Weekend Birding 2-3 April 2011

Pussy Willow

Winter lingers on, and we’re still feeling its icy grip.

Nevertheless, birds are arriving, buds are blooming and Crocus’s are seeing the light of day.

And, we are out there watching it all happen.

We explored the Jack Pine Trail on Saturday and as all the chickadees and nuthatches were on territory preparing for the breeding season the trail itself was very quiet.

But, there are always birds which demand to be fed.

Even the Chipmunks popped up after winters hibernation looking at you with their cute little faces.

The ice covered ponds have slowly cracked open inviting all manner of waterfowl.

Northern Cardinals are singing their beautiful song from the tree tops while Brown Creepers run up the tree-trunks searching for food. Their high pitched ‘sree’ note rings throughout the forest.

Everywhere along the trail, American Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds are in a constant choir with Blue Jays. 

A trail hike is absolutely refreshing and soul soothing.

Saturday we had 31 different species:

1. Canada Goose        
2. Mallard
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Ring-billed Gull
5. Rock Pigeon
6. Blue Jay
7. American Crow
8. Common Raven
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. American Robin
11. European Starling
12. Song Sparrow
13. Red-winged Blackbird
14. Common Grackle
15. American Goldfinch
16. Turkey Vulture
17. Hairy Woodpecker
18. Downy Woodpecker
19. Common Goldeneye
20. Brown Creeper
21. White-breasted Nuthatch
22. Mourning Dove
23. Dark-eyed Junco
24. Killdeer
25. Herring Gull
26. Great Black-backed Gull
27. Northern Harrier
28. Cackling Goose
29. Common Merganser
30. American Black Duck
31. Northern Pintail

Female breeding Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa)

After the excursion Saturday, Tony and I stopped along the Ottawa River.

We had a great time playing with some Ring-billed Gulls which left their autograph on my jacket.

I also finally got to photograph the ever-so-magnificent Wood Duck.

Male breeding Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa)

At the beginning of April, almost all the winter birds have left us. A few redpolls are still flying around.

And on Sunday in Britannia we were surprised with a flock of 30 Bohemian Waxwings.

We also had an early adult Black-crowned Night Heron, in addition to an adult Coopers Hawk.

The Ottawa River is opening up fast, bearing promises of bird action on the water. We can’t wait!

Song Sparrows are flying from shrub to shrub along the shoreline while American Goldfinches are getting more and more yellow each day that passes.

We are on the brim of an explosion of life, not only avian, but all life forms.

Sunday’s species list as follows:

1. Canada Goose        
2. Mallard
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Ring-billed Gull
5. Rock Pigeon
6. Blue Jay
7. American Crow
8. Common Raven
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. American Robin
11. European Starling
12. American Tree Sparrow
13. Song Sparrow
14. Northern Cardinal
15. Red-winged Blackbird
16. Common Grackle
17. American Goldfinch
18. House Sparrow
19. Bohemian Waxwing
20. Turkey Vulture
21. Hairy Woodpecker
22. Downy Woodpecker
23. Common Goldeneye
24. Brown Creeper
25. White-breasted Nuthatch
26. Mourning Dove
27. Killdeer
28. Herring Gull
29. Common Merganser
30. American Black Duck
31. Coopers Hawk
32. Hooded Merganser
33. Ring-necked Duck
34. Lesser Scaup
35. Tree Swallow
36. Black-crowned Night Heron
37. White-throated Sparrow

Excursion organized by Tony Beck - Always An Adventure