Gillian M's Year/Photo List

[Gillian_M]

One of my goals for 2007 is to take a quality photo of each species on my life list. While I have pictures of most of the birds, some are of very poor quality, and are more for my records than anything else. And then there are a few birds which I haven't been able to photograph at all, such as the Common Raven which I tend to see only in flight.

My goal in this thread, then, is to keep track of each species that I see this year, and to add photos as I take them. Hopefully by the end of the year I will have a quality photo to match each bird on my 2007 list!

Any new lifers will be marked in bold.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 1, 2007:

1. American Crow
2. Common Raven
3. Rock Dove (pigeon)
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. Mourning Dove

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 1, 2007:

6. Hairy Woodpecker
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Red-breasted nuthatch
9. White-breasted nuthatch
10. American Tree Sparrow

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 1, 2007:

11. Blue Jay
12. White-crowned Sparrow
13. Northern Cardinal
14. Brown Creeper
15. Red-tailed Hawk

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 3, 2007:

16. European Starling
17. House Sparrow

Seen January 7, 2007:

18. Ring-billed Gull
19. American Goldfinch
20. Bald Eagle

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 7, 2007:

21. Golden-crowned Kinglet
22. American Robin
23. Mallard

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 13, 2007:

24. Canada Goose

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 14, 2007:

25. Rough-legged Hawk
26. Snowy Owl

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 21, 2007:

27. American Three-toed Woodpecker

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 23, 2007:

A trip to an open stretch of water on the Rideau River produced:

28. American Black Duck
29. Common Goldeneye
30. Common Merganser
31. Wood Duck

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 25, 2007:

A return to the Rideau River today at lunch produced:

32. Red-breasted Merganser
33. Hooded Merganser

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 27, 2007:

34. Wild Turkey
35. Pileated Woodpecker
36. Cedar Waxwing

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 28, 2007:

37. Dark-eyed Junco (Seen on a field trip to the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary).

I don't think I did too badly this January with 37 species, including 3 new lifers, considering it was my first January birding! Just goes to show there are more birds around than just starlings, house sparrows, blue jays, chickadees and crows! :-O

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 4, 2007:

38. Purple Finch
39. Northern Hawk Owl

Seen on a morning trip to Low, Quebec in search of the famed Hawk Owl.

40. Sharp-shinned Hawk
41. Horned Lark

Three new lifers in one day - can't beat that!!!

[Gillian_M]

I've been remiss in keeping this list up-to-date. On Sunday, February 11 a coworker and I travelled to Amherst Island on Lake Ontario where I saw six new lifers! The weather was gray, with heavy snow, but even so I'm pleased with most of my photos.

Seen February 11, 2007:

42. American Coot
43. Tundra Swan
44. Long-tailed Duck
45. American Wigeon
46. Gadwall

[Gillian_M]

The remaining birds seen on my trip to Amherst Island:

Seen February 11, 2007:

47. Mute Swan
48. Snow Bunting
49. Rusty Blackbird

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 25, 2007:

50. Northern Shrike
51. House Finch

[Gillian_M]

I went to the Rideau River today to look at the ducks. Much to my surprise (and my delight!) I found a very out-of-season duck amongst all the regular wintering waterfowl....

Seen February 26, 2007:

52. Green-winged Teal (male)

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 3, 2007:

52. Lapland Longspur

This bird is also a lifer for me, and I was quite pleased to get some quality photos of him!

[Gillian_M]

Hmmm, I just noticed that the Lapland Longspur above should have been #53 not another #52...oops!

Seen March 18, 2007:

54. Red-winged BlackBird

Seen March 21, 2007:

55. Great Black-backed Gull
56. Barrow's Goldeneye

Seen March 22, 2007:

57. Common Grackle

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 23, 2007:

58. Brown-headed Cowbird

This one was actually at my feeder in my backyard this morning ...the first migrant to visit me, at least that I've seen!

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 24, 2007:

59. Song Sparrow

My first song sparrow was seen in my neighbourhood, but not in my yard. However, I did get another migrant at the feeder this morning (well, beneath it) - a dark-eyed junco!

