Art Prints

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Summer Birding with rarities...!

Juvenile Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
IMG_6144---Roger-Cobbledick
Green Heron - Butorides virescens, Photo credit by Roger Cobbledick
Tuesday July 5

It was a most beautiful summer morning. We started the excursion at Petrie Island where there were many birds. One of the highlights was the continuous calls from a Sora Rail. I was really hoping to see it, because it would have been a lifer for me. But, unfortunately the bird would not come into view.
A little later we went looking for the famous rarity, the Eared Grebe, that is staying at the various Eastern lagoons in the Ottawa area these days. It had moved from Embrun over to Casselman.
Other lagoon highlights were Common Loon, Common Moorhen, Lesser Yellowlegs, Ruddy Duck, and Solitary & Spotted Sandpiper.

Day list:
  1. American Bittern
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. American Wigeon
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Barn Swallow
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Blue-winged teal
  10. Brown-headed Cowbird
  11. Canada Goose        
  12. Cedar Waxwing
  13. Chipping Sparrow
  14. Common Grackle
  15. Common Loon
  16. Common Moorhen
  17. Common Yellowthroat
  18. Coopers Hawk
  19. Eared Grebe
  20. Eastern Kingbird
  21. Eastern Meadowlark
  22. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  23. European Starling
  24. Great Blue Heron
  25. Great-crested Flycatcher
  26. Green Heron
  27. Green-winged Teal
  28. House Finch
  29. House Sparrow
  30. Killdeer
  31. Least Flycatcher
  32. Least Sandpiper
  33. Lesser Scaup
  34. Lesser Yellowlegs
  35. Mallard
  36. Mourning Dove
  37. Northern Flicker
  38. Northern Shoveler
  39. Pied-billed Grebe
  40. Red-winged Blackbird
  41. Ring-billed Gull
  42. Rock Pigeon
  43. Ruddy Duck
  44. Savannah Sparrow
  45. Solitary Sandpiper
  46. Song Sparrow
  47. Sora Rail
  48. Spotted Sandpiper
  49. Tree Swallow
  50. Turkey Vulture
  51. Virginia Rail
  52. Warbling Vireo
  53. White-breasted Nuthatch
  54. Wood Duck
  55. Yellow Warbler
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White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi
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Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
Thursday July 7
From our meeting spot at Andrew Haydon Park we immediately left for Carp where a rare White-faced Ibis had been spotted 2 days earlier. The bird was there in all it’s glory when we arrived. This is the first record of this species for Ottawa, and a lifer for many local birders, me included. After a while we went for more uncommon local species such as Red-headed Woodpecker, Sedge Wren and Eastern Towhee. We also had a great view of a tree full of Turkey Vultures with at least 10 individuals. We also counted 9 American Kestrels on our drive around the countryside.

Day list:
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Redstart
  4. American Robin
  5. American Kestrel
  6. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
  7. Barn Swallow
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Blue Jay
  10. Bobolink
  11. Canada Goose        
  12. Cedar Waxwing
  13. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  14. Chimney Swift
  15. Chipping Sparrow
  16. Cliff Swallow
  17. Common Grackle
  18. Common Raven
  19. Common Yellowthroat
  20. Double-crested Cormorant
  21. Downy Woodpecker
  22. Eastern Bluebird
  23. Eastern Kingbird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark
  25. Eastern Towhee
  26. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  27. European Starling
  28. Field Sparrow
  29. Great Blue Heron
  30. Grey Catbird
  31. House Sparrow
  32. Indigo Bunting
  33. Killdeer
  34. Lesser Yellowlegs
  35. Mallard
  36. Mourning Dove
  37. Northern Cardinal
  38. Northern Flicker
  39. Osprey
  40. Purple Finch
  41. Purple Martin
  42. Red-eyed Vireo
  43. Red-headed Woodpecker
  44. Red-winged Blackbird
  45. Ring-billed Gull
  46. Rock Pigeon
  47. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  48. Rough-winged Swallow
  49. Savannah Sparrow
  50. Sedge Wren
  51. Song Sparrow
  52. Spotted Sandpiper
  53. Swamp Sparrow
  54. Tree Swallow
  55. Turkey Vulture
  56. Veery
  57. Warbling Vireo
  58. White-breasted Nuthatch
  59. White-faced Ibis
  60. White-throated Sparrow
  61. Wood Duck
  62. Yellow Warbler
  63. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
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Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
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Bull Thistle
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Sedge Wren - Cistothorus platensis
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Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina, Photo credit Danielle Labonte
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Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
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Lesser Yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes

Saturday July 9
Changes in weather gave us a sunny but cool morning with wind from the north.
We started at Petrie Island and were a little bit surprised over the lack of activity compared to just a few days ago. But still, we had several birds such as American Bittern, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher and Common Moorhen.
We are beginning to experience clear changes in the dynamics of bird activity. Young are in the process of leaving the nest, so for many birds the breeding season is over. Nevertheless, we had many great birds such as Coopers Hawk being bombarded by Purple Martins, a Northern Harrier being mobbed by Red-winged Blackbirds, and Red-tailed Hawk chased by European Starlings.
We also visited the St-Isidore Lagoon where we had Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper and Virginia Rail. We also went to Alfred Bog, where we were greeted by an American Woodcock laying quietly on the ground only a few meters from the board walk. We were entertained by a curious Lincoln’s Sparrow while photographing the orchids.

