Ecuador December 31, 2009

December 31, 2009
Sani Lodge and Parrot Licks

Our long walk yesterday must have tired us out because we both slept through the cacophony of kitchen noise. Miriam actually woke up briefly but was able to get right back to sleep.
The breakfast buffet was fundamentally the same as yesterday.
At 06:00h we left by motorized boat with Jason and Lindsay, Olger and Juan to head off for the parrot licks. It was a short walk in from the shore to the first lick, but the parrots were not coming in. There was lots of noise in the trees but few parrots were visible. We did get excellent scope views of a perched Mealy Amazon and a perched Blue-headed Parrot.
After about a half hour we left to try our luck farther up the river. The second lick we visited was seen from the boat and was quite active. Dusky-headed Parakeets were abundant and there were several Mealy Amazons and Yellow-crowned Parrots.
The third lick was quite a way in from the river but a cement path made the walking easy. It was very active and there were hundreds upon hundreds of Cobalt-winged Parakeets, about twenty-five very striking Orange-cheeked Parrots and many Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlets.
The parrots have been using this clay lick for so long that they have actually excavated a cave right into the hillside. We didn’t realize how many birds were inside until, on some signal undetected by us, all the birds left. Birds were streaming out of the cave. They all were headed directly for us at the hide but they banked upwards and flew off over our heads.
We waited a while longer to see whether the macaws would come in but other than two Scarlet Macaws at the clay lick and two perched in nearby trees there was no activity. Olger commented that the macaws are considerably more wary than the parrots.
We left the lick and ascended a very steep trail, quite slippery and a little treacherous, to search for Yellow-headed Manakin and Long-billed Hermit. We were successful in finding both species. Juan, as always, was there to offer a hand whenever we needed it and to assist us in any way that he could. He really was a pleasant young man. He carried a sack with mid morning snacks for us - a small sandwich and a piece of fruit.
On the way back to the lick Lindsay said that she could smell something that reminded her of a spice, curry perhaps. Olger advised that it was the odour of Squirrel Monkeys and within minutes we had found a small troop of them including one female with a baby on her back.
When we took up our positions at the lick Juan once again reached into his bag and came up with lunch. It consisted of a tasty breaded fish, potatoes and a bean salad. Sani Lodge is very much committed to sound environmental principles and the lunch was served on reusable plastic containers, as opposed to the throw-away items we had always received before.
We left and motored down river to the lodge, arriving at around 15:00h. We sat on our porch for a while, but it was blazing hot, so we went to the bar and shared a cold beer. Afterwards we went back to our cabin and took a short nap. Jason and Lindsay had gone back out on the river with Olger and Juan but we had decided to relax instead. I was left wishing that I had gone out with them when they reported having seen the only Agami Heron of the trip.
Dinner was late that night, so we sat in the bar chatting with Peter and Cindy, a couple from Ottawa. I tried to buy the last half bottle of red wine, but the guy behind the bar obviously had no idea how to use a corkscrew. I offered to open it for him, but he would have none of it. Finally he drove the cork down into the bottle. It was a comical performance but he was determined that he was going to open that bottle and no tourist was going to do it for him!
Peter and I split the cost of a bottle of cold white to share at dinner, which started just before 20:00h. The kitchen staff had prepared a festive New Year’s Eve barbecue for us and it was quite splendid. The barbecue with its hot coals was set up in the dining room where they offered us blood sausage, regular sausage, chicken and steak, with baked potatoes, yucca, many different salads each with its own salsa, and for dessert a couple of cakes with nice, cold jello.
All the staff and the guides were introduced and the whole evening had a decidedly celebratory atmosphere about it. It was interesting that Lelis Navarette, not from the community, but greatly appreciated for the number of people he has brought to Sani Lodge, was recognized also. At the end we were all served a locally-made drink, derived from sugar cane and ninety proof!
We returned to our cabin at about 21:30h and were asleep beneath our mosquito nets long before the new year arrived.

All species December 31 - Speckled Chachalaca, Cocoi Heron, Western Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Black Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Laughing Falcon, Western Osprey, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Pied Plover, Large-billed Tern, Blue-and-Yellow Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, red-and-green Macaw, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-crowned Amazon, Orange-winged Amazon, Mealy Amazon, Hoatzin, Greater Ani, Grey-rumped Swift, Neotropical Palm Swift, Great-billed Hermit, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Golden-winged Manakin, Yellow-headed Mankin, Wire-tailed Manakin, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Drab Water Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Cinnamon Attila, Plain-winged Antshrike, Cinereous Antshrike, Stripe-chested Antwren, Grey Antbird, Spot-winged Antbird, Black-faced Antthrush, Buff-throated Woodcreeper (heard), White-banded Swallow, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Crested Oropendola, Russet-backed Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Giant Cowbird, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager.

