Birding Excursion 21-22 May 2011

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

What a most fabulous weekend! We wanted birds, and we definitely got them.

We spent the weekend down at Prince Edward County and Presqu'ile Provincial Park – Ontario, Canada.

11 birders and photographers, extremely enthusiastic with the beautiful weather Saturday morning, left Ottawa 6am, returning Sunday evening with a trip list of 137 species of birds.

Highlights from the weekend included Northern Mockingbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Wimbrel, Brant and Blue-winged Warbler.

Although there wasn’t a great diversity of warblers, birds were everywhere, often in good numbers.

I got the total of 6 lifers, including Black Tern flying over the car on the way home Sunday afternoon.

Dunlin - Calidris alpina

Saturday:

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Redstart

American Robin

Baltimore Oriole

Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)

Barn Swallow

Bay-breasted Warbler

Black & White Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-crowned Night Heron

Blackpoll Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Blue Jay

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Blue-winged teal

Bobolink

Brant

Broad-winged Hawk

Brown Thrasher

Brown-headed Cowbird

Canada Goose        

Canada Warbler

Caspian Tern

Cedar Waxwing

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chimney Swift

Chipping Sparrow

Cliff Swallow

Common Grackle

Common Loon

Common Moorhen

Common Raven

Common Tern

Common Yellowthroat

Double-crested Cormorant

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Meadowlark

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Towhee

Eastern Wood-Pewee

European Starling

Field Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

Great-crested Flycatcher

Green Heron

Grey Catbird

Herring Gull

House Finch

House Sparrow

House Wren

Killdeer

Least Flycatcher

Least Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Longtailed Duck

Magnolia Warbler

Mallard

Marsh Wren

Merlin

Mourning Dove

Mute Swan

Nashville Warbler

Northern Cardinal

Northern Flicker

Northern Harrier

Northern Mockingbird

Northern Parula

Orange-crowned Warbler

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Orchard Oriole

Osprey

Ovenbird

Philadelphia Vireo

Pied-billed Grebe

Pileated Woodpecker

Purple Finch

Purple Martin

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rough-winged Swallow

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Savanna Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager

Song Sparrow

Spotted Sandpiper

Tennessee Warbler

Tree Swallow

Turkey Vulture

Warbling Vireo

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-crowned Sparrow
White-rumped Sandpiper

White-throated Sparrow

White-winged Scoter

Wild Turkey

Wood Duck

Wood Thrush

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Eastern Wood-pewee - Contopus virens

Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica - Photo courtesy Heather Pickard 

Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax - Photo courtesy Roger Cobbledick

Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus - Photo courtesy Tony Beck

 Blue-winged Warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera

Sunday:

American Bittern

Alder Flycatcher

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Pipit

American Redstart

American Robin

American Kestrel

Baltimore Oriole

Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)

Barn Swallow

Belted Kingfisher

Black & White Warbler

Black Tern

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-crowned Night Heron

Blackpoll Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Blue Jay

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Blue-winged Warbler

Bobolink

Brant

Broad-winged Hawk

Brown Thrasher

Brown-headed Cowbird

Bufflehead

Canada Goose        

Caspian Tern

Cedar Waxwing

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chimney Swift

Chipping Sparrow

Common Grackle

Common Loon

Common Merganser

Common Moorhen

Common Raven

Common Tern

Common Yellowthroat

Double-crested Cormorant

Downy Woodpecker

Dunlin

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Meadowlark

European Starling

Gadwall

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Blue Heron

Great Eagret

Great-crested Flycatcher

Grey Catbird

Hairy Woodpecker

Herring Gull

Hooded Merganser

House Finch

House Sparrow

House Wren

Indigo Bunting

Killdeer

Least Flycatcher

Least Sandpiper

Lesser Scaup

Loggerhead Shrike

Longtailed Duck

Mallard

Marsh Wren

Merlin

Mourning Dove

Mute Swan

Northern Cardinal

Northern Flicker

Northern Harrier

Northern Waterthrush

Orchard Oriole

Osprey

Pied-billed Grebe

Purple Martin

Red Head (Duck)

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Ruffed Grouse

Savanna Sparrow

Semipalmated Plover

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Song Sparrow

Spotted Sandpiper

Swainson's Thrush

Swamp Sparrow

Tennessee Warbler

Tree Swallow

Turkey Vulture

Warbling Vireo

White-breasted Nuthatch

Wild Turkey

Wilson's Snipe

Wimbrel

Wood Duck

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Overnight excursion organized by Tony Beck ~ Always An Adventure

Spring Birding Mania!

Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia

Jack Pine Trail

Tuesday 3rd May –
Jack Pine Trail never fails to entertain.

It was a great morning with several highlights. Including Virginia Rail, Ovenbird and a very accommodating Swamp Sparrow.

Day list:

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Tree Sparrow
5. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
6. Barn Swallow
7. Belted Kingfisher
8. Black & White Warbler
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Blue Jay
11. Blue-headed Vireo
12. Brown-headed Cowbird
13. Bufflehead
14. Canada Goose        
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Cliff Swallow
17. Common Grackle
18. Common Merganser
19. Common Raven
20. Dark-eyed Junco
21. Downy Woodpecker
22. Dunlin
23. European Starling
24. Evening Grosbeak
25. Field Sparrow
26. Great-crested Flycatcher
27. Greater Yellowlegs
28. Hairy Woodpecker
29. House Sparrow
30. Lesser Scaup
31. Lesser Yellowlegs
32. Mallard
33. Mourning Dove
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Northern Flicker
36. Osprey
37. Ovenbird
38. Pine Warbler
39. Purple Finch
40. Purple Martin
41. Red-breasted Nuthatch
42. Red-tailed Hawk
43. Red-winged Blackbird
44. Ring-billed Gull
45. Ring-necked Duck
46. Rock Pigeon
47. Rough-winged Swallow
48. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
49. Ruddy Duck
50. Rusty Blackbird
51. Savanna Sparrow
52. Song Sparrow
53. Sora Rail
54. Swamp Sparrow
55. Tree Swallow
56. Virginia Rail
57. Warbling Vireo
58. White-breasted Nuthatch
59. White-throated Sparrow
60. White-winged Scoter
61. Wood Duck
62. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
63. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola

Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana, Photo courtesy Helena G.

Female Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus

Thursday 5th May –
Spring-like weather returns with warm sunshine. Yet only a few migrants made appearances today.

Among them included Yellow-rumped and Yellow Warblers.

The highlight of the day, was a long photo session with a very cooperative Eastern Towhee.

Day list:

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Kestrel
5. Belted Kingfisher
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Blue Jay
8. Blue-winged teal
9. Broad-winged Hawk
10. Brown Thrasher
11. Brown-headed Cowbird
12. Canada Goose        
13. Chipping Sparrow
14. Common Grackle
15. Common Raven
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Downy Woodpecker
18. Eastern Bluebird
19. Eastern Meadowlark
20. Eastern Phoebe
21. Eastern Towhee
22. European Starling
23. Field Sparrow
24. Gadwall
25. Great Blue Heron
26. Greater Scaup
27. Grey Catbird
28. Herring Gull
29. Hooded Merganser
30. House Sparrow
31. Killdeer
32. Lesser Scaup
33. Mallard
34. Mourning Dove
35. Northern Cardinal
36. Northern Flicker
37. Northern Harrier
38. Northern Showler
39. Osprey
40. Ovenbird
41. Palm Warbler
42. Peregrine Falcon
43. Purple Martin
44. Red-tailed Hawk
45. Red-winged Blackbird
46. Ring-billed Gull
47. Ring-necked Duck
48. Rock Pigeon
49. Rough-winged Swallow
50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
51. Ruffed Grouse
52. Rusty Blackbird
53. Savanna Sparrow
54. Sharp-shinned Hawk
55. Song Sparrow
56. Spotted Sandpiper
57. Swamp Sparrow
58. Tree Swallow
59. Turkey Vulture
60. Virginia Rail
61. White-breasted Nuthatch
62. White-throated Sparrow
63. Wild Turkey
64. Wood Duck
65. Yellow Warbler
66. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
67. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Female Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata - Myrtle

Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus, Photo courtesy Bill Bowman

Saturday 7^th May –
What an awesome day! Birds were everywhere.  And, they just seemed to keep on coming.

The morning at Petrie Island was a warbler paradise including a spectacular male Blackburnian Warbler - A real crowd-pleaser.