[Gillian_M]

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day with lots of bird and raptor activity! Two lifers made it especially thrilling.

Seen March 31, 2007:

60. Northern Harrier
61. Killdeer
62. Northern Pintail

Unfortunately, I didn't get great photos of any of these birds. I hope to get better ones sometime soon!

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 1, 2007:

63. Glaucous Gull

This photo was taken at a local quarry pond - the quarry is actually in use, hence the photo was taken from quite a distance away behind the gate. Now that the ice is beginning to melt it is a good place to see gulls, mergansers, and diving ducks.

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 3, 2007 in downtown Ottawa:

64. Peregrine Falcon

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 7, 2007:

65. White-throated Sparrow

I was quite excited to see this bird....the first one of the season! |:d| It was at the Hilda Road Feeders, for any of the Ottawa birders who are interested.

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 8, 2007:

66. Eastern Phoebe

Seen April 9, 2007:

67. American Kestral

Seen April 11, 2007:

68. Great Blue Heron
69. Double-crested Cormorant

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 14, 2007:

70. Bufflehead
71. Ring-necked Ducks

Both of these were on the Ottawa River fairly close to the shore. It's so nice to see open water again; while there is still a lot of ice near the shores in some places (like Andrew Haydon Park) it's opening up elsewhere.

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 20, 2007:

72. Lesser Scaup

Seen April 21, 2007:

73. Swamp Sparrow
74. Tree Swallow
75. Turkey Vulture

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 22, 2007:

76. Hermit Thrush

(This bird is on my wish list of birds I need better photographs of. Unfortunately this photo isn't so great, either.)

[Gillian_M]

I wasn't going to go out today due to the constant drizzle, but I was in the neighbourhood of one of my favourite conservation areas sooo...

April 28, 2007

77. Yellow-rumped Warbler
78. Northern Flicker
79. Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned Owl is a resident of the Britannia Woods. He was way up high in his favourite tree, so even though I didn't see his face at all I am confident of its identity.

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 29, 2007:

A long day of birding in at least four different parks and trails produced three lifers for me and two additional birds for 2007:

80. Ruffed Grouse
81. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
82. Purple Martin
83. Herring Gull
84. Osprey

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 1, 2007:

85. Merlin

My birding buddy told me she usually sees a merlin in the same place near the Rideau Canal every morning when she walks to work. I went looking for it twice and found it both times - its high-pitched call led me right to it!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 5, 2007 on the trails of Stony Swamp:

86. Field Sparrow
87. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
88. Black-and-white Warbler
89. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

I've been hearing these kinglets for over a week but haven't been able to positively ID one until today!

The sapsucker is also one of the birds on my photo wish list, so getting this shot makes me feel doubly pleased!!!!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 6, 2007:

90. Chipping Sparrow
91. Yellow Warbler
92. Northern Mockingbird
93. Green Heron

I finally saw a chipping sparrow in my backyard this morning even though I've been hearing them for over a week!

The Yellow Warbler (on my photo wish list) and mockingbird were both seen at Britannia. The Green Heron was seen at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden

It's certainly been a productive weekend!!!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 9, 2007:

94. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
95. Magnolia Warbler

Neither of them are "lifers", but it's the first male Rose-breasted Grosbeak that I've seen and the first spring Magnolia Warbler that I've seen. I only wish the photo of the warbler was better.....

[Gillian_M]

Today was fantastic for birding. I went to one of my favourite conservation areas (Mud Lake) and was not disappointed.

Seen May 11, 2007:

96. Baltimore Oriole
97. Gray Catbird
98. Brown Thrasher
99. Scarlet Tanager
100. Warbling Vireo

[Gillian_M]

And finally....

Also seen May 11, 2007:

101. Veery
102. Great-crested Flycatcher

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 13, 2007:

103. Least Sandpiper
104. Barn Swallow

No photos of the Barn Swallow, unfortunately. They were flying low over a pond with a number of other swallows, so although they flew close by me, they didn't ever perch so I could snap a photograph.

