Warblers 9

Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens

Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea

Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea
(It's all about those tail markings)

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

Northern Parula Setophaga americana

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla
(Honestly!)

Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca
(I swear!)

Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus

Brown Creeper Certhia americana

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
('Yellow-shafted')

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

The blue super moon from a few weeks back

‘Quiet Place’ in NDG, September 16, 2023

  Best birding day by far at a local patch I check from time to time. I always knew this location had the potential to absorb some ‘migratory shrapnel’ from Mount Royal, and today was finally that day. It was a lovely 21 degrees and sunny out, and last night’s migration radars were glowing white-hot (George was right!).

  The trees were absolutely dripping with warblers, most of which were personal firsts for the site. Nine species were recorded: Tennessee, Nashville, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Yellow-rumped, Bay-breasted, and Black-and-white. The most numerous warbler species on the day were Black-throated Green and Bay-breasted, with 6-10+ of each.

Also of note:

-A Least Flycatcher and two Eastern Phoebes

-At least three Philadelphia Vireos

-Carpets of White-throated Sparrows spread throughout — a conservative count of 100

-A female-type Scarlet Tanager

-A dozen or so Northern Flickers

-A nice round total of 30 species logged in 2.5 hours

-A couple of mystery birds were left on the table

-And I got a bug in the eye

-The end

More scribblings of late

  Here are the last few stories I wrote (or edited/compiled in the case of the Encyclopedia ones) for Bettersleep. So boring, they put you right to sleep!

  As always, I’ve also got a bunch of other top-secret projects that I’m working on like a busy bee.

Parc de l'Honorable-George-O'Reilly, Verdun, August 9, 2023

Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina

Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina
(Known as 'Tigered Warbler' in French - I like it)

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
with Ring-billed Gulls Larus delewarensis

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

  A couple of hours at the Verdun waterfront with George, birding and exchanging constipation jokes. Two Caspian and several Common Terns shared the rocks with legions of gulls. Distant peeps puzzled (Spotted and probably Least Sandpiper).

  Near the street, we got stuck under a lovely two-tree warbler wave. Well, it was ‘warblers and friends.’ A dervish of American Redstart, Yellow, Bay-breasted, Cape May, and Yellow-rumped Warblers was packed into just two trees, it was awesome. They were in the company of Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, as well as numerous young Chipping Sparrows and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Is it early for warblers to be moving? I have no idea. Feels early. Seems there was a good variety of warblers at the M-R Cemetery today too. I got a touch of the warbler neck. Ended with 30 species.

  In other news, I believe that my insane Czar Nicholas II moustache has been having its desired affect: it seems to prevent folks from sidling up to me when I'm birding and asking "Have you seen the cranes/eagles/woodpeckers?"

Mont-Saint-Bruno, August 1, 2023

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
(juvenile, eating a grape)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis

White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus

Northern Pearly-eye Enodia anthedon

Northern Pearly-eye Enodia anthedon

Millipede sp.

Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis

Lovely bit of productive forest edge habitat

Stuff(ed)

Sturgeon moon

  Went for a sunny (weather has cooled and cleared lately after weeks of heat and wild fire haze), lazy bimble around the mountain with the Scottsman yesterday, and encountered 32 bird species. The old orchard forest edge area had the feel of a nursery, with young birds of several species mingling down low under the watchful eyes of numerous adult birds perched in treetops (notably Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak).

  Also notable were a Tufted Titmouse (heard), and at least a dozen Cedar Waxwings moving around restlessly.

  A Northern Pearly-eye landed on Scott’s head at the end of the walk.

  From the Kaufman field guide: Locally common near rocky creeks and clearings in deciduous woods. Pearly-eyes fly fast in the shadows, perch on tree trunks. They visit mud, sap, even carrion, but not flowers.

P.S. Shut up, knees.

Blues on Shoes

European Common Blue Polyommatus icarus

European Common Blue Polyommatus icarus

European Common Blue Polyommatus icarus

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus

  The other day, I was reading a book and sipping a Maxim in the park when a European Common Blue landed on my hand. It stayed there for about 15 minutes. In a Snow White move, I was able to transfer it to the other hand. I noticed it was licking me with its proboscis.

  European Common Blues were only first discovered in the past decade in Québec. They were found by an amateur lepidopterist near Mirabel airport, so it’s more than likely they first came off a cargo plane. Neat. They’ve established themselves firmly in Québec since then.

  Flashback to my last weekend in Seoul. I was enjoying an outdoor meal with friends when a Holly Blue landed on my leg. It kept flying back and forth between my shoe and leg. This one was also licking me with its tickly proboscis. The moral of this tale? I guess I’m salty and delicious.