Ovenbirding

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica

  The black flies and the sun were out in Prévost. On our trip to the Alfred-Kelly Nature Reserve, Joey and I were caught off guard by the intense 30 degree heat, and both started to get heat stroke after an hour or so. I stood in the woods at one point and noticed that my brain was no longer performing as expected, and my limbs felt heavier than usual. Thoughts of warblers soon switched to wistful fantasies about ice cold drinks, as my tongue began to dry and swell. We abandoned our birding efforts for the day, and made it out of the sweltering park just in time. We each chugged two bottles of Powerade - crisis averted.
  Before all that transpired, we found a decent selection of warblers, and got a kick out of watching a pair'a Peregrine Falcons repeatedly dive-bomb a pair of Ravens that had the gall to build their nest 50 feet below that of the Peregrines. As always, here are some unapologetically bad record shots of what I saw.

Alfred-Kelly Nature Reserve/Parc des Falaises de Prévost, May 17, 2017
Turkey Vulture-6
Peregrine Falcon-2 nesting on the cliffs
Ruffed Grouse-1
Downy Woodpecker-1
Hairy Woodpecker-1
Northern Flicker-1
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Empid sp.-most likely a Least Flycatcher
Blue Jay-8+
American Crow-4
Common Raven-2 unwisely nesting just below the Peregrines
Barn Swallow-1
Black-capped Chickadee-10+
Red-breasted Nuthatch-2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-3+
American Robin-2
Northern Parula-1 singing in suitable nesting habitat, replete with hanging moss
Chestnut-sided Warbler-3+
Magnolia Warbler-4
Black-throated Blue Warbler-3
Black-throated Green Warbler-3
Yellow-rumped Warbler-3
Black-and-white Warbler-3
Ovenbird-3
Song Sparrow-6
White-crowned Sparrow-1
Rusty Blackbird-1
Common Grackle-4
American Goldfinch-6

Warbler days and Mondays

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus - why are the underparts so peachy?

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

  One of the last fresh spring birding days before a heat wave came through. On arrival at the summit in the early morn, I got caught up in a decent wave of migrants, including a Gray Catbird, two Veery, and a nervous ribbon of warblers. Highlights at the cemetery included my first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the year, an Orange-crowned Warbler on the same branch where one was spotted last May 12th, and a gorgeous Baltimore Oriole ghosting through the trees in F8.

Westmount Summit + (both cemeteries), May 15, 2017
Turkey Vulture-(1)
Ring-billed Gull-1 (2)
Sharp-shinned Hawk-1
Merlin-1
Downy Woodpecker-1 (2)
Hairy Woodpecker-4, including a female showing an unusual peachy wash through the underparts, (2)
Northern Flicker-(2)
Pileated Woodpecker-1 (1)
Great Crested Flycatcher-(1)
Blue-headed Vireo-5+ (4+)
Blue Jay-1 heard (2 heard)
American Crow-5 (9)
Common Raven-(1)
Black-capped Chickadee-6+ (8+)
White-breasted Nuthatch-2 (2)
Red-breasted Nuthatch-2 (2)
House Wren-(1 attending three different nesting sites...decoys?)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-6+ (6+)
Veery-(2)
Eastern Bluebird-(2 singing)
Hermit Thrush-1 (1)
American Robin-3 (6)
Gray Catbird-1 (1)
European Starling-2 near the summit
Nashville Warbler-2 near the summit, (2)
Orange-cronwed Warbler-1 (1 by the cannons)
Chestnut-sided Warbler-3
Black-throated Blue Warbler-4
Black-throated Green Warbler-3+
Yellow-rumped Warbler-(10+)
Black-and-white Warbler-4+
Ovenbird-2 (1)
Warbler sp.-an odd olivey warbler briefly seen in the low trees in L5, possibly trilling like a Chipping Sparrow - I have my theories...
Rose-breasted Grosbeak-(1)
Northern Cardinal-2 (2)
Chipping Sparrow-3 (12+)
Song Sparrow-4 (6)
White-crowned Sparrow-1 (2)
White-throated Sparrow-45+ (large group of 80+ rallying and moving north on Mount Murray)
Dark-eyed Junco-(4)
Baltimore Oriole-(1)
American Goldfinch-6+ (10+)

