November 8, 2023
Today the birders met at Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre – Connie, Ken, Barbara & Bill. They decided to carpool together.
EBird checking revealed that there were several recent sightings of some, but not thousands, of Snow Geese at various locations in Winchester and lagoons to the east. They decided to check them all!
They started by going south on Hwy 31 to Winchester and Liscumb Road. Work was ongoing at the lagoons and there were no Snow Geese there. They checked the fields from Main Street with the same negative result.
They decided to head east and Ken suggested checking Russell to the north. On County Road 7, they spotted a huge flock of Snow Buntings, rather far off in the fields.
In Russell, they made a brief stop at the W E Burton Conservation Area but, after a short walk, concluded that there were no birds other than Blue Jays and Chickadees.
They proceeded to Wade Road to check the Russell Lagoons. They missed the entrance and had to backtrack, but Ken led them to the access road. The gate was open, so they drove right in, quite a long way, and birded from the car.
In the second cell, they spotted a lone Snow Goose among the Canadas, so got out and scoped. When Ken checked his photos, he concluded that the lone goose was a juvenile Ross’s-Snow Goose hybrid. They also saw some female Northern Shovelers and American Black Ducks.
Then it was on to the Embrun lagoons, where there no Snow Geese, just Canadas and a few Northern Shovelers. Surely there must be Snow Geese somewhere?
Let’s try Moose Creek. Here they were rewarded with perhaps 1000. But it is hard to get good looks behind the stout high fence. At least they were having some success!
They took Valley and Norman over to Hwy 138. Brian Morin reported 15,000+ Snow Geese on Norman in the morning, but they had all vanished by the time the birding group got there. But where had they gone? They went to check the sod farm at Lafleche. Nothing there, except lots of distant gulls over the landfill, presumably Herring Gulls. But wait, what was that mammal marching across the field? It was the largest cat any of them had ever seen, certainly not a Lynx or Bobcat!
It was time to cross Hwy 417 to check the concession roads on the other side. Some of the corn had not yet been harvested, so they were not seeing any birds except a flock of Goldfinches. Then a raptor flew across in front of the car – Red-tailed Hawk. And on Renaud, Ken spotted a close-up perched Merlin that stayed put while we all got photos. Good one!
On to the St Isidore lagoons where they saw white birds as they drove in. Finally, they saw a very large flock of Snow Geese. Was this Brain’s Morin’s flock of 15000+? Also seen at these lagoons were a few Lesser Scaups, Green-winged Teals and Buffleheads.
At the gate, Ken discovered an interesting mammal hiding in the grass – an Ermine or Short-tailed Weasel in its white winter coat. It popped it’s head out a few times to look us over, then vanished – no chance for a photo. A couple of minutes later, it dashed across the trail to vanish for good. None of the group got a photo, but they all saw it well.
The spectacle of so many Snow Geese was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The birders finally started for home, but first Connie spotted another Merlin on County Road 3. It was a great day of fall birding.
Connie's Bird List
Highway 31
1. American Crow
2. European Starling
Winchester Area
3. Canada Goose
4. American Crow
5. Rock Pigeon
County Rd. 7, NE of Winchester
6. Snow Buntings (large flock)
Russell - Burton Conservation Area
7. Blue Jay
8. Black-capped Chickadee
Russell Sewage Lagoons (Wade Road)
9. Northern Shoveler (3f)
10. American Black Duck
11. Mourning Dove
12. Mallard
13. Dark-eyed Junco
14. Ross’s Goose-Snow Goose hybrid (1)
Embrun Lagoons (Rte 400)
-- Canada Goose
-- Northern Shoveler (m, f)
Moose Creek Lagoons (8th Rd. Off Valley St.)
15. Snow Goose,
perhaps 1000
16. Common Raven (4)
Lafleche Road
17. Possible Herring Gulls, at the landfill
Saint Isidore (Concession 21)
18. American Goldfinch
Saint Isidore (Renaud Road)
19. Red-tailed Hawk
20. Merlin
Saint Isidore Sewage Lagoons (Bourgon Rd.)
-- Snow Goose (5000+, some blue morph and many juveniles)
21. Bufflehead (m&f)
22. Lesser Scaup
23. Green-winged Teal
Saint Isidore to Casselman (Co. Road 3)
-- Merlin (2nd for the day)
Mammals Today
Domestic Cat,
very large at Lafleche sod farm
Short-tailed Weasel (Ermine) at Saint Isidore lagoons.
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