Day list:

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. Bald Eagle
6. Baltimore Oriole
7. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
8. Barn Swallow
9. Belted Kingfisher
10. Black & White Warbler
11. Blackburnian Warbler
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Black-throated Green Warbler
14. Blue Jay
15. Bobolink
16. Brant
17. Broad-winged Hawk
18. Brown Creeper
19. Brown Thrasher
20. Brown-headed Cowbird
21. Bufflehead
22. Canada Goose        
23. Chipping Sparrow
24. Common Grackle
25. Common Raven
26. Double-crested Cormorant
27. Downy Woodpecker
28. Eastern Kingbird
29. Eastern Meadowlark
30. Eastern Phoebe
31. European Starling
32. Great Blue Heron
33. Great-crested Flycatcher
34. Green-winged Teal
35. Grey Catbird
36. Hairy Woodpecker
37. House Sparrow
38. House Wren
39. Killdeer
40. Least Flycatcher
41. Mallard
42. Mourning Dove
43. Northern Flicker
44. Northern Parula
45. Osprey
46. Palm Warbler
47. Pied-billed Grebe
48. Purple Finch
49. Red-tailed Hawk
50. Red-winged Blackbird
51. Ring-billed Gull
52. Rock Pigeon
53. Rough-winged Swallow
54. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
55. Rusty Blackbird
56. Savanna Sparrow
57. Sharp-shinned Hawk
58. Snow Goose
59. Song Sparrow
60. Spotted Sandpiper
61. Swamp Sparrow
62. Tennessee Warbler
63. Tree Swallow
64. Turkey Vulture
65. Warbling Vireo
66. White-breasted Nuthatch
67. White-crowned Sparrow
68. White-throated Sparrow
69. Wilson's Snipe
70. Wood Duck
71. Yellow Warbler
72. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
73. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis

Sunday May 8^th – 

Happy Mother’s Day!

17 participants gathered at Andrew Haydon Park, to enjoy the wonders of spring on this special day. A lone Brant joined the Canada Geese, on one of the small ponds.

We later went for a relaxing hike around Mud Lake, Britannia.

Some of the highlights included Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Heron, White-crowned Sparrow and Rusty Blackbirds.

Day list:

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Barn Swallow
7. Blackburnian Warbler
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Black-crowned Night Heron
10. Black-throated Green Warbler
11. Blue Jay
12. Brant
13. Brown-headed Cowbird
14. Canada Goose 
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Common Grackle
17. Common Raven
18. Common Tern
19. Dark-eyed Junco
20. Double-crested Cormorant
21. Downy Woodpecker
22. European Starling
23. Great Black-backed Gull
24. Great Blue Heron
25. Green Heron
26. Grey Catbird
27. Hairy Woodpecker
28. Herring Gull
29. House Finch
30. House Sparrow
31. Killdeer
32. Mallard
33. Mourning Dove
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Northern Flicker
36. Northern Mockingbird
37. Palm Warbler
38. Pine Warbler
39. Red-winged Blackbird
40. Ring-billed Gull
41. Rock Pigeon
42. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
43. Rusty Blackbird
44. Song Sparrow
45. Spotted Sandpiper
46. Tree Swallow
47. Warbling Vireo
48. White-breasted Nuthatch
49. White-crowned Sparrow
50. White-throated Sparrow
51. Wood Duck
52. Yellow Warbler
53. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Brant - Branta bernicla

Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus, Photo courtesy Heather Pickard 

Red Trillium - Trillium erectum

Monday 9^th May –
What a fantastic spring day!

Warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and no wind – ideal conditions for comfortable birdwatching.

The Brant was still at Andrew Haydon Park, along with a small family of Canada Geese with 4 tiny Goslings.

At Grand View Trail, Field Sparrows and Brown Thrashers were playing hide and seek.

Day list

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Redstart
4. American Robin
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Barn Swallow
7. Black & White Warbler
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Black-throated Blue Warbler
10. Blue Jay
11. Brant
12. Brown Thrasher
13. Brown-headed Cowbird
14. Bufflehead
15. Canada Goose 
16. Chipping Sparrow
17. Common Goldeneye
18. Common Grackle
19. Common Loon
20. Common Redpoll
21. Coopers Hawk
22. Double-crested Cormorant
23. Downy Woodpecker
24. Eastern Kingbird
25. European Starling
26. Field Sparrow
27. Great Blue Heron
28. Greater Scaup
29. Grey Catbird
30. Hairy Woodpecker
31. House Sparrow
32. House Wren
33. Killdeer
34. Lesser Scaup
35. Mallard
36. Merlin
37. Mourning Dove
38. Nashville Warbler
39. Northern Cardinal
40. Northern Flicker
41. Northern Mockingbird
42. Osprey
43. Pileated Woodpecker
44. Purple Finch
45. Purple Martin
46. Red-breasted Merganser
47. Red-necked Grebe
48. Red-winged Blackbird
49. Ring-billed Gull
50. Ring-necked Duck
51. Rock Pigeon
52. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
53. Rusty Blackbird
54. Song Sparrow
55. Spotted Sandpiper
56. Tree Swallow
57. Turkey Vulture
58. Warbling Vireo
59. White-breasted Nuthatch
60. White-crowned Sparrow
61. White-throated Sparrow
62. Wood Duck
63. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Gosling - Canada Goose

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum

Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus

All excursions organized by Tony Beck - Always an Adventure

Weekend Birding 30th April - 1st May 2011

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Saturday 30^th April – this last April morning was most beautiful with green buds sprouting on the trees and bushes with the sun shining in glorious blue skies.