TGI Parula

Northern Parula Setophaga americana

Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

House Wren Troglodytes aedon

  Felt much birdier today, with the sun out for much of the day. Always great to have a bird like a Northern Parula fill your eyepieces with its amazing technicolor dream-plumes. The Brown Thrasher was also awesome to watch, as it thrashed (as they do) through the leaf litter - an exotic-looking species that somehow 'feels tropical' to me. Time to soak my feet.

Westmount Summit and environs + (both cemeteries), May 12, 2017
Turkey Vulture-(3)
Ring-billed Gull-1 (2)
Downy Woodpecker-2 (3)
Hairy Woodpecker-1 (2)
Northern Flicker-1 (7+)
Eastern Phoebe-1
Blue-headed Vireo-3 (3)
Blue Jay-(7)
American Crow-3 (8)
Black-capped Chickadee-5 (8+)
Brown Creeper-1 (1)
White-breasted Nuthatch-1 (1)
Red-breasted Nuthatch-(1 heard)
House Wren-(2 possibly nesting among dead trees)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-10+ (12+)
Eastern Bluebird-(2 singing)
Hermit Thrush-(6)
American Robin-2 (10+)
Gray Catbird-(1 singing)
Brown Thrasher-(1)
European Starling-1 near the summit
Northern Parula-1
Black-throated Blue Warbler-(1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler-6+ at the summit, 10+ at 'Westmount secret spot, (8+)
Black-and-white Warbler-(1)
Ovenbird-1 heard at summit, 1 behind the Oratory, (1)
Northern Cardinal-2 near the summit, (2)
Chipping Sparrow-2 (20+)
Song Sparrow-1 near the summit, (2)
White-crowned Sparrow-(1 near the feeder)
White-throated Sparrow-9 (25+)
Dark-eyed Junco-1 (6)
American Goldfinch-2 (12+)
House Finch-2 along Summit Circle, 2 near the Oratory

A Veery quiet day out

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

Veery Catharus fuscescens

Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus

  Still unseasonably fresh out, and today felt unseasonably quiet - a definite clear-out underway in the past few days. The summit woods were devoid of migrants, as were the cemeteries - at first.
  At 1:30, everything started up singing all at once, which led to a brief sensory overload.

Westmount Summit + (both cemeteries), May 11, 2017
Great Blue Heron-(1 over Mount Murray)
Turkey Vulture-(3)
Cooper's Hawk-(1)
Peregrine Falcon-(1 in the U de M 'box')
Ring-billed Gull-(1)
Rock Dove-(1 dead near the feeder)
Downy Woodpecker-1 (1)
Hairy Woodpecker-1 (3)
Northern Flicker-1 heard, (8)
Eastern Phoebe-(2)
Great Crested Flycatcher-1 heard
Blue-headed Vireo-(4+ singing)
American Crow-2 (7)
Common Raven-(1 heard)
Black-capped Chickadee-2 (10+)
Brown Creeper-(1)
White-breasted Nuthatch-1 (2)
Red-breasted Nuthatch-(1 heard)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-2 (8+)
Eastern Bluebird-(3)
Veery-(1)
American Robin-2 (7+)
Gray Catbird-(1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler-(3)
Pine Warbler-(1)
Northern Cardinal-1 (2)
Chipping Sparrow-2 (12+)
Song Sparrow-(3)
White-crowned Sparrow-(1)
White-throated Sparrow-6 (25+)
Dark-eyed Junco-(4)
American Goldfinch-3+ (12+)
House Finch-2 along Summit Circle
Purple Finch-(1)

A Veery pleasant day out

Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca

Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus

Veery Catharus fuscescens

Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

  My legs are wrecked. Must...stop...birding. NEVER! It's spring, dammit! Spartaaaa! I'll bird 'til my feet are bleeding nubs! Went out east to check out Mont-Saint-Hilaire with a friend, and it felt much birdier than Mont-Saint-Bruno. Better habitat all around, more streams, scrub, and swampy bits.
  Bird of the day was hands down the Blackburnian Warbler that came in for way closer looks than I've had of any warbler this spring. Intense. I used to think that Narcissus Flycatchers had the baddest plumes around (http://snowyowllost.blogspot.ca/2012/02/narcissus-flycatcher-ficedula.html) - I'm not so sure of that anymore, I'd like to see the two species compete in a strut-off. That would be Hilaire-ious.

