Warbler quest

January 4th 2007 and I took an approved day off work in order to see the Black-throated Grey Warbler that has been on I'le Ste-Helene in downtown Montreal since November.

Setting off early and taking a tortuous route along the south shore, I tried to locate a Yellow-headed Blackbird at St-Timothee without luck. My next stop was at Chateguay for the recently resident Red-bellied Woodpeckers, this time my luck was better although the one I saw stayed well out of camera range.

On to I'le Ste-Helene and eventually I saw the warbler as it showed very well around the bottom of young conifers, many thanks to Peter for taking the trouble to check back where the bird had been seen recently and where I was stood wondering where everyone had gone.

My next port of call was Chambly Basin and, after a bit of manouvering, I managed to find one of the White-fronted Geese which visit with the Canada Goose flock. I missed a Cackling Goose there but I usually find a few each year anyway so I'm not worried.

I spent the rest of the day searching for the Yellow-headed Blackbird, no luck again but a Common Grackle and three Red-winged Blackbirds were present.

Now the photos:

















Feeding very actively.



































Different light.

















Cardinals were in full song.
















This Red-tailed Hawk shot is from 31-12-06, it seems to show Characteristics of harlani.


















A nice Downy Woodpecker.

















Black-capped Chickadee, always busy and noisy.

The outs and ins of a Saw-whet's digestive system

As promised, a series of photos of a Northern Saw-whet Owl, first of all divesting itself of its previous meal, then, taking part in a little light convenience snacking.

The photos were taken at Boucherville south-east of Montreal on January 1st 2007.

Those with a delicate stomach should look away now!
























Feeling a little bilious























Definitely something on its way
























Brings a lump to your throat























Now I know how the cat in Shrek felt, a bit more serious than furballs























Got it, better out than in























Enjoy photographing my discomfort did you?























Now, lunch!






















You can't beat a tasty mouse picnic























I should have bit its legs off first























Nearly got it, one more good glug
























Just like eating pasta

Down you go

























It really is rather unseemly you know

Three owl day

January 1st 2007 dawned with entertaining conditions under tyre. Ice rain starting around midnight had made our drive and the local roads quite slippery, would this stop the Big Year quest from getting off the ground, nope!

My cunning plan is to try to see all of the rarer species and not chase birds that I will see in the normal course of a year. To this end we started in Montreal on I'le Ste-Helene trying to see a Black-throated Grey Warbler. Two hours of searching had added a few species to the year list but not the warbler, time to move on.

Next was an owl stop. A small patch of trees near Boucherville, south-east of Montreal, attracts roosting owls. This winter it was Long-eared and Northern Saw-whet on offer so we arrived in high hopes that we could find them. After ten minutes or so I spotted a photographer and, sure enough, there was the Northern Saw-whet, nine feet off the ground and steadfastly ignoring the boring birders. The bird then proceeded to boff up a pellet then eat its tenaciously gripped meal, a mouse, more on this tomorrow when I have time to edit my shots. In the very next tree was a Long-eared Owl, confident that we could not see it, we could.

We moved on to Chambly Basin, a large body of water partially surrounded by rich people. Fortunately someone had the foresight to created a parking point and over-view so I was able to scan the waves for Greater White-fronted Geese. Many scans later I came to the conclusion that the geese were absent today, compensation was four species of sawbill so I was happy (ish).

Next we tried for a Yellow-headed Blackbird, the third in our trio of rare targets. By now a pattern was evident and we did not see the bird, we did enjoy magnificent views of Pileated Woodpecker though, and the site is re-visitable so I'm not sweating it.

Last off we dropped in to see one of our local Snowy Owls. The bird was squating down on a low silo but we got it and, later, an out of season Northern Harrier.

The day ended on 39 species, modest by European standards but not too bad here in the frozen south (same latitude as Bordeaux!).

I have just one snap to show you but its a cracker. I'll do another post with Saw-whet shots tomorrow but remember, if you are tuning in from the UK we are five hours (and some say two years!) behind the UK so you will all be in bed by the time I do it.

Happy New Year everyone.

Pugnacious and indifferent at the same time, a Nothern Saw-whet looks over my shoulder at something more interesting!

BTW, this text could end up anywhere, such is the fun that is Blog!

Quebec Big Year 2007 - The Year List

A new year, a new blog

Welcome to my blog for the Quebec big year 2007. The competition is part of the celebrations of Bird Protection Quebec (BPQ and formerly Province of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds, PQSPB) being in existence for 90 years. More details about the competitions and celebrations are available on the society's web site (Google PQSPB). This blog will record my progress in the year list and garden list categories.

As with my blog for 2006 (type QCbirding2006 in the blog search engine to view) I will pepper the site with photographs and comments and anything else I fancy. Comments are always welcome, good or bad, and photographs are available in higher resolution format on request. Any photos lifted and used I can live with, just do me the courtesy of acknowledgement.

New postings will appear from January 1st 2007 onwards so bookmark me if you want to check my progress. Thanks and wish me luck.