After being under the weather for about a week, it was most rejuvenating to be outside under such perfect conditions.

12 enthusiastic birders and photographers started the morning excursion at Petrie Island.  Not too many warblers yet. But, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers were abundant.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) - Myrtle

The highlight of the day was a self-spotted lifer, a Northern Water Thrush.

At the end of the excursion we had the total of 62 species.

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. American Wigeon
6. American Kestrel
7. Baltimore Oriole
8. Barn Swallow
9. Belted Kingfisher
10. Black-capped Chickadee
11. Blue Jay
12. Brown Creeper
13. Brown Thrasher
14. Brown-headed Cowbird
15. Bufflehead
16. Canada Goose        
17. Chipping Sparrow
18. Common Grackle
19. Common Merganser
20. Common Raven
21. Double-crested Cormorant
22. Downy Woodpecker
23. Eastern Meadowlark
24. European Starling
25. Gadwall
26. Great Blue Heron
27. Green-winged Teal
28. Grey Catbird
29. Hairy Woodpecker
30. Hermit Thrush
31. House Finch
32. House Sparrow
33. Killdeer
34. Mallard
35. Mourning Dove
36. Northern Cardinal
37. Northern Flicker
38. Northern Harrier
39. Northern Pintail
40. Northern Waterthrush
41. Osprey
42. Palm Warbler
43. Pied-billed Grebe
44. Pileated Woodpecker
45. Red-tailed Hawk
46. Red-winged Blackbird
47. Ring-billed Gull
48. Ring-necked Duck
49. Rock Pigeon
50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
51. Rusty Blackbird
52. Snow Goose
53. Song Sparrow
54. Spotted Sandpiper
55. Swamp Sparrow
56. Tree Swallow
57. Turkey Vulture
58. White-breasted Nuthatch
59. Wilson's Snipe
60. Wood Duck
61. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
62. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Sunday the 1^st May – Spring has definitely arrived with the great weather continuing from yesterday.  

12 energized birders and photographers started the morning excursion at Andrew Haydon Park.

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Later in the morning we moved over to Shirley’s Bay where we had a flock of Canada Geese flying overhead that included a Cackling Goose and a Greater Snow Goose.

3 Canada Geese, a Cackling Goose, a Greater Snow Goose, 3 Canada Geese

Other interesting new birds for the season were Horned Grebe, Purple Martin and Chimney Swift.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Photo courtesy of Helena G.

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Photo courtesy of Helena G.

We ended up with a day list of 56 species:

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Tree Sparrow
5. American Wigeon
6. Barrow's Goldeneye
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Blue Jay
9. Brown Creeper
10. Brown Thrasher
11. Brown-headed Cowbird
12. Bufflehead
13. Cackling Goose
14. Canada Goose        
15. Chimney Swift
16. Chipping Sparrow
17. Common Goldeneye
18. Common Grackle
19. Common Merganser
20. Common Raven
21. Dark-eyed Junco
22. Double-crested Cormorant
23. Downy Woodpecker
24. European Starling
25. Great Blue Heron
26. Hairy Woodpecker
27. Herring Gull
28. Horned Grebe
29. House Sparrow
30. House Wren
31. Killdeer
32. Lesser Scaup
33. Mallard
34. Mourning Dove
35. Northern Cardinal
36. Northern Flicker
37. Northern Waterthrush
38. Osprey
39. Pileated Woodpecker
40. Purple Martin
41. Red-winged Blackbird
42. Ring-billed Gull
43. Ring-necked Duck
44. Rock Pigeon
45. Rough-winged Swallow
46. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
47. Rusty Blackbird
48. Snow Goose
49. Song Sparrow
50. Spotted Sandpiper
51. Tree Swallow
52. White-breasted Nuthatch
53. White-throated Sparrow
54. Wood Duck
55. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
56. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Excursion organized by Tony Beck - Always An Adventure