A cottage weekend and a thrilling bird
June 29th, 2008
I recently spent the weekend at a friend's cottage in Quebec. I spent much of the time birding the area, even when it rained. (The rain kept the deer flies away!) I didn't get around to canoeing or exploring the forest, so I just hiked along the dirt road seeing what I could see, occasionally pushing my way into thickets. This was enough to net me 27 species, 6 of which I had only ever seen in migration, and 2 of which--Common Loon and Swainson's Thrush--were lifers (new species).
Yes, I'd actually never seen a loon before.
( Species List )
There was one especial treat: the Blackburnian Warblers. Here's a photo (not mine) so you know what I'm talking about. They are some of the most beautiful birds in North America, and I not infrequently saw them right outside my bedroom window! They probably nested in the spruce woods across the lake from us. What attracted them to the little trees around the cottage, I don't know.
