Marais aux Grenouillettes etc with JC Birding

 June 11, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We picked up Guy shortly after 7 and proceeded to  des Laiches E.  As we were driving down to the marsh  the fields on both sides of the road were alive with the sounds of Bobolink and we got to see some as well.  About half way down there were 4 Turkey Vultures perched on an old fence.  Tree Swallows were hawking for insects.  We parked and the first thing in order was to put on our rubber boots, it was quite damp.  The wet grass came up to my waist and yes our trousers got wet.

I think we saw 4 American Bitterns, at least that many Black-crowned Night-herons.  In fact we had a very cooperative Night-heron perch on a dead tree while we all took its photograph.   We heard Sandhill Cranes, I looked and looked through my scope, Bill looked and looked but we did not see them, But Bill and Barbara saw them fly by, Guy and I did not.  We saw a Pied-billed Grebe far away, they were singing but deep in the reeds.  We heard Common Gallinule as well, but I guess they were shy birds, they did not make an appearance. Guy and I walked quite a distance on the path, or what we will call a path. The 'path' is riddled with ruts and one had to watch where they walked and of course this interferes with birding.  Looking down at your feet, never gets you birds.  We heard a Belted Kingfisher and saw two Gray Catbirds.  Of course there were many, many Song Sparrows.  Of course I should not mention this, but it was Guy's turn to fall because of the ruts.  Walking back to the vehicle, we had a flyby of a Great Egret and a Double-crested Cormorant.

We spent about an hour and half there.  The weather wasn't too bad, overcast but not raining.

Next up was des Grenouilletres (I call it froggy marsh).  Driving down the road to the marsh, there were no Bobolinks to be heard, not far from the first place, but the habitat was a bit different.  Our rubber boots were definitely needed here.  Bill went to check the river, nothing.  Guy and I were a bit ahead and we saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  About half way the path turned muddy and lots of puddles, very slippery, but this time no one fell.  Hand holding was necessary.  Finally got to the viewing place, oh our big find a Mallard, but after some looking we found two Common Gallinules.  We walked to the Ottawa River.  Bill and Guy saw two Painted Turtles.  What we all observed was the lack of frogs, yes we saw some Leopard Frogs, but when I first went there may be 15 or 20 years ago, there were so many frogs all over the place.  I of course goggled it - the frog decline seen at this marsh is the same reason driving the global amphibian crisis, habitat destruction, agricultural pollution, climate change and infectious diseases.  But pollution and pesticides could be a cause since amphibians have highly permeable skin, they readily absorb agricultural runoff, toxic chemicals, and industrial pollutants from the water.  As well there is a  deadly aquatic pathogen that is the  primary driver of the mass frog extinctions worldwide.  Enough said.  So sad.

Coming back to the vehicle I think we were several inches tall, given all the mud and guck on our boots.  We all took time to semi clean them off and we changed into our other shoes.

Next stop was the Water treatment plant at Masson.  Wow has that area changed, so much industrialization, we drove up to the lagoons, absolutely no birds.  The only thing there was a very pungent odour!!!!! 

As we were turning onto the highway, a Pileated Woodpecker flew by.

Onto Parc Plaisance.  Lunch was in order.  It was getting very hot and muggy.  The park office was closed so we all saved the $10.00 entrance fee.  Trust me we gave at least $10.00 worth of sweat coming back.  We walked the path, hearing warbling vireo and red eyed vireo. We did see a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches.  We very clearly heard a Baltimore Oriole, but finding it was, well we never did find it. We walked to the viewstand, up we went, to find Canada Geese with teenage babies, a single Great Blue Heron, who was obviously very hot (it held its wings in a very odd way) and a single very far away Wood Duck.

Walking back, I think we all felt like we were melting, the steps came slowly, the heat was draining.  We all heard an Alder Flycatcher - its song is free beer, I am sure some of us thought that a Free Beer was a good idea.  I tried calling the Alder in, yes two small birds came in right away, but they picked a tree that we could hardly see the little birdies.

Back at the car, I asked about where Barbara was .  She was off cleaning the mud off her shoes.  I decided to go help, wow there was lots and lots of mud in the sink and on her shoes.  We both worked at it and they were much cleaner (but not clean) when we stopped.  The sink was cleaned  (I learned in Girl Guides to leave the place the way we found it) and off we went home.  No ice cream today.

It was pretty hot -- 31 degrees and I don't know what it was with the humidex.  Birders are hardy souls, we had a wonderful day despite the heat.

