Day 7 — Birders on Bicycles

Here’s the scribe’s report:

So 13 birders on bikes set out around 8:30 am from the Groundz coffee and juice bar, Almonte.

Chimney Swift – many seen flying about the clock tower of the old Post Office, Mill street. (Recognize chimney swifts because they look like flying cigars)
English Sparrow – nesting in a roof support of the Timmins building
Chipping Sparrow
Grackle
Crow
Rock Pigeon
Song Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellow Throat (witchedy, witchedy, witchedy)
Red-wing Blackbird
Yellow-shafted Flicker

Stop just at the train tracks on Martin Street, en route to Blakeney

Savannah Sparrow singing on wire
Red-tailed Hawk flying and then perched on a post to the side of the road
Morning Dove cooing
Brown-headed Cowbird
Phoebe

Stop at Blakeney (where Martin Road/County Road 17 joins at the T)

Eastern Bluebird – also saw another later
American Goldfinch
Bobolink
Cedar Waxwing
Starling and a bit further down the road, saw a juvenile Starling on the ground, first very still and then only hopping
House Sparrow – we saw them mating on a fence at the crossroads
Robin

Stop at the Blakeney bridge

Great Blue Heron flew over – and saw another later
Brown Thrasher
Baltimore Oriole
Canada Goose – many in a field in Blakeney
Mallard – also in field
Chickadee
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Ovenbird
Red-eyed Vireo

Stop at Mill of Kintail

Kingfisher (just at bridge before the Mill of Kintail) also saw its “burrow” (holes in a clay bank to the side of the road)
Blue Jay
Hummingbird perched on a wire
Great-crested Flycatcher
Hairy Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Eastern Kingbird

(Also saw a row of 13 poplars – echo of the 13 biker birders – and chipmunk, squirrel, white-tailed deer)

Turkey Vulture – flying and perched
Meadow Lark
Warbling Vireo
House Wren – at the McPherson’s

We also saw two young foxes unafraid, sunning near their den, and then disappearing into their den after a noisy tractor came to close. Just near Doc’s Berries, Perth Road (road to the Pizza Hut / new Town Hall).

Bird total: 45 species

It was a great morning! Thanks to all two-legs involved!