Meh Island

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

Eastern Comma Polygonia comma

Compton Tortoiseshell Nymphalis vaualbum

Domaine St-Paul, Nun’s Island, April 14, 2021

  I’m not a huge fan of the vibe on Nun’s Island. Just a pitiful sliver of highly degraded greenery remains of what used to be one of the premiere birding locations in the Montreal area. Kinda reminded me of parts of Korea in that way. Condos and McMansions loom on all sides of the dying grey forest. Trying to bird while yuppies eyeball you from their swimming pool patios…way to harsh my mellow dude.

  What else sucked? Competing for space on narrow trails with snooty local perambulators, clots of screaming school kids, and bizarre drifter types. And don’t you dare wander to the spa side of the swamp, where the hot-tubs work overtime at boiling the chubby rich. Maybe I was just cranky that day, who knows.

  A bright spot was meeting local birder Marcia Mason, a recently returned Montreal expat…a real character.

  Ended up with 38 species on the day. We didn’t run into the Carolina Wren or Tufted Titmouse, but did encounter the other site celebrities: Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Eastern Screech-Owl. The big-headed Pied-billed Grebes entertained with their goofy calls and water-running.

  My bird of the day was a butterfly — a lifer — Compton Tortoiseshell. Sweet.

  That’s it.

Of Sapsuckers and Butterbutts

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius

American Robin Turdus migratorius

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa

Parc Jean-Drapeau, April 11, 2021

  A solid 6-hour bimble at Parc Jean-Drapeau that featured a little bit of everything, bird-wise — plenty of first-of-year (FOY) birds, and a satisfying bite of early spring. It was a steadily birdy day, with each area of the park offering up a few species. The number 40 was put out there as a vague target to hit, and we came close at 38 species. It would be fun to push for something like 70 in about a month or so. Insert “I’m in!” meme here. I enjoy this slightly dystopian patch — there’s always lots of room there, and new forgotten corners to explore each time.

  The lovely mid-April birding session reminded me that I barely went out last spring. My stupid phone also helped remind me that it was two years ago to the day that I started my epic Yellow Sea island hopping spring jaunt on my sometimes home of Jeju Island. Sigh, to be on those islands again.

  A lone Yellow-rumped Warbler (Butterbutt) was spotted in the ‘Crossbill pines.’ It wasn’t vocalizing, and was hiding within a roiling cauldron of Dark-eyed Juncos, to make things interesting. The first warbler sighting of the year is usually an automatic ‘bird of the day,’ but there was a tie on this day with a bird of prey.

  A small falcon that went flashing past the casino had me thinking Merlin, until I got the bins on it and saw the vivid red-brown mantle and tail of a male American Kestrel. Sweet! First time I’ve ever seen the species so close to town.

  Lesser avian highlights included ‘all the sparrows,’ several Great Blue Herons showing the flashy nuptial plumes and bright breeding bill of the season, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker making fresh sap-holes (I liked how the pattern across its back mirrored the holes on the tree), and owl pellets found in several spots.

  Several Mourning Cloak (and a quick look at what was surely an Eastern Comma) were spotted when the sun punched through the haze.

  In other news, I’m officially paranoid about ticks, so I just ordered a bunch of crap that will hopefully keep me unticked.

Plus ça change...

...plus c'est la même chose. I believe the time is right to bring droopy red sweatpants back to the birding scene.

Boisé Ste-Dorothée, Laval, March 10, 2021

American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus

  Lovely double-digit weather out for a ramble around Laval’s Boisé Ste-Dorothée, with 16 species logged. No owls were encountered, but it was nice knowing they were around. American Tree Sparrows were out in force — both singing from the tops of, and skulking under, the bushes. A Meadow Vole on a rubber band entertained as it repeatedly popped out of a strategically placed burrow entrance right under a feeder station.

Rock the Monocs

  Here I am rocking my ersatz travel-sized optics (they’re not broken binoculars…they’re monoculars!) at LaSalle’s Parc des Rapides, way back in the late 80s. Note the all-wood, semi-portable quad-pod, for added stability. From the dim/baffled expression I’m wearing, I reckon I’m probably trying to figure out gulls. I still am. This may or not have been on the PQSPB trip where I took the world’s first digi-scope picture ever. EVER!

  P.S. Extra points have been given for the Crayon Pop bike helmet.

  P.P.S. I dream-quest visions of something super rare turning up in the cemeteries in the very near future. Along the fence-line.

Raretés hivernales

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

female Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

male Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Current mood

Secret path

Parc Jean-Drapeau, March 3, 2021

  A lovely winter’s day for a long afternoon bimble round Parc Jean-Drapeau. Loads of Northern Cardinals were out and about, and well-dispersed, with a conservative count of 20. Eight White-winged Crossbills drew a crowd as they fed in tall pines north of the Jardins des Floralies.

  ‘Raretés hivernales’ came in the form of a White-throated Sparrow (near P5) and a Hermit Thrush (near the Watersports Pavillion), both shy and skulky. Not mind-blowing records, but interesting to see a few summery birds sticking it out through Montreal’s wicked wacky winter. First-of-year birds included Canada Geese (5) and a Ring-billed Gull.

  Ended with 18 species on the day, in spite of numerous ‘easy’ species missed. All in all, a lively little patch, I’ll try to check it out in spring this time.