[Gillian_M]

Seen today at Mud Lake:

105. Northern Parula
106. Chestnut-sided Warbler
107. American Redstart
108. Cooper's Hawk
109. Belted Kingfisher

Warblers are still not as plentiful as I had hoped, but at least I got one lifer out of the three.

Didn't get a photo of the Kingfisher; I didn't even realize he was there until he flew off, chattering at me!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 17, 2007:

110. Eastern Kingbird
111. Pied-billed Grebe
112. Palm Warbler
113. Black-throated Blue Warbler

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 18, 2007:

114. Solitary Sandpiper

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 18, 2007:

115. Common Yellowthroat
116. Winter Wren
117. Virginia Rail

The Yellowthroat (male) popped out of the cattails for the briefest instant - just long enough for me to identify, not long enough to raise the camera.

I'm surprised I managed to get more than one photo of the Rail and yet none of the Common Yellowthroat!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 20, 2007:

118. Northern Shoveler
119. Blue-winged Teal
120. Least Flycatcher

Two lifers at one sewage lagoon....not bad!!!

Edited June 9, 2007: As long as I'm posting video of flycatchers today, I might as well post this video I took of the Least Flycatcher late last month. I had already posted this link in the Q&A Forum in order to confirm its identity, but here it is again (Note to self: I think next year I'll have to do a "Photo/Video Year list"! :scribe:).

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v430/neverwords/Movies/?action=view&current=Flycatcher.flv

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 26, 2007

A trip to the Giroux Road Quarry ponds produced several new shorebirds:

121. Spotted Sandpiper
122. Red-necked Phalarope
123. Semipalmated Sandpiper
124. Black-bellied Plover

[Gillian_M]

Also seen May 26, 2007

Wall Road and Earl Armstrong Road were good for swallows, sparrows and bobolinks but, sadly, no Eastern Bluebirds:

125. Bobolink
126. Savannah Sparrow

(You know it's a good day when you see so many new birds to add to your year AND your life list! :D )

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 27, 2007:

127. Ovenbird

(No photo of this one, unfortunately....got a quick glimpse of him through the binoculars and then he was gone. No wonder this is one of the birds on my wish list for birds I need better photos of!)

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 2, 2007:

128. House Wren
129. Red-eyed Vireo

(both at the Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary)

130. Wilson's Snipe
131. Marsh Wren

(both seen at Cooper Marsh)

132. Brant

(seen along the shore of the St. Lawrence River)

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 3, 2007:

133. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Right in my own backyard - the first one I've seen at my feeder!

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 9, 2007:

134. Alder Flycatcher
135. Eastern Wood-Pewee
136. Eastern Bluebird
137. Cliff Swallow

Two lifers today, not bad. Could have had a third, if I had seen the Grasshopper Sparrow instead of only hearing it.

And since those flycatchers can be difficult to identify from photos, I'm going to try something a little different today: Video! I took footage of both the Eastern Wood-Pewee (because I love its song on a summer day in the woods) and the Alder Flycatcher (since I wasn't entirely sure what it was). I also got a relatively nice photo of the Alder Flycatcher so I may as well post that, too. Unfortunately it was still dark this morning when I saw the Wood-Pewee so my photos didn't turn out that well and the video is rather dark. Oh, and every time the camera jostles it was because I was trying to swat a mosquito away from my face!


http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v430/neverwords/Movies/?action=view&current=June9003.flv

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v430/neverwords/Movies/?action=view&current=June9004.flv

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 16, 2007:

138. Indigo Bunting

(Another lifer I can take off my wish list - now I just need a better photo!)

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 23, 2007:

139. Grasshopper Sparrow

Seen June 25, 2007:

140. Black-crowned Night-heron

I actually saw at least three different night-herons, in five locations along Mud Lake Monday evening. If anyone is interested in seeing more photos and reading the details about my visit, my blog has been updated (link below).

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 30, 2007:

141. Common Tern
142. Red-headed Woodpecker

I can't believe that the year is now half over!

