Vireo or cranes

14 October 2007

With news of a White –eyed Vireo being seen off the east end of Montreal, a place called Ile Charron, the choice was, do we trek across town to suffer disappointment or should we cruise out west, beyond the sacred Quebec boundary to try for a flock of Sandhill Cranes (not even a year tick but great birds) and a possible Canada tick, Eared (a.k.a Black-necked) Grebe. Small bird potentially in a bush, big birds almost certainly in a field. After a few seconds agonising, we went west.

The light was again ‘autumnal’ that is to say grey but the birds were there, 45 or so in one field and fairly close to the road. The cranes were a bit skittish and gradually made their way to the back of the field but we enjoyed good views of adults and their young, delving into the soft earth of the ex cornfield.

Our next stop was Alfred Sewage Lagoons. Oh how I (and many others) wish this was in Quebec. The place always has birds with many often tough to find species for Quebec.

This trip was to see the Eared Grebes that had been there for a few days and we saw four in all. Seeing them was pretty easy thanks to the tower erected outside the lagoons. If anyone from the Quebec authorities ever reads this: We parked in the FREE car park especially constructed for the viewing tower. We walked the path to the EXCELLENT viewing tower constructed for OBSERVING BIRDS. And we were able to enjoy the Ruddy ducks, Northern Harriers and assorted other wildlife without having to dodge skaters, dogs, push chairs, cyclists or any of the other many irritations that all Quebec sites seem to be designed for. It was a pleasure to be able to think that this was constructed for us, the birders. If we had this type of thing at all sewage works there would be no need to trespass.

Once back in Quebec we stopped off on the L’anse at Vaudreuil where 80+ Dunlin, 25 Black-bellied Plovers, 15 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 2 Ruddy Turnstones and a White-rumped Sandpiper awaited. I also had a not unusual experience there which hones the point made above.

I was watching the Dunlin and paying close attention to their moult, when a woman with child passed me. I was on the bank by the road clearly watching the birds (through a telescope!). She climbed down the bank on to the mud with the child and walked out to the birds, naturally scaring them away. I’m sure it was not done with malice, she was just displaying a tendency that many here seem to have and that is absolutely no awareness of anyone else and what they might be doing or whether their actions might impact on others.

If you think I am overplaying this, think of how many times you have had people flush birds that you have carefully stalked, or where you have been watching something only for the loud voices (and coats) to appear and march past you in blissful ignorance.

Anyway, reading this, all I seem to do is complain, it must be something to do with advancing age!