Mont-Saint-Hilaire/Gault Nature Reserve, May 9, 2017
(Double-crested Cormorant-4 en route)
(Canada Goose-2 en route)
Mallard-4
Turkey Vulture-6+
Osprey-1
Red-shouldered Hawk-1
(Ring-billed Gull-6 en route)
Barred Owl-1 heard
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-4
Downy Woodpecker-3
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-1 heard
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Eastern Phoebe-1
Great Crested Flycatcher-1 heard
American Crow-3
Common Raven-2
(Tree Swallow-20+ en route)
Black-capped Chickadee-6
White-breasted Nuthatch-4
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
Winter Wren-1 singing and foraging by a stream
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-5+
Veery-2
Hermit Thrush-1 singing
American Robin-2 near the parking lot
(European Starling-6+ en route)
Blackburnian Warbler-1
Black-throated Green Warbler-5 singing
Yellow-rumped Warbler-6+
Pine Warbler-1
Black-and-white Warbler-2
American Redstart-2 males
Song Sparrow-1
Dark-eyed Junco-5+ near the summit
(Red-winged Blackbird-6+ en route)
(Common Grackle-3 en route)
Brown-headed Cowbird-1 singing near the parking lot
American Goldfinch-12+

Snow May

S'no joke

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

  Today's birding perambulations were punctuated by legit snow squalls. It's May 8th. *Wry shrug*

Westmount Summit + (both cemeteries), May 8, 2017
Mallard-(2)
Turkey Vulture-(1)
Cooper's Hawk-(1)
Peregrine Falcon-(1 in the U de M 'box')
Ring-billed Gull-(2)
Downy Woodpecker-4 (2)
Hairy Woodpecker-2 (2)
Northern Flicker-1 (7)
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Eastern Phoebe-1
Great Crested Flycatcher-1
Blue-headed Vireo-6+ (2)
American Crow-3 (10+)
Black-capped Chickadee-6+, with one seen carrying debris from nest cavity, (9 including adult with fledgling)
Brown Creeper-2 (2)
White-breasted Nuthatch-2 at nest cavity (1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-8+ (12+)
Eastern Bluebird-(3)
American Robin-2 (10+)
Gray Catbird-(1 singing near north entrance)
European Starling-1 near the summit
Black-throated Blue Warbler-1 singing
Black-throated Green Warbler-1 singing
Yellow-rumped Warbler-(6+)
Pine Warbler-(1)
Black-and-white Warbler-1
Northern Cardinal-2 (2)
Chipping Sparrow-4 (60+, with a group of at least 40 near HEC)
Song Sparrow-1 (1)
White-throated Sparrow-4 (25+)
American Goldfinch-3+ (6+)
House Finch-3 along Summit Circle

Sweet Paruline

Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens

Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

  Woke at 6 in the A.M. this morn with grand ramblin' plans, but looked out the window and saw steady rains. Unable to get back to sleep, I drank Korean instant coffee tubes and bah humbugged until the rain let up in the late morning. I settled for a quick run up to the Westmount Summit, amid alternating waves of schizo-affective weather - muggy...frigid...brief sunburst...rain squalls...mighty gusts...dead calm. The summit woods were painfully quiet on the first go-round, but thankfully the situation picked up right before I was about to admit defeat and leave in disgust.
  A mewling Great Crested Flycatcher led me to a modest bird wave, that stuck together as it toured the outer edge trails. Warblers were represented by a Black-throated Green, two singing Black-throated Blue, two Nashville, and a pair of Black-and-white Warblers. Also mixed in were at least six Blue-headed Vireos and a coterie of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Black-capped Chickadees, that seemed to be trying to low-key impress the warblers.
  The Dark-eyed Juncos, Hermit Thrushes and most of the White-throated Sparrows seem to have cleared out.

