Brown Thrasher, Prévost, Quebec, June 21, 2014

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

  While staying at a friend's house in Prévost the other day, I had the pleasure of finally catching up with a Brown Thrasher - a species I've somehow managed to miss until now. Quite a striking bird to look at. I got long looks at it hopped around the edge of the garden and foraged in the scrub. Later it just lingered in a tree with an insect in its mouth - perhaps reluctant to reveal its nearby nest?
  My friend told me that last year a cat raided a Brown Thrasher nest (they nest on the ground) in his yard and killed the young.

Morgan Arboretum, Montreal, June 18, 2014

White Admiral Limenitis arthemis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus

Mystery rump (terrible picture, I know)

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

  A quick jaunt through the Morgan Arboretum with Dan turned into a grim death march, thanks to the clouds of voracious and merciless mosquitoes. When we weren’t waving our swollen hands around like idiots in a vain effort to fend off the mozzies, we managed to get decent looks at a few cracking summer birds. In addition to the birds listed below, we heard an interesting bird call coming from the dense treetop foliage. To my ears, it most sounded like a (Eurasian) Grey Nightjar, only slower (listen to the ‘call’, second from the top):  http://www.xeno-canto.org/explore?query=grey+nightjar What sounds like this in North America? Any input is most welcome. 

  Bird(s) of the day - Matt: Common Yellowthroat, Dan: Indigo Bunting.

Turkey Vulture – 1

Chimney Swift - 5

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 2 briefly but well seen

Hairy Woodpecker - 2

Eastern Wood-Pewee – 2 heard

Red-eyed Vireo - 1

American Crow - 4

Black-capped Chickadee – 10+

White-breasted Nuthatch - 2

American Robin – 4+

Yellow Warbler – 2 heard, perhaps

Common Yellowthroat – 1 gorgeous and confiding male checked us out closely

Indigo Bunting – 1 cracking male calling from a treetop

Northern Cardinal - 2

Chipping Sparrow – 12+

Song Sparrow - 7

Red-winged Blackbird – 6+

Common Grackle - 3

American Goldfinch – 10+

*Update:
The butterfly was a White Admiral, and the strange nightjar-like call belonged in fact to an Eastern Chipmunk. Thanks BPQers for the input.

Montreal Merlin, June 10, 2014

 

Merlin Falco columbarius

Merlin Falco columbarius

  This Snowy Owl has migrated back to Montreal for a bit, and it's great to be home! I went for a wander around Westmount the other day, and spotted a cracking Merlin near the Oratory. Is it common to see Merlins in Montreal? No clue, ha ha, I've been in Korea for way too long.

Seogwipo, Jeju, June 1, 2014

Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha

Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha

Black Paradise Flycatcher (Japanese Paradise Flycatcher) Terpsiphone atrocaudata

Black Paradise Flycatcher (Japanese Paradise Flycatcher) Terpsiphone atrocaudata

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Striated Heron Butorides striata

juvenile Varied Tit Sittiparus varius

juvenile Varied Tit Sittiparus varius

  At a relatively undisturbed (yet) spot near town, three individual Fairy Pittas (or maybe two pairs) called from the treetops, mostly unseen. One of them had a strange three-note call, instead of the more familiar two-note call. Listen here:
https://soundcloud.com/mat-poll/fairy-pitta-triple-call

  Two Northern Boobook called from nearby, but remained frustratingly out of sight. It was hard to hear other birds at times over the manic refrain of the Common and Lesser Cuckoos. A pair each of secretive Yellow-rumped Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Bunting fed busily and appeared to be bringing food back to nests. Great, Long-tailed, and Varied Tits (including some interesting grey-bellied juveniles) were also seen, as well as a White-backed Woodpecker. At least three pairs of Japanese Paradise Flycatchers were active and vocal along the trail, giving some good views. Elsewhere around Seogwipo, I’ve found a further four pairs on different stream beds.

  Back in town, a Striated Heron (perhaps the same individual that has been overwintering in this park) paced the bank of a stream in a park. Last week in the same park I saw a pair of Asian Brown Flycatchers that were acting like there was maybe a nest nearby.

  Last night I heard a Fairy Pitta calling from the stream behind my apartment at about 2 a.m. It was heading north towards Halla Mountain. I heard a similar late-night phenomenon on June 6^th of last year – is this stream a nocturnal highway for fresh-in Fairy Pittas?