strange, not a bird, but we wondered what it was. Eleanor brought out her scope and after locating it, told us it was just a big rock. While she was checking out the rock I was looking at the beehives. I guess all the bees are in the hives now. I checked it on the internet and it indicated bees retreat to their hives when the temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celius. They then form a winter cluster to keep warm--sort of like a giant three-month slumber party. The poor bees must be confused with the weather we have had in September and October.

I think it was on McFadden Road, two or three Sandhill Cranes were spotted, far away. I have to say I couldn't get excited about 2 or 3 Sandhill Cranes when we saw the large numbers of them in the Cobden area.

We stopped at a ploughed field near Giroux Pond, we could hear Horned Larks but we could not see them.

At Giroux pond (north), we thought at a quick glance there was nothing on the pond, but when we used our binoculars, there were lots of birds -- Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Ring-billed Gull and Canada Geese. On the other side of the road, we heard and saw a small flock of Great Yellowlegs. While I was walking toward the water, I frightened a Sharp-shinned Hawk. On the water there were 4 Common Mergansers.

What should we do, go to the lagoons or go look for Snow Geese around Casselman? We opted for the Snow Geese scenario. While driving by the Lafleche Dump on the 417, we saw a huge flock of white birds, could we be so lucky? Well we set up our scopes on Lafleche Road and no not Snow Geese, but a whole lot of Ring-billed Gulls, with a few Great Black-backed Gulls sprinkled in. Where should we go here Moose Creek or over the 417? Off to Moose Creek, we had to stand on the car to see over to the lagoon, yeah a couple of Canada Geese. Back we went and over 417 to Concession 21. I was telling Eleanor we often see corn spilled on the road, and sure enough there was a spill at the corner. We saw a mixed flock of Horned Larks and American Pipits. We drove up Renaud Road, where we scared up a rather large flock of Horned Larks. I was looking at Facebook and Tony Beck had a large flock of Snow Geese at Casselman on the day we were there, he did not indicate when or where he saw them. But indicated he was disappointed in not seeing them, he figures it is one of two reasons, avian flu or the weather. I hope it is the weather.

We then checked out the lagoon near Ste Isidore. There is a farm at the end of the road that had Helmeted Guinea Fowls with chicks and some domestic Muscovy Ducks. Walking to the lagoon, a 3rd year Bald Eagle was spotted in a far off tree. How did we know it was a 3rd year? It had a very dark eyestripe and of course a huge beak. Eleanor spotted 2 American Coot. There were so many Green-wing Teal on the shore causing us a bit of confusion because of their pale bellies, that of course we never see because we see them swimming. After taking some photos, Bill said we have at least one Ring-necked Duck, thank goodness for photography. We also had a fly by of 3 Greater Yellowlegs

Driving home, we had to wait for five minutes or so on one of the country roads, while a farmer emptied his corn harvester into a big wagon. When he backed up, we thought oh no, he might hit us with the unloading spout. But no as the farmer was moving the harvester the spout moved back into position beside the drum of the harvester.

A Red-tailed Hawk was spotted on the 417, something that does not often happen.

For late in October, getting 42 species is pretty good and seeing the small flock of Greater Yellowlegs was really good. How did we know they were Greater and not Lesser because they did their tututu call while Lesser does a too-too call.