Ottawa West - Jack Pine Trail, Moodie Ponds, Richmond Lagoon (Jane, Sami, Bill, Connie)

 Text by Connie

May 6, 2014
 

Ottawa West - Jack Pine Trail 
*** American Bittern (heard only)
1 American Crow
2 American Goldfinch
3 American Robin
4 Black-throated Green Warbler
5 Blue Jay

5a Blue-headed Vireo
6 Canada Goose
7 Dark-eyed Junco
8 Downy Woodpecker
9 Great Blue Heron
10 Killdeer
11 Mallard
12 Mourning Dove
*** Northern Cardinal (heard only)
13 Red-winged Blackbird
14 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
15 Song Sparrow
16 Sora
17 Swamp Sparrow
18 Virginia Rail
19 White-breasted Nuthatch
20 White-throated Sparrow
21 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
22 Yellow-rumped Warbler

Ottawa West - Ponds on Moodie Drive 
23 American Wigeon
24 Belted Kingfisher
25 Common Merganser
26 Ring-billed Gull
27 Ring-necked Duck
28 Turkey Vulture

Ottawa West - Richmond Lagoon 
29 Bufflehead (f)
30 Common Grackle
31 Pied-billed Grebe
32 Tree Swallow

Whitewater Weekend

May 2-4, 2014

We had the Venturers up to our cottage for some early season whitewater thrills on the Désert and Picanoc Rivers.  There was not a lot of time for birding, except for Barbara who was our shuttle driver.  We got a couple of very tame female Ruffed Grouse and four Sandhill Cranes just on the edge of the town of Messines.

Petrie Island and Environs with Always an Adventure

April 29, 2014

Today there were only Judith and myself with Tony & Nina, so after exploring Petrie Island for a while, Tony suggested we make our way west to the Jock River to look for the Hooded Warbler that had been reported.

We got some good finds at Petrie Island, but it was quiet along the back roads to the Jock.

There were lots of birders and photographers there but no sign of the bird.  We patrolled the shore back and forth for 40 minutes, stopping to chat with friends and fellow birders.  Suddenly I spotted it and the rush was on.  Eventually everyone got good looks and photos.

Bird and Mammal List

1. Osprey
2. Red-winged Blackbird
3. Tree Swallow
4. Wood Duck
5. American Bittern
6. American Black Duck
7. Ring-billed Gull
8. Green-winged Teal
9. Kingfisher
10. Double-crested Cormorant
11. American Robin
12. Beaver
13. Common Merganser
14. Hooded Merganser
15. Muskrat
16. European Starling
17. Rusty Blackbird
18. Canada Goose
19. Downy Woodpecker
20. Song Sparrow
21. Northern Flicker
22. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
23. Eastern Meadowlark
24. Common Raven
25. Wild Turkey
26. Mourning Dove
27. Herring Gull
28. Killdeer
29. Ring-necked Duck
30. Blue Jay
31. Hooded Warbler

High Road with Samuel and Grant

April 28, 2014

Bluebirds were our target and we nearly missed them.  I spotted a pair as we were driving off.  We had hiked the trail down to the large white ball, without seeing anything unusual except a FOS Barn Swallow.

Camp Opemikon Work Weekend

April 26-27, 2014

Mostly we worked for the camp, but before breakfast we saw pairs of Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser on Christie Lake, which still had a bit of ice left in the bay.

During the day, we had many Chipping Sparrows and a visit from one of the resident Ospreys, which had caught a fish.

The next morning, we had a great view of a Pine Warbler out by the road, and a pair of Common Loons, right by the shore..

Maplehill Park

Apr 25, 2014

We had some business in Manotick, then stopped for lunch.  Afterwards, we decided to check close by Maplehill Park, where John Ruddy had reported a "Yellow" Palm Warbler the day before.

We parked at the north end of Hazelwood Way and started north on the soggy path.  Soon we spotted a couple of birders - none other that John Ruddy and friend.  He enthused about the area and told us they had just seen the Palm Warber again and marked the spot with an X on the trail.

We hurried on to the area but could not get the Palm to show.  There were plenty of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and we also saw a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Bird List

1. American Robin
2. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
3. Blue Jay
4. Common Grackle
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Brown-headed Cowbird

Seen by John Ruddy

1. Palm Warbler
2. Sharp-shinned Hawk

Mer Bleue and Eastern Fields with Always and Adventure

Apr 22, 2014

Today there were Tony & Nina, Bree, Rick, Judith and me.  It was a very rainy day and foggy on the Ottawa River at Petrie Island.  So we left without further ado, and went to Giroux.  From there we went to Smith Road.  Then on to Milton Road, and Hall Road, where we saw our first Bluebirds.  Finally we went to Dolman Ridge Road to chek the feeder.

Bird List

1. Brown Thrasher
2. Tree Swallow
3. Barn Swallow
4. Bufflehead
5. Red-winged Blackbird
6. American Robin
7. Canada Goose
8. Great Blue Heron
9. Herring Gull
10. Great Black-backed Gull
11. American Tree Sparrow
12. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
13. Red-tailed Hawk
14. Song Sparrow
15. Brown-headed Cowbird
16. Cackling Goose
17. Northern Harrier
18. American Black Duck
19. Common Raven
20. Mourning Dove
21. Savannah Sparrow
22. Rock Pigeon
23. European Starling
24. Eastern Bluebird
25. Fox Sparrow
26. White-throated Sparrow
27. Dark-eyed Junco
28. Black-capped Chickadee
29. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
30. Northern Flicker
31. American Goldfinch
32. Field Sparrow (H)
33. Blue Jay
34. Wilson's Snipe
35. Wild Turkey
36. Northern Shoveller
37. American Black Duck
38. Green-winged Teal
39. Mallard
40. Hairy Woodpecker
41. White-breasted Nuthatch