Species List

1. Ring-billed Gull
2. European Starling
3. Northern Cardinal
4. American Crow
5. Rock Pigeon
6. Mallard
7. Bobolink
8. Turkey Vulture
9. tree Swallow
10. Red-winged Blackbird
11. Willow Flycatcher
12. Great Egret
13. Great Blue Heron
14. Black-crowned Night-heron
15. Eastern Kingbird
16. American Bittern
17. Pied-billed Grebe
18. Common Gallinule
19. Sandhill Crane
20. Red-eyed Vireo
21. Belted Kingfisher
22. Warbling Vireo
23. Indigo Bunting
24. Song Sparrow
25. Northern Yellow Warbler
26. Double-crested Cormorant
27. Gray Catbird
28. Wilson's Snipe (h)
29. American Goldfinch
30. American Robin
31. Common Yellowthroat
32. Wood Duck
33. Eastern Wood-Pewee
34. Swamp Sparrow
35. Cedar Waxwing
36. Barn Swallow
37. Pileated Woodpecker
38. Baltimore Oriole
39. Alder Flycatcher
40. White-breasted Nuthatch
41. Chipping Sparrow 

Critters Seen

1. Leopard Frog
2. Painted Turtle
3. Bullfrog
4. Muskrat

Gananoque Lake Nature Reserve & Jones Falls Road with JC Birding

 June 9, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We had a fantastic day.  Everyone went home very happy and Richard & Guy got themselves some lifers.  Let me begin at the beginning.

We left my place at 7:00, Guy, Barbara B. and Richard in one vehicle and Bill and I in another.  Our first stop was at ONroute near Brockville.  Richard reported they saw Black-crowned Night-heron, Turkeys and a Great Blue Heron along the way, no Red-tailed Hawks.  We proceeded to the first exit off the 401, once out of Mallorytown, we started to bird.  We heard many Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds - in fact it seemed that we lifted our binoculars many many times to see Red-winged Blackbirds.  We stopped to photograph an Eastern Bluebird female and we wondered where the male was because they are so much prettier making him more photographable.  Maybe off doing parenting duties.

We often heard Northern House Wrens along the way as well.  Bill stopped at one point and said we stopped here last year and a House Wren was sitting on that dead tree singing and believe it or not there was a House Wren singing in the tree. I took a photograph that shows its eye in more of a horizontal position than vertical.  I looked it up to see if this was 'normal' and it is, it helps the bird see its prey and foe so much better.  I did not know this.  While there down in the swamp area, we saw a Great Blue heron activity fishing.  Richard and I walked along the road to hear then see a Scarlet Tanager.  It was absolutely beautiful, with the sun shining on it.  We both raised our cameras and before we were able to take a photo, the bird flew off to parts unknown.  We tried calling it to no avail.

We had a couple of sightings of Indigo Buntings. Bill said to me there is a Brown Thrasher on the ground near the big tree, I will drive slowly and hopefully the bird will stay.  It was focused on eating and we were lucky to get a few photos of it before it flew up and perched on the tree.

Richard caught up to us and he reported seeing a pair of Northern Harrier and a Black-billed Cuckoo and a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds.  I did question the Brown-headed Cowbird sights because there were a lot of young European Starlings around.  Both are similar but the beaks are quite different.  No, said Richard I saw mature Cowbirds, not young ones and then he proceeded to describe them.  And lucky them to have seen a Black-billed Cuckoo.

A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers flew by.  We heard Ovenbirds coming from the woods.  We stopped at a stream where we saw a family of Canada Geese and a family of Hooded Mergansers.

Finally we reached our destination.  We got out of the vehicles and dosed ourselves with insect repellant.  Off we went, there was a gate that indicated we should not enter.  The road is a public access road but there are two brothers who live at the end of the road that have major attitudes.  Thankfully we did not experience them this time.  Richard took a photo of us at the gate.

I was walking with Guy when he said, last time there were lots of butterflies over there.  This year there were a lot of Eastern Giant Swallowtails flying from one Dames Rocket bloom to another bloom.  Beautiful site the contrast of the yellow of the Swallowtails and the pink of the flowers.

We were anxious to get to the Cerulean Warbler, but Bill I heard the Goldenwing Warbler.  We got both species and that little Cerulean stayed so high in the trees and flew here, there and everywhere not sitting very still.  I cannot photograph warblers but the Cerulean is so challenging.  I get to enjoy my friends' photographs.  While we were focusing on the warblers we heard two Barred Owls duetting. Again I looked it up, it happens during courtship and territory defense, the male and female take turns calling back and forth, with the females pitch often noticeably higher.  It was neat to hear.  First for me.

