Black-crowned Crepuscular Heron

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

 Wood Duck dabbling

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned Night Heron preening

Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea with an odd pink bill, probably from fruit

Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum

  Being a nutter, I went back to Île Sainte-Bernard in the vainest of hopes that the “Warbler sp.” could be rediscovered four days after the fact. It wasn’t, of course, but plenty of other birds were out and about (cracked 60 species). Incidentally, three Connecticut Warblers were spotted just north of Montreal (September 5-6) lately. I suspect they’re an overlooked species.
  The Monarchs were also gone – not a single one spotted. No frogs either, weird. I love Île Sainte-Bernard, but I’d forgotten about those raucous weekend crowds. Yikes. Hey hey, that colder weather is coming in. It’s almost as if the seasons are changing. There was a good selection of woodpeckers out, collect them all. It was entertaining to try to pick through the wide array of Wood Duck plumages that were on display.
  A crepuscular stakeout in the swamp was as pleasing to undertake as it is to say. Crepuscular. Cre-pus-cu-lar. Say it. There was a lot of bird activity going on past sundown, including a surprise Snow Goose flyover, and warblers (and others) heading to roost - or waking up. 
  Two confiding juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons were a blast to watch, as they swooped in close and set up their own crepuscular stakeouts. For comic relief, an older birder dude came by and refused to believe my ID.

  “No no NO. It’s some kind of bittern. Look at it!”

  “I looked at it, it’s a Black-crowned Night Heron.” 

  “No no, there’s no way.”

  “Here, look in my field guide.”

  “Harumph.”

Reserve Faunique Marguerite-D’Youville, Île Sainte-Bernard, Châteauguay, September 9, 2018
Common Loon-1
Double-crested Cormorant-2
Great Blue Heron-3
Great Egret-3
Snow Goose-12
Canada Goose-1
Wood Duck-10
Mallard-20+
American Black Duck-2
Green-winged Teal-3
Turkey Vulture-2
Cooper’s Hawk-1
(Virginia Rail-1 possibly heard at dusk)
Spotted Sandpiper-1
Ring-billed Gull-70+, most at dusk in the orchard
Herring Gull-1
Great Black-backed Gull-1
Mourning Dove-1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1
Belted Kingfisher-1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-3
Red-bellied Woodpecker-1
Downy Woodpecker-10
Hairy Woodpecker-5
Northern Flicker-1
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Eastern Wood Pewee-5
Alder Flycatcher-1
Least Flycatcher-1
Eastern Kingbird-1 dusk flyby
Warbling Vireo-5+
Red-eyed Vireo-5
Blue Jay-5
American Crow-2
Black-capped Chickadee-30+
Brown Creeper-1
Tufted Titmouse-2
White-breasted Nuthatch-15+
Red-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Wren-2
Swainson’s Thrush-2
America Robin-3
Gray Catbird-3
Cedar Waxwing-2
European Starling-1
Tennessee Warbler-2
Magnolia Warbler-4
Yellow-rumped Warbler-1
Pine Warbler-1 near Pointe Nord
Blackpoll Warbler-2
Common Yellowthroat-1
Scarlet Tanager-1 female-type
Northern Cardinal-10+
Song Sparrow-20+
Swamp Sparrow-1
White-throated Sparrow-1 at dusk near the entrance
Baltimore Oriole-1
Red-winged Blackbird-4
Common Grackle-6+
American Goldfinch-6+