Summer Birding has started!

Tuesday July 3:

The first morning of our Summer Program started at Petrie Island with wonderful weather.

We quickly ventured out to explore the east end of Ottawa.

At Carlsbad Springs we had an entire family of American Kestrels. We also went to Embrun and Casselman Lagoons, where we had the first fall migrants including Least Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs. At Casselman, we had a faded Horned Grebe, a rare bird for early July.

We ended the day with a list of 52 species.

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Northern Shoveler

Anas clypeata

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Horned Grebe

Podiceps auritus

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Common Gallinule/Moorhen

Gallinula galeata

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Rock Pigeon

Columba livia

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Warbling Vireo

Vireo gilvus

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Ovenbird

Seiurus aurocapilla

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Swamp Sparrow

Melospiza georgiana

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Indigo Bunting

Passerina cyanea

Bobolink

Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Thursday July 5:

With a brightly shining sun, and a fresh breeze, we started the day at Andrew Haydon Park.

Just beyond the beach we had some early fall migrants including 4 Bonaparte Gulls.

It was a perfect day to look for migrants and various water birds, so we headed over to the Shirley’s Bay dyke. In the secondary growth of the greenbelt, we found many American Redstarts, including recently-fledged juveniles. From the dyke we saw Green Heron, American Widgeon, Great Egret, Bald Eagle on the nest and Spotted and Least Sandpiper. It was a great day with 64 species of birds.

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

American Wigeon

Anas americana

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Green-winged Teal

Anas crecca

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Great Egret

Ardea alba

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Merlin

Falco columbarius

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Bonaparte’s Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Rock Pigeon

Columba livia

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Warbling Vireo

Vireo gilvus

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

N – Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Wood Thrush

Hylocichla mustelina

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Ovenbird

Seiurus aurocapilla

Black-and-white Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Swamp Sparrow

Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

Purple Finch

Carpodacus purpureus

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Saturday July 7:

Our morning started again at Petrie Island.

It was hot and humid but with a comforting overcast.

We ventured out to the Dignard Constructed Wetland, the Embrun Lagoons and the St. Albert Lagoons. Besides generous helpings of delicious poutine and cheese curds at the St. Albert Cheese Factory, we had the following highlights of the day: Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Common Gallinule chicks, Blue-winged Teal and Green-winged Teals. One of our participants, Ben, got Vesper Sparrow for life. It was a great day with 55 species of birds including many shorebirds.

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Gadwall

Anas strepera

American Black Duck

Anas rubripes

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Blue-winged Teal

Anas discors

Northern Shoveler

Anas clypeata

Green-winged Teal

Anas crecca

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Virginia Rail

Rallus limicola

Common Gallinule/Moorhen

Gallinula galeata

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Rock Pigeon

Columba livia

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Hairy Woodpecker

Picoides villosus

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Common Raven

Corvus corax

N – Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Marsh Wren

Cistothorus palustris

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Vesper Sparrow

Pooecetes gramineus

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Sunday July 8:

This was our last excursion in July before a long break.

And, it turned out to be our best day of birding day of the summer with 66 species.

We started out at Andrew Haydon park, before venturing out to the west end.

Some of the highlights included American Bittern, Red-shouldered Hawk, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Willow Flycatcher and Brown Thrasher. The bird of the day was unmistakably the Pine Siskin, an uncommon summer species.

We’ll be back from Newfoundland in early August!See you then!

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Wilson’s Snipe

Gallinago delicata

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Rock Pigeon

Columba livia

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Alder Flycatcher

Empidonax alnorum

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Warbling Vireo

Vireo gilvus

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Field Sparrow

Spizella pusilla

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Swamp Sparrow

Melospiza georgiana

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Pine Siskin

Spinus pinus

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

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At the end, I would like to post a few images of a very cooperative and handsome Upland Sandpiper I came across the other day.

Cheerio!! :o)