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 1, 2007:

143. Greater Yellowlegs

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 14, 2007:

144. Bank Swallow
145. American Bittern

[Gillian_M]

Seen Sunday, July 22, 2007:

146. Vesper Sparrow
147. Wilson's Phalarope
148. Lesser Yellowlegs
149. Eastern Meadowlark
150. Upland Sandpiper

I went birding with a local expert last Sunday. When I told him I hadn't seen a meadowlark yet, he said he'd find me one - and he did! Of course, it was too far away to see except through his spotting scope so I didn't get any photos of it or the Upland Sandpiper which he also found in the same field!

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 28, 2007:

151. Northern Waterthrush

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 31, 2007:

152. Chimney Swift

I wish I had gotten a better look at the bird itself, rather than its silhouette in flight, but unless I see one roosting in a chimney I don't think that's going to happen.

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 4, 2007:

153. Black-throated Green Warbler
154. Broad-winged Hawk
155. Bonaparte's Gull

Unfortunately the gull was too far out in the rapids to be seen except through a scope, and my first attempt at digiscoping was not very successful!

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 29, 2007:

156. Common Loon

Somehow I managed to forget this bird (and it was a lifer)! :eek!:

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 6, 2007:

157. Redhead
158. Ruddy Duck
159. Semipalmated Plover

Seen August 11, 2007:

160. Nashville Warbler

Seen August 12, 2007:

161. Long-tailed Jaeger

Ironically, the only photo I have is the only one that's not a lifer! The other 4 birds were seen at a distance on a large quarry pond (August 6 birds) or on the Ottawa River (Jaeger) using someone's scope.

A note about the Jaeger - this is the rarest bird I've seen to date. It appeared in Ottawa over the weekend, the first sighting in 20 years! The story can be found here: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/features/birds/story.html?id=52320f35-2895-4f6c-9d2a-9b3b97f34117&k=28960

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 25, 2007:

162. Gray Jay
163. Blackburnian Warbler

We spent the weekend at Algonquin Park. I saw lots of warblers, but the only Algonquin "specialty" seen was the Gray Jay. I don't think it helped that it rained all day Saturday either!

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 28, 2007:

164. Bay-breasted Warbler
165. Great Egret

Seems like all my recent additions are lifers now! :t:

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 30, 2007:

166. Wilson's Warbler

No photo of this one, unfortunately. Although I caught a glimpse of it twice, and got a decent view the second time, my camera batteries were all dead when I went out this morning!

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 1, 2007:

167. Ruddy Turnstone
168. Red Knot
169. Cape May Warbler
170. Philadelphia Vireo

Thankfully one of Ottawa's premiere birders was on hand to identify the shorebirds seen this morning at Ottawa Beach!

Three more lifers today brings my life list up to 177. I'd like to get up to 200 by the end of the year, but it will take a lot of luck!

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 3, 2007:

171. Baird's Sandpiper
172. Blackpoll Warbler

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 15, 2007:

173. American Golden-Plover
174. Pectoral Sandpiper
175. Stilt Sandpiper

Seen September 16, 2007:

176. Swainson's Thrush

I would like some better photos of all of these birds. The lighting was very bad when I saw the Golden-Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper; the Stilt Sandpiper was very far away in the middle of a former sewage lagoon; and the Swainson's Thrush was very high up in a tree!

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 21, 2007:

177. Blue-headed Vireo

(Too bad the branch is in the way - you can't see his "spectacles" at all!!!)

Edited September 22, 2007: I saw another one today and got a nice shot of it out in the open, so I'm attaching a better picture! I think this bird has to be my favourite vireo so far!

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 22, 2007:

178. Tennessee Warbler

Seen with a mixed flock of birds including Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren and Chickadees!

[Gillian_M]

Seen September 30, 2007:

179. Surf Scoter

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 5, 2007:

180. Orange-crowned Warbler

Seen October 7, 2007:

181. Trumpeter Swan

(Okay, so the Trumpeter Swan may not be technically countable here in Ontario. It's still a new species for me, and there were both adults and juveniles present - evidence of breeding in the wild which is satisfactory for my personal purposes.)

