Last of Fall Birding...

Male Red Crossbill

 Male Red Crossbill

 Male Red Crossbill

Winter morning at Petrie Beach

Giroux Ponds

Tuesday Nov. 22:

The morning at Petrie Island, was sunny, calm and cool. Shallow waters around the area were frozen. It was totally quiet with only a few birds.

Nevertheless, this day became a memorable one for me.

At Milton Road we had 25 Sandhill Cranes. In the area of Casselman dump we had 2 juvenile Iceland Gulls among hundreds of Herring Gulls, with a 150 Snow Geese flying overhead.

Red-tailed Hawks were a common sight throughout the day!

Several raptors were around including Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, plus many Rough-legged Hawks, both light & dark morphs included. At St. Isidor we had our first of 2 Snowy Owls for the day! It was a spectacular sight! And at the Giroux ponds we had around 8000 Canada Geese, which just continued to come in when we were leaving. And finally at Frank Kenny Road, Tony spotted the second female Snowy Owl far into a field. And that one made # 241 on my Ottawa list! What a day!

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. Bald Eagle
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Blue Jay
7. Cackling Goose
8. Canada Goose       
9. Common Merganser
10. Coopers Hawk
11. European Starling
12. Great Black-backed Gull
13. Great Blue Heron
14. Green-winged Teal
15. Herring Gull
16. Hooded Merganser
17. House Finch
18. Iceland Gull
19. Mallard
20. Northern Harrier
21. Red-breasted Merganser
22. Red-tailed Hawk
23. Ring-billed Gull
24. Rock Pigeon
25. Rough-legged Hawk
26. Sandhill Crane
27. Snow Bunting
28. Snow Goose
29. Snowy Owl
30. White-breasted Nuthatch

Jack Pine Trail

Feeding my Chickadee

White Tailed Deer

Red-tailed Hawk, Photo courtesy Bill Bowman

Thursday Nov. 24:

We woke up to a snow covered Ottawa. It was damp and mild with a gray overcast sky.

We met at Jack Pine Trail were we hiked our usual loop. Chickadees were abundant but amongst them, at the first boardwalk, a lingering Song Sparrow was seen.

The urge for a Snowy Owl made us hit the road. We first stopped at Burnside Pit where we had Snow Geese and Canada Geese included a hybrid. Surprisingly, we also had Ruddy Ducks and a Great Blue Heron. Behind the dump we spotted many Greater and 3 Lesser Backed Gulls.

Searching around the Richmond area, we had our gorgeous Snowy Owl. The 3rd this week!

Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks were seen everywhere along our route. To our delight, we saw a beautiful adult Peregrine Falcon at Eagleson Road and Hwy. 417.

Checking out Shirley Bay boat launch, we had many species of water fowl. And to our absolute pleasure, the Bald Eagle pair bonding a few weeks ago, was still there, guarding their nest.

Leaving the area we had two Northern Shrikes, an adult and a juvenile.

It was a great day birding!

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Tree Sparrow
5. Bald Eagle
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Blue Jay
8. Brown Creeper
9. Bufflehead
10. Cackling Goose
11. Canada Goose       
12. Common Goldeneye
13. Common Loon
14. Common Merganser
15. Common Raven
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Downy Woodpecker
18. European Starling
19. Great Black-backed Gull
20. Great Blue Heron
21. Hairy Woodpecker
22. Herring Gull
23. Hooded Merganser
24. Lesser Black-backed Gull
25. Lesser Scaup
26. Mallard
27. Mourning Dove
28. Northern Shrike
29. Peregrine Falcon
30. Red-breasted Nuthatch
31. Red-tailed Hawk
32. Red-winged Blackbird
33. Ring-billed Gull
34. Ring-necked Duck
35. Rock Pigeon
36. Rough-legged Hawk
37. Ruddy Duck
38. Snow Bunting
39. Snow Goose
40. Snowy Owl
41. Song Sparrow
42. White-breasted Nuthatch

Plaque at the Visitor Centre.

Algonquin Park

Gray Jay

Content participants

Black-backed Woodpecker

Photographing the Black-backed Woodpecker

Scenery, Photo courtesy Paul Levesque

Pine Marten, Photo courtesy Mary Sarumi

Red Crossbills, Photo courtesy Jaliya Rasaputra

Gray Jay, Photo courtesy Roger Cobbledick

Photographing Spruce Grouse in a tree

Spruce Grouse

Spruce Grouse, Photo courtesy Paul Levesque

Scenery at Algonquin Park

Ruffed Grouse, Photo courtesy Roger Cobbledick

Roger photographing the Ruffed Grouse

Dream Catcher Motel

Sunday morning leaving

Sat/Sun. Nov. 26-27 – Algonquin weekend excursion:
We had an excellent weekend birding the Hwy. 60 corridor of Algonquin Park.

Saturday’s highlights were the following:

3 male Spruce Grouse -  1 along Arowhon Road, and two along the Railway Bed, east of Arowhon.

1 male Black-backed Woodpecker along the Railway Bed, east of Arowhon.