Back at the Eastern Giant Swallowtail site, we saw another Golden-winged Warbler.  i saw a bird in a tree and tried to take a photo of it, then I got distracted with the warbler and a second later a bird flew out of the tree -- Black-billed Cuckoo.  When I downloaded my photos,I was surprised to see that bird in the tree was a Black-billed Cuckoo, I just could not see the bird very well when I was in the field. Of course I did see a Black-billed Cuckoo fly away.   I was so happy when I saw the photo.

Time for lunch.  Jane, go ask the home owner if we could use their picnic table.  I knocked on the door, but no answer.  At the corner of their house was a hummingbird feeder with a Ruby-throated Hummingbird partaking of the liquid provided.  Yes, too fast for me, I went to take a photo and yeah it had gone. We decided to have our lunch opposite the house watching Cedar Waxwings and the hummingbird and of course there was conversation.  A four-wheeler pulled up and they asked us about the birding.  Both were very friendly, they had their "opinions" about the men who put up a gate indicating no public access.  The man told us he had Indigo Buntings coming to his feeder. -- Bill asked me if I ever heard of Indigo Buntings coming to feeders, Nope I had not.  He was one lucky man.  Off they went.  Richard, Guy and I walked down to the water, while Bill and Barbara drove.  On the water a lone Common Loon.  Walking back to where we left our stuff, we saw a small fast moving Milk Snake. I tried to take a photo and my camera just refused to take a photo.  Dam... 

Barbara joined us, leaving Guy and Richard to their own devices.

Off to the Great Blue Heron rookery, well years ago there was a rookery.  Just a couple of Great Blue Herons feeding in the water, along with a  few Wood Ducks.  A lone Trumpeter Swan was in the swamp area as well. That spot was so good years ago.

Driving out of the area, two small brown hawks flew by, calling to each other.  Oh maybe they landed in the tree, we all got out and yes they were in the tree, we got to see them fly away.  Bill said the only hawk they could be were Broadwing Hawks, because of the size.

Bill said to me, the next spot is a long shot at best, it is along a hydro easement.  We drove up to where there was a path.  I went over to the gate and heard Field Sparrow and saw an Eastern Kingbird.  The others walked away from the cars and focused on the other side of the road.  I joined them and the long shot turned out to be reality -- a Prairie Warbler.  The Bowmans last Prairie Warbler was in Mexico, mine was in Cuba.  Lifers for both Guy and Richard.  All of us were SO happy.

We then headed to Jones Falls - famous historic lockstation and dam along the Rideau Canal in Eastern Ontario. It was the highest dam in North America when it was completed in 1863 measuring 60 feet tall.  There was a sign for ice cream, Bill checked the place out -- closed.  We walked to the bridge, where we saw families of Canada Geese, Barn Swallows on the line and in the distance a Mute Swan family.  Overhead we had an Osprey flying.

Thinking it was time to head home, we headed to Smith Falls, where Bill found a Dairy Queen.  While enjoying the ice cream, we went over my bird list, seems my memory is good, but not perfect, 6 more species were added.  We said goodbye to Richard and Guy joined us.  Stopping at Richmond stormwater pond, we spotted a single Great Egret and we saw a Double-crested Cormorant flying overhead.

We drove to Twin Elms, where we were surprised to see two Ospreys occupying the nest.  The usual Barn Swallows, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds were there as well.  We drove down the road and in a clearing we saw three Turkey Vultures eating in the field.  We speculated that they might be eating clay.  I again googled it, of course their primary food is dead mammals, reptiles and plant matter (in the absence of fresh carrion, they are omnivorous  and will eat decaying vegetation.  Guess they were doing the decaying vegetation thing.  Okay we all know the turkey vulture's heads are bare, but why.  They frequently stick their entire heads deep inside carcasses to feed.  A lack of feathers prevents bacteria, blood and decaying tissue from caking onto their heads, which would otherwise be impossible to keep clean.  As well the exposed skin on the head helps the bird manage their body heat.   When hot they can change their posture to expose their bald head and neck to release excess body heat.

I was walking the Twin Elm Road when I heard a Warbling Vireo, I pished, no good in doing that.  Then I saw it on a bare branch, took a few photos and off I went.  Bill picked me up and we drove to the Osprey's nest.  Photos and more photos.  I took a photo of a female Red-wing Blackbird and its legs were marked with beige 'stripes'.  I googled that but with no satisfactory answer, because their legs should be black.  So if anyone could provide an explanation, I would love to hear it.

Time to get home.  I think we got home around 5:30.  We were all happy with the day, it is not everyday we get a Golden-winged Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Black-billed Cuckoo, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, oh my list could go on and on.  Just a super day.

Just love birding.