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 8, 2007:

182. American Pipit
183. Greater Scaup
184. Black Scoter
185. Snow Goose (blue morph)
186. Lesser Black-backed Gull

No photos of the Snow Goose or the Gull, as both were seen at a considerable distance through a spotting scope. Also, it was getting dark so I didn't think it worth walking over and trying to get photos.

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 14 ,2007:

187. Sandhill Crane

Technically I have seen sandhill cranes before when I lived out west (in a rural area east of Edmonton, AB). I vaguely recall my mother pointing out flocks of hundreds or thousands of these birds flying south in the fall (very noisily, I might add) but since I wasn't interested in birding back then I'm not counting those sightings. Besides, I only saw them flying quite high overhead, not standing in a field relatively close to the road!

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 21, 2007:

188. White-winged Scoters
189. Cackling Goose

I was so fortunate that (a) the cackling goose was on the lawn with a flock of Canadas (instead of being out in the water) and (b) two of the Canadas started chasing him, which is what caused my birding buddy to look at them and say "Hey, that bird looks smaller than the others!" I'm posting two photos, one of the cackling goose with the Canada geese to show the size differences and one of the cackling goose by itself.

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 25, 2007:

190. Fox Sparrow
191. Bohemian Waxwing

Two more lifers today...I'm getting ever closer to the 200 mark! I wish I'd gotten better photos of the Fox Sparrow, but it didn't seem to want to perch out in the open.

[Gillian_M]

Seen November 11, 2007:

192. Common Redpoll

My first winter finch in what is shaping up to be an amazing irruption year. We found a small flock on a weedy roadside in the country yesterday, and although I got some photos, they were from a fair distance. So last night I put my mind to it and tried to figure out where the closest, largest, weediest field was that I could get to by bus from downtown on my lunch hour. One location sprang to mind, obvious now in retrospect, and sure enough I found a flock there today at lunch and got some better photos!

[Gillian_M]

A trip to the Kingston/Amherst Island area today produced three lifers and one additional bird for my year list today!

Seen November 18, 2007:

193. Eurasian Wigeon
194. Red-bellied Woodpecker
195. Long-eared Owl
196. Short-eared Owl

(I note there is also an American Wigeon in the photo of the Eurasian Wigeon).

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 1, 2007:

197. Pine Grosbeak

This is a bird I've been waiting a while to see! The last few times I went to look for it in places it had been reported it wasn't there. Finally today I found a flock of them...right in my own neighbourhood!

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 22, 2007:

198. Harlequin Duck

For the last week a Harlequin Duck has been seen at a spot on the rapids of the Ottawa River, so today I made the trek over to the Quebec side and located her. A male would have been nicer, but I won't complain.

I also saw a long-tailed duck at the same spot, which was a nice surprise; it's the first one I've seen in Ottawa.

So, only nine more days left in the year. Chances of adding to my year list now are slim, but there are a few possibilities.

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 26, 2007:

199. Barred Owl

I finally saw one today, and it took a lot of luck to find it! Someone had seen it perched on a tree right at the side of the road yesterday, but today it was in the woods beyond the road (private property, unfortunately). A couple of crows cawing at something in a tree alerted me to the fact that it was likely still around. I don't know how I managed to point my binoculars at exactly the right spot, but I did!

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 29, 2007:

200. Evening Grosbeak

I went out looking for a Red-shouldered Hawk and found three Evening Grosbeaks instead. I am quite happy that I have finally seen these beautiful birds....now I just need a better photo!

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 30, 2007:

201. Townsend's Solitaire

202. Hoary Redpoll

The Townsend's Solitaire is a rarity in Ottawa and has been around for a week now; my birding partner and I managed to find it yesterday morning. It's erratic flight pattern first drew our attention, and when it landed in this tree I managed to take two photos before it flew away again. Hopefully I'll be able to re-locate it this week and get a better photo which shows it's distinctive eyering and colouring!

The Hoary Redpoll was seen at a feeder with a large flock of Common Redpolls. Much harder to identify, it was the opinion of two local birders that persuaded me to count this as my 207th lifer.