3 Boreal Chickadees in a flock of several Black-capped Chickadees near the chain over the Railway Bed, east of Arowhon. 1 Northern Shrike in the swamp at Wolf Howl Pond. 12 Red Crossbills along Hwy 60, at KM 41. We witnessed a very interesting behavior as the Crossbills are attracted to decaying wood that might be a source of ash and calcium. They seek minerals from various sources that probably assist in the digestion of conifer seeds (see picture series under).

And, 5 Gray Jays were highly visible along the Railway Bed, east of Arowhon, plus 2 more along Opeongo Lake Road and 1 at the East Gate.

Several finches kept flying high overhead throughout the day. Most were Common Redpoll, including a flock of about 40. Others include several individual White-winged Crossbills, and two Pine Siskin.

A Pine Martin at the Visitor's Centre Bird Feeder was a bonus. 

Highlights on Sunday included:

2 Ruffed Grouse, one at the Visitor's Centre Bird Feeder and another along Opeongo Lake Road.

1 Boreal Chickadee along the Spruce Bog Boardwalk. 1 Northern Shrike along Opeongo Lake Road.

Gray Jays were encountered along the Spruce Bog Boardwalk and the Logging Museum Trail.

6 River Otter in the pond of the Logging Museum Trail was another bonus.

Total weekend list of 31 species:

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Kestrel

Black-backed Woodpecker

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Boreal Chickadee

Canada Goose       

Common Loon

Common Merganser

Common Raven

Common Redpoll

Dark-eyed Junco

Downy Woodpecker

European Starling

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Gray Jay

Hairy Woodpecker

Hooded Merganser

House Sparrow

Northern Shrike

Pileated Woodpecker

Pine Siskin

Red Crossbill

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-tailed Hawk

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Ruffed Grouse

Sprouse Grouse

White-winged Crossbill

Red Crossbills

Red Crossbills

Red Crossbills

Red Crossbills

Red Crossbill, Photo courtesy Tony Beck

The last week’s birding has given us great treasures like Cedar & Bohemian Waxwings, Bald & Golden Eagle, Ruddy Duck, over 60.000 Snow Geese, American Kestrel, 46 Sandhill Cranes, Great Blue Heron, Peregrine Falcon, Common Redpoll, Northern Harrier and my latest life bird: Canvasback, to mention a few. A list for each day is posted under.

STAY TUNED FOR THE WINTER PROGRAM!!

60.000 Snow Geese in Ontario, Dec. 4th 2011 - filmed with a P300 by me

Snow Geese, Photo courtesy Tony Beck

Field of Snow Geese, Photo courtesy Josh McCullough

Photo courtesy Josh McCullough

Photo courtesy Helena G. 

Tuesday Nov. 29:
American Black Duck

American Crow

American Goldfinch

Bald Eagle

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Cackling Goose

Canada Goose       

Common Merganser

European Starling

Great Blue Heron

Hairy Woodpecker

Herring Gull

Mallard

Red-tailed Hawk

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Rough-legged Hawk

Sandhill Crane

Wild Turkey

Thursday Dec. 1:

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Robin

American Tree Sparrow

American Kestrel

Bald Eagle

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Bohemian Waxwing

Canada Goose       

Cedar Waxwing

Common Raven

Common Redpoll

Downy Woodpecker

European Starling

Golden Eagle

Hairy Woodpecker

Hooded Merganser

House Sparrow

Mourning Dove

Northern Cardinal

Northern Shrike

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-tailed Hawk

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Rough-legged Hawk

Snow Bunting

Wild Turkey

Saturday Dec. 3:

American Black Duck

American Crow

American Robin

American Tree Sparrow

Bald Eagle

Black Scoter

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Bufflehead

Cackling Goose

Canada Goose       

Common Goldeneye

Common Loon

Common Merganser

Common Raven

Downy Woodpecker

European Starling

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Blue Heron

Herring Gull

Hooded Merganser

House Finch

House Sparrow

Lesser Scaup

Mallard

Mourning Dove

Northern Shrike

Peregrine Falcon

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-tailed Hawk

Ring-billed Gull

Ring-necked Duck

Rock Pigeon

Rough-legged Hawk

Ruddy Duck

Snow Bunting

Snow Goose

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-winged Scoter

Sunday Dec. 4th:

American Black Duck

American Crow

American Goldfinch

American Robin

American Tree Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Bufflehead

Cackling Goose

Canada Goose       

Canvasback

Common Goldeneye

Common Loon

Common Merganser

Common Raven

European Starling

Gadwall

Gloucous Gull

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Great Black-backed Gull

Great Blue Heron

Green-winged Teal

Hairy Woodpecker

Herring Gull

Hooded Merganser

Horned Lark

Iceland Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Scaup

Mallard

Mourning Dove

Northern Harrier

Northern Shrike

Purple Finch

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-winged Blackbird

Ring-billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Rough-legged Hawk

Sandhill Crane

Snow Bunting

Snow Goose

White-breasted Nuthatch

Wild Turkey

Wood Duck

All Excursions organized by ~ Always An Adventure