Summer has begun!

Killdeer nest at Embrun Lagoons

The owner of the eggs: Killdeer

Wilson's Snipe, Photo credit Bill Bowman

Tuesday June 28

The summer program started out with brisk winds, and mild drizzle. Nevertheless, we found several interesting birds.

Local nesting birds were fairly vocal throughout the morning. The Burnt Lands near Almonte were particularly active. One of the highlights was having a Grasshopper Sparrow pose for the photographers. Other birds present  were Upland Sandpipers, Indigo Bunting, Field Sparrow and House Wren. Nearby grassy fields also yielded several species including Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark and Wilson’s Snipe.

Daylist:

1. American Bittern
2. Alder Flycatcher
3. American Crow
4. American Goldfinch
5. American Redstart
6. American Robin
7. American Kestrel
8. Barn Swallow
9. Black & White Warbler
10. Black-capped Chickadee
11. Black-crowned Night Heron
12. Blue Jay
13. Bobolink
14. Canada Goose        
15. Cedar Waxwing
16. Chipping Sparrow
17. Clay-colored Sparrow
18. Common Grackle
19. Common Raven
20. Common Tern
21. Common Yellowthroat
22. Double-crested Cormorant
23. Downy Woodpecker
24. Eastern Kingbird
25. Eastern Meadowlark
26. Eastern Phoebe
27. European Starling
28. Field Sparrow
29. Grasshopper Sparrow
30. Great Blue Heron
31. Great-crested Flycatcher
32. Hairy Woodpecker
33. House Finch
34. House Sparrow
35. House Wren
36. Indigo Bunting
37. Killdeer
38. Mallard
39. Mourning Dove
40. Northern Cardinal
41. Northern Flicker
42. Northern Harrier
43. Osprey
44. Purple Finch
45. Purple Martin
46. Red-eyed Vireo
47. Red-winged Blackbird
48. Ring-billed Gull
49. Rock Pigeon
50. Savanna Sparrow
51. Song Sparrow
52. Spotted Sandpiper
53. Swamp Sparrow
54. Tree Swallow
55. Turkey Vulture
56. Upland Sandpiper
57. Veery
58. Warbling Vireo
59. Wilson's Snipe
60. Wood Duck
61. Yellow Warbler

Rose Pagonia, Photo credit Tony Beck

Grass Pink, Photo credit Tony Beck

Thursday June 30

At the end of June, we’re still experiencing dynamic bird activity.

At Petrie Island we had Virginia Rail, Green Heron, American Bittern and Black Tern.

A long drive to the Alfred Lagoons paid off with many good birds such as American Coot, Red Head, Northern Shoveler and Gadwall. The nearby Alfred Bog Board Walk was blooming with several magnificent Orchids, such as Grass Pink and Rose Pagonia. A quick stop at the Cassleman Lagoons produced our first fall migrates - Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper.

Daylist:

1. American Bittern
2. Alder Flycatcher
3. American Black Duck
4. American Coot
5. American Crow
6. American Goldfinch
7. American Robin
8. American Wigeon
9. American Kestrel
10. Baltimore Oriole
11. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
12. Barn Swallow
13. Belted Kingfisher
14. Black Tern
15. Blue Jay
16. Blue-winged teal
17. Bobolink
18. Canada Goose        
19. Cedar Waxwing
20. Common Grackle
21. Common Moorhen
22. Common Raven
23. Common Yellowthroat
24. Double-crested Cormorant
25. Eastern Bluebird
26. Eastern Kingbird
27. Eastern Meadowlark
28. European Starling
29. Gadwall
30. Great Blue Heron
31. Green Heron
32. Green-winged Teal
33. House Sparrow
34. Killdeer
35. Least Sandpiper
36. Lesser Yellowlegs
37. Mallard
38. Merlin
39. Mourning Dove
40. Northern Cardinal
41. Northern Flicker
42. Northern Harrier
43. Northern Shoveler
44. Pied-billed Grebe
45. Pileated Woodpecker
46. Red Head
47. Red-winged Blackbird
48. Ring-billed Gull
49. Rock Pigeon
50. Rough-winged Swallow
51. Ruddy Duck
52. Savanna Sparrow
53. Song Sparrow
54. Spotted Sandpiper
55. Swamp Sparrow
56. Tree Swallow
57. Turkey Vulture
58. Virginia Rail
59. Warbling Vireo
60. White-throated Sparrow
61. Wild Turkey
62. Wilson's Snipe
63. Wood Duck

Milkweed flowers

Widow Skimmer

Indigo Bunting

Saturday July 2

This was a perfect summer day with lots of activity on all levels. We took our time through Larose Forest, where we got Evening Grosbeak, Broad-winged Hawk and another accommodating Indigo Bunting.