Day list:
  1. American Bittern
  2. American Black Duck
  3. American Coot
  4. American Crow
  5. American Goldfinch
  6. American Robin
  7. American Wigeon
  8. American Woodcock
  9. American Kestrel
  10. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
  11. Barn Swallow
  12. Belted Kingfisher
  13. Black-capped Chickadee
  14. Blue Jay
  15. Blue-winged teal
  16. Bobolink
  17. Brown Thrasher
  18. Brown-headed Cowbird
  19. Canada Goose        
  20. Cedar Waxwing
  21. Chipping Sparrow
  22. Common Grackle
  23. Common Moorhen
  24. Common Yellowthroat
  25. Coopers Hawk
  26. Downy Woodpecker
  27. Eastern Kingbird
  28. Eastern Meadowlark
  29. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  30. European Starling
  31. Great Blue Heron
  32. Green Heron
  33. Green-winged Teal
  34. Grey Catbird
  35. Hairy Woodpecker
  36. Horned Lark
  37. House Finch
  38. House Sparrow
  39. Indigo Bunting
  40. Killdeer
  41. Least Sandpiper
  42. Lesser Yellowlegs
  43. Lincoln's Sparrow
  44. Mallard
  45. Mourning Dove
  46. Northern Flicker
  47. Northern Harrier
  48. Osprey
  49. Purple Finch
  50. Purple Martin
  51. Red Head
  52. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  53. Red-eyed Vireo
  54. Red-tailed Hawk
  55. Red-winged Blackbird
  56. Ring-billed Gull
  57. Rock Pigeon
  58. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  59. Rough-winged Swallow
  60. Ruddy Duck
  61. Savannah Sparrow
  62. Semipalmated Plover
  63. Song Sparrow
  64. Sora Rail
  65. Spotted Sandpiper
  66. Swamp Sparrow
  67. Tree Swallow
  68. Turkey Vulture
  69. Vesper Sparrow
  70. Virginia Rail
  71. Warbling Vireo
  72. Wild Turkey
  73. Wilson's Snipe
  74. Wood Duck
  75. Yellow Warbler
  76. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Echinacea
Echinacea
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Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
Sunday July 10
Yet another beautiful and very hot summer morning...
We headed for the Carp Ridge where we found Eastern Towhee, Eastern Phoebe, Baltimore Oriole with fledglings, White-throated Sparrow and Chestnut-sided Warbler. On our drive we had an unique encounter with a juvenile Wild Turkey. Tony spotted the bird in the ditch next to the road and we stopped to investigate. The bird did not budge! After a little while it came out from the tall grass and started posing for us – a great joy for the photographers among us.
Two other highlights were Eastern Bluebird, Indigo Bunting and Eastern Meadowlark.

Day list:
  1. American Crow
  2. American Goldfinch
  3. American Redstart
  4. American Robin
  5. American Kestrel
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Barn Swallow
  8. Belted Kingfisher
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Brown Thrasher
  12. Canada Goose        
  13. Cedar Waxwing
  14. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  15. Chipping Sparrow
  16. Common Grackle
  17. Common Raven
  18. Common Tern
  19. Common Yellowthroat
  20. Double-crested Cormorant
  21. Downy Woodpecker
  22. Eastern Bluebird
  23. Eastern Kingbird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark
  25. Eastern Phoebe
  26. Eastern Towhee
  27. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  28. European Starling
  29. Field Sparrow
  30. Great Blue Heron
  31. Great-crested Flycatcher
  32. Green Heron
  33. Grey Catbird
  34. Hairy Woodpecker
  35. Hooded Merganser
  36. House Finch
  37. House Sparrow
  38. House Wren
  39. Indigo Bunting
  40. Killdeer
  41. Lesser Scaup
  42. Mallard
  43. Merlin
  44. Mourning Dove
  45. Northern Cardinal
  46. Northern Flicker
  47. Osprey
  48. Ovenbird
  49. Pine Warbler
  50. Purple Finch
  51. Purple Martin
  52. Red-winged Blackbird
  53. Ring-billed Gull
  54. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  55. Ruffed Grouse
  56. Savannah Sparrow
  57. Song Sparrow
  58. Spotted Sandpiper
  59. Swamp Sparrow
  60. Tree Swallow
  61. Turkey Vulture
  62. Veery
  63. Warbling Vireo
  64. White-breasted Nuthatch
  65. White-throated Sparrow
  66. Wild Turkey
  67. Yellow Warbler
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Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, Photo credit Tony Beck

And, Summer continues... :o)

All excursions organized by Tony Beck ~ Always An Adventure

5 comments:

  1. fantastic collection of images Nina...a real treat!

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  2. Always An Adventure Terri :o)
    Thank you Rohit :o)

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  3. Always a pleasure to view your Always An Adventure photos. Fantastic that you got the White-faced Ibis! Loved how you were able to capture the Killdeer in flight with perfect focus on the eye.

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  4. Hi Bob, thank you for reading and for compliments :o)

    ReplyDelete