Art Prints

Friday, June 22, 2012

June Birding!


Magnolia Warbler
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Osprey
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Richmond Lagoons
Tuesday June 12:
Under drizzling skies, a small group of enthusiastic birders and photographers met this morning at Andrew Haydon Park. From here we went straight for the Moodie Drive Quarry Ponds where we had Common Tern, Bank Swallow and Belted Kingfisher.
At the Richmond Lagoons, we had great views of Black-billed Cuckoo, Warbling Vireo, Alder and Willow Flycather. In the distance, we could hear the sweet song of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Unfortunately, the rain got slightly heavier. But, we weren’t ready to finish yet.
We went for a short coffee break to dry up, and fulfill our caffeine needs. We ended the day checking out the area of Constance Creek for Virginia Rail and Osprey.
Despite the nasty weather, we had a day list of 56 species.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Common Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Alder Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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Alfred Lagoons
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Alfred Lagoons
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Bill scouting @ Alfred Lagoons
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Alfred Bog
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Soy Bean Field
Thursday June 14:
It was a glorious morning with full sunshine and heat. With the heat came the stillness. Although many animals took cover from the direct sun, we had waterfowl galore at Alfred Lagoons. Some of the species we observed included as Gadwall, American Widgeon, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Common Gallinule, Blue & Green-winged Teals, Virginia Rail and Pied-billed Grebe. Along the periphery of the lagoon, we heard two Soras.
After the lagoons we ventured out to the Alfred Bog where a very eager Vesper Sparrow greeted us near the entrance to the boardwalk. Unfortunately, very few creatures came out into the open and the orchids had passed their prime. In the woodlot at the entrance, we had a cooperative Chestnut-sided Warbler and a White-throated sparrow. In the nearby grassy fields, we had plenty of Bobolinks and a pair of Northern Harriers in courtship.
We ended this awesome day with 55 species. 
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Broad-winged Hawk
Virginia Rail
Sora
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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Common Ringlet, Photo Courtesy Tony Beck
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Scarlet Tanager
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Red Squirrel
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Photo Day @ Stony Swamp
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Stony Swamp
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Stony Swamp
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Photo day participant @ Stony Swamp
Saturday June 16:
The weather was calm and the skies dark when we first met at Stony Swamp for our PHOTO day. But, as the morning progressed, our photo conditions improved.
Photography can be quite challenging inside a forest, so we practiced ISO, shutter and aperture settings. It helped with cooperative wildlife such as a Scarlet Tanager, Black-throated Green Warbler, Wild Turkey and several Eastern Chipmunks and Red Squirrels. We also tried to be a little creative with flowers, insects, scenery, and even people.
Although our focus today was photography, we managed to spot 40 different species of birds. 
Wood Duck
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Wild Turkey
Osprey
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Alder Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Black-thr. Green Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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Great-crested Flycatcher
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Upland Sandpiper
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Sundays Group

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Water Lillie's 
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Bull Frog
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Magnolia Warbler
Sunday June 17:
Our itinerary for the day changed when we discovered that the Gatineau Parkway was closed until 11am. So, instead we decided to head out along the Gatineau Escarpment. But first, we explored the immediate area around the meeting place. Much to our delight, we found a Cedar Waxing pair making a nest. On the way to the Gatineau Escarpment, we stopped at Breckenridge. In the grassy fields we could hear Upland Sandpiper. We were lucky to see at least 5 different individuals flying around.
Then we continued to Luskville where both warblers and insects were many. We had great views of Veery, Indigo Bunting, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Black & White, and Magnolia Warblers. Flying over the creek, we enjoyed several beautiful damselflies known as Ebony Jewelwings.
After a little pit stop, we went for a short hike inside the park. Here we had great views of Magnolia, Blackburnian and Black-throated Blue Warblers. We ended with a day-list of 58 species on this wonderful Father’s Day. 
Canada Goose
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Upland Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-thr. Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Alder Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-thr. Blue Warbler
Black-thr. Green Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch

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Black-crowned Night-Heron
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Oxeye Daisy, Photo courtesy Tony Beck


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