Our next stop was the Embrun Lagoons where we saw a most beautiful breeding plumage Eared Grebe - a very rare bird for the Ottawa District. This was a life bird for me.

Daylist:

1. American Bittern
2. American Coot
3. American Crow
4. American Goldfinch
5. American Robin
6. Baltimore Oriole
7. Belted Kingfisher
8. Black & White Warbler
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Blue Jay
11. Bobolink
12. Broad-winged Hawk
13. Cedar Waxwing
14. Chestnut-sided Warbler
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Common Grackle
17. Common Moorhen
18. Common Raven
19. Common Yellowthroat
20. Downy Woodpecker
21. Eared Grebe
22. Eastern Kingbird
23. Eastern Meadowlark
24. European Starling
25. Evening Grosbeak
26. Great Blue Heron
27. Green Heron
28. Green-winged Teal
29. Grey Catbird
30. Horned Lark
31. House Finch
32. House Sparrow
33. Indigo Bunting
34. Killdeer
35. Lesser Scaup
36. Lesser Yellowlegs
37. Magnolia Warbler
38. Mallard
39. Mourning Dove
40. Northern Cardinal
41. Northern Flicker
42. Northern Harrier
43. Ovenbird
44. Pied-billed Grebe
45. Purple Finch
46. Purple Martin
47. Red-breasted Nuthatch
48. Red-tailed Hawk
49. Red-winged Blackbird
50. Ring-billed Gull
51. Rock Pigeon
52. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
53. Ruddy Duck
54. Savanna Sparrow
55. Song Sparrow
56. Spotted Sandpiper
57. Swamp Sparrow
58. Tree Swallow
59. Turkey Vulture
60. Veery
61. Virginia Rail
62. Warbling Vireo
63. White-throated Sparrow
64. Wilson's Snipe
65. Wood Duck
66. Yellow Warbler
67. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
68. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Widow Skimmer

Cedar Waxwing Courtship - Male feeding female with wild strawberries

Sunday July 3

The excitement started with a sighting of a Bonaparte’s Gull at our meeting spot - Ottawa beach.

In the Shirley’s Bay area, the excitement continued with sightings of Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. As the day progressed it became very hot.

A quick stop at Constance Creek produced another lifer for me – Least Bittern.

Our next stop was south-west of the city, near Munster. Here we found Black-billed Cuckoo.

What a great start on the summer program!

Daylist:

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Redstart
5. American Robin
6. Baltimore Oriole
7. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
8. Barn Swallow
9. Belted Kingfisher
10. Black & White Warbler
11. Black-billed Cuckoo
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Black-crowned Night Heron
14. Blue Jay
15. Bonaparte's Gull
16. Brown Thrasher
17. Brown-headed Cowbird
18. Canada Goose        
19. Cedar Waxwing
20. Chestnut-sided Warbler
21. Chipping Sparrow
22. Common Grackle
23. Common Raven
24. Common Tern
25. Common Yellowthroat
26. Double-crested Cormorant
27. Downy Woodpecker
28. Eastern Bluebird
29. Eastern Kingbird
30. Eastern Meadowlark
31. Eastern Phoebe
32. European Starling
33. Field Sparrow
34. Gadwall
35. Grasshopper Sparrow
36. Great Blue Heron
37. Green Heron
38. Gray Catbird
39. House Finch
40. House Sparrow
41. House Wren
42. Killdeer
43. Least Bittern
44. Lesser Scaup
45. Mallard
46. Mourning Dove
47. Northern Cardinal
48. Northern Flicker
49. Osprey
50. Red-eyed Vireo
51. Red-tailed Hawk
52. Red-winged Blackbird
53. Ring-billed Gull
54. Rock Pigeon
55. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
56. Ruddy Duck
57. Savanna Sparrow
58. Song Sparrow
59. Spotted Sandpiper
60. Swamp Sparrow
61. Tree Swallow
62. Turkey Vulture
63. Veery
64. Warbling Vireo
65. White-breasted Nuthatch
66. White-throated Sparrow
67. Wild Turkey
68. Wilson's Snipe
69. Wood Duck
70. Yellow Warbler
71. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Least Bittern

Eastern Cottontail

Tony Beck

All excursions organized by Tony Beck - Always An Adventure