Westmount Summit, May 7, 2017
Great Blue Heron-1 flying northwest over Westmount
Cooper's Hawk-1 low flyby
Peregrine Falcon-(1 in the direction of U de M)
Downy Woodpecker-3
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Eastern Phoebe-2
Great Crested Flycatcher-1 calling
Blue-headed Vireo-6 to 10
American Crow-3
Black-capped Chickadee-6+
Brown Creeper-3
White-breasted Nuthatch-3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-10+
American Robin-1
Nashville Warbler-2
Black-throated Blue Warbler-2
Black-throated Green Warbler-1
Black-and-white Warbler-2
Northern Cardinal-2
Chipping Sparrow-3
White-throated Sparrow-3
American Goldfinch-5+
House Finch-3 along Summit Circle

Bruno mountain high

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

  Went for a hike around Mont-Saint-Bruno with a friend yesterday, and it wasn't overly birdy. I saw a woman with a dopey look on her face hunched over a Canada Goose, trying to stroke it like it was a cat - having a real love and light moment. Is it wrong that I wanted it to bite her in the face?

Mont-Saint-Bruno, May 4, 2017
Double-crested Cormorant-1
Canada Goose-20+ 
Mallard-4
Turkey Vulture-2
Cooper's Hawk-1
Red-shouldered Hawk-2
Broad-winged Hawk-1
American Kestrel-1 en route
Ring-billed Gull-3 en route
Rock Dove-6+ en route
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-2
Downy Woodpecker-4
Hairy Woodpecker-4
Northern Flicker-1 heard
Pileated Woodpecker-2
Alder Flycatcher-1 well seen and heard (early?)
Eastern Phoebe-1
Great Crested Flycatcher-2
Blue Jay-1 heard
American Crow-5
Tree Swallow-12+ en route
Black-capped Chickadee-12
Brown Creeper-3
White-breasted Nuthatch-3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-8
American Robin-2 en route
European Starling-10+ en route
Black-throated Green Warbler-1 heard
Yellow-rumped Warbler-2
warbler sp.- an unidentified song that sounded suspiciously like a Hooded Warbler...but that would be nuts
Chipping Sparrow-8
Song Sparrow-1
Red-winged Blackbird-8 en route
Common Grackle-4 en route
Brown-headed Cowbird-1 singing in the woods
American Goldfinch-12+

WOODCOCK! WOODCOCK!

American Woodcock Scolopax minor

American Woodcock Scolopax minor

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus

Yep, totally not creepy

  It was quite windy this morning, with not much movement in evidence. Things were looking down, until...WOODCOCK!

Westmount Summit + (both cemeteries), May 2, 2017
Mallard-2 circling in front of the Oratory
Turkey Vulture-(1)
Merlin-1 in NDG
Peregrine Falcon-(1 in the U de M 'box')
American Woodcock-(2 in Mount Royal Cemetery)
Downy Woodpecker-3
Hairy Woodpecker-(1 heard)
Northern Flicker-1 (1)
Pileated Woodpecker-(1)
Blue-headed Vireo-2 (1)
American Crow-3 (5)
Common Raven-(1)
Black-capped Chickadee-6+ (5)
White-breasted Nuthatch-1 (2)
Winter Wren-(1 on the slope above the cannons)
Golden-crowned Kinglet-(1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-6+ (10+)
Eastern Bluebird-(3)
American Robin-2 (4)
Nashville Warbler-(1)
(Western) Palm Warbler-(1)
Northern Cardinal-2 (3)
Chipping Sparrow-3 (30+)
Song Sparrow-1 (4)
White-throated Sparrow-5 (20+)
Dark-eyed Junco-2 (12+)
American Goldfinch-1 heard (4+)
House Finch-1 a few blocks south of the Summit