NDG, January 10, 2026

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Common Raven Corvus corax

Common Raven Corvus corax

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Iced-over orchard

Tunnels

-A balmy -2…I overlayered. Very icy out (rained yesterday, followed by a flash freeze overnight) – I did ‘the dance’ a few times.

-11 species in 90 minutes.

-A Common Raven was species #83 for the site (not sure how I never had one there before). It was making odd vocalizations from a tree while an American Crow watched. When the crow departed, the raven flew over to roof to seemingly retrieve some stashed food.

-A European Robin showed up in the east end of Montreal yesterday, Canada’s first, and has caused quite the ruckus. It’s in someone’s front yard in a residential area, and the crowds are huge. I feel queasy in those situations, so I will not be checking it out (too many people, not enough birds). I’ve seen them in Europe, though. Korea, too. Debate rages as to whether or not it was ship-assisted. Neat!

Christmas Bird Count 2025

American Robin Turdus migratorius

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus

House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus

House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus

American Goldfinch Spinus tristis

American Goldfinch Spinus tristis

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

NDG Patch, 8:30-10:00am

-11 species (not 4!) in 90 minutes

-Sunny and -10, colder with the gusts (yesterday saw intense winds, torrential rain, and very warm temps, 12)

House Sparrow-9

European Starling-23

American Crow-4

White-breasted Nuthatch-2

Northern Cardinal-5

American Robin-11

House Finch-7

American Goldfinch-4

Downy Woodpecker-1 heard 

Black-capped Chickadee-8

Rock Pigeon-4

A quick afternoon go-around on Christmas Day saw just 4 species.

Snowbirding NDG

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Found a guerilla suet feeder

-->November 29

-11 species in 90 minutes

-Windy and -4, felt colder…ground hard and frozen…fingers froze in a few gloveless seconds…long johns weather.

-Red-tailed Hawk flyover.

-Dark-eyed Juncos around.

-On the finch front, only American Goldfinch. Not enough conifers around for much else I reckon.

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

-->December 6

-Snowy and cold (-7).

-4 species in a 90-minute tour.

-I’ve been hearing confusing finches overhead…or were they frost spirits?

-->December 13

-Fluff-fluff snowy and cloudy, but sweaty warm, I over-layered (-8 but felt much warmer)

-Only 4 species, reallllly quiet (Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Pigeon).

Black-throated Gray Warbler twitch, Cap-Saint-Jacques, November 22, 2025

Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens

L’attroupement

Black-throated Gray Warbler (The original BTGW) – not a bird I ever expected to see in these parts. This species breeds in the western half of North America and winters down Mexico way, but every year some get mixed up and turn up on the east coast. This individual has been present and very twitchable at Cap-Saint-Jacques for over a week, and was still around when I went for it with George and Harry on Saturday last. Still a decent crowd out, and it was nice to walk around the site after the warbler. Haven’t been up there in a while.