Ecuador January 1, 2010

January 1, 2010
Sani Lodge - Canopy Tower

Breakfast at 05:30h featured essentially the same buffet as on previous mornings with enough selection for everyone to find something to enjoy.
Neither Olger nor Juan put in an appearance and didn’t meet us at 06:00h on the dock as planned. Olger showed up at 06:30h claiming that he had mislaid his binoculars and couldn’t find them, nor could he find a paddle for the canoe. Juan never did make it down to the water.
Since there was a copious quantity of cane alcohol left the previous evening we suspected that some serious partying may have gone on. Olger looked a little rough and I don’t think he relished having to paddle in the absence of Juan.
We left shortly after 06:30h to journey out to the canopy tower. It was absolutely serene moving slowly down the still river in the early morning with warm sunshine and a cooling breeze. Fish were jumping out of the water to snag passing insects. Now if only we could do something about those uncomfortable seats!
Birding on the river was delightful as always, the highlights being five Capped Herons and two Cocoi Herons. A couple of Limpkins were the first we had seen in Ecuador.
We arrived at the dock near to the tower and walked a short distance inland. The tower is just six months old and was built entirely by hand since there is no access for heavy equipment. It’s a long climb up metal steps to a wooden platform built high up in the limbs of a two hundred year old kapok tree. The view was breathtaking. We had exactly the same perspective as a Harpy Eagle would have surveying its territory above the forest canopy. The branches were huge, many broad enough to walk on - not that any of us did, of course! It was amazing to be able to look down on Blue-and-Yellow Macaws flying by; such a different view from that normally to be had by craning one’s neck and staring upwards. It was an experience to be long-remembered simply to have that bird’s eye perspective. I was very happy that a trip to this tower had been included on our itinerary.
The bird life was interesting but not prolific, and we had distant views of Red Howler Monkeys resting in the treetops. Peter and Cindy were already on the tower when we arrived with their guide, Sebastian, a very pleasant young fellow. Sebastian got a bird in the scope and proclaimed it a Spangled Cotinga, which is certainly what it looked like to me. Olger, who seemed disengaged and a tad grumpy looked at the bird and dismissed it as a Masked Tanager, telling Sebastian so in a decidedly unpleasant, derogatory tone. Sebastian went through the field marks one by one with me and I am convinced the bird was, in fact, a Spangled Cotinga. Either species would have been a lifer so I could not be accused of having that fact influence my judgement.
Olger mentioned that as recently as thirty years ago there were no pharmacies anywhere near the community and all the medicines they needed were derived from the forest. The women especially were highly skilled in knowing the properties of various plants, which we seem quite willing to destroy.
We left the tower after a few hours and paddled at a leisurely pace back to the lodge, arriving there at 11:50h. Miriam took a quick cold shower and we relaxed on our porch until lunch time, shaded by a tree with a light breeze wafting over us.
The only downside was that our porch faced directly on to the back door of the kitchen with its collection of garbage cans brimming with trash, propane tanks and empty totes piled high. If only the cabin had been rotated 45 degrees we would have been looking out on trees with the lagoon beyond, albeit with a satellite dish somewhat impairing the view. The Red-capped Cardinal in the tree immediately behind it was more than adequate compensation, however.
Lunch was at 13:00h for a very small group of us. Many people had left that morning and Lelis and his group of five had left for a full day’s birding. Only two tables were set up and instead of the usual buffet we were served at the table. As always a delicious bowl of soup began the meal, followed by a plate with lentils, tomato, avocado, fried plantain and carrots. Dessert was cold jello. There was lots of a delicious fruit juice and Miriam had a cup of anise tea.
Again neither Olger nor Juan were anywhere to be seen.
We returned to our porch and I even had a brief nap.
At 16:00h we headed out by motor boat, this time with Juan as motorman to a distant river island. It was a slow ride through low water and creeks and channels clogged with fallen logs. Finally we made the broad expanse of the Napo River and picked up speed as we headed toward our destination. As always, Jason and Lindsay were our constant companions on these jaunts and it was always a pleasure to be with them.
The birding going out to the island and on the island itself was very rewarding, the highlights being a White-eared Jacamar, at least three Ladder-tailed Nightjars roosting on the sand, a Lesser Hornero and an Oriole Blackbird.
We left the island just as the sun was setting and Miriam captured some beautiful images. Darkness comes quickly, however, and before long we were back in the creeks and channels navigating the hazards in almost total darkness without any running lights, or even a flashlight. I don’t think it was a white knuckle journey but there were moments of minor tension.
Juan and Olger seemed to handle it with total aplomb, however, and we were delivered safely back to the lodge just in time for dinner.
Delicious as always, dinner consisted of a buffet of fish, beef, cauliflower, potatoes, radish salad, beet salad and palmito salad. Dessert was banana cake and an orange mousse.
There were many new arrivals so the dining room was filled to capacity.
Right after dinner, at 20:00h we returned to the boat for a night cruise around the lagoon. We got up close to a large caiman in the same area where people had been swimming earlier in the day! I have had good views of Pauraque before, but often they have been glimpses of red eyes shining out of the darkness. On this occasion we were able to see Pauraques perched on the cross members of the dock. We also saw Common Potoo and some fruit-eating bats.
We were back at the dock by 20:30h and returned to our cabin to prepare to leave the next morning.

All species January 1 - Rufescent Tiger Heron, Least Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Striated Heron, Cocoi Heron, Western Great Egret, Capped Heron, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Black Vulture, Western Osprey, Slender-billed Kite (heard), Grey-necked Wood Rail, Azure Gallinule, Limpkin, Great Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Tern, Large-billed Tern, Pale-vented Pigeon, Blue-and-Yellow Macaw, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Orange-winged Amazon, Mealy Amazon, Hoatzin, Great Ani, Smooth-billed Ani, Common Potoo, Pauraque, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Neotropical Palm Swift, Amazonian White-tailed Trogon, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Lettered Aracari, Many-banded Aracari, Channel-billed Toucan, Gilded Barbet, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Little Woodpecker, Scaly-breasted Woodpecker, Cream-coloured Woodpecker, White-eared Jacamar, Spangled Cotinga, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Drab Water Tyrant, Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Lesser Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Lesser Hornero, White-winged Swallow, Black-capped Donacobius, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Russet-backed Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Oriole Blackbird, Yellow-browed Sparrow, Red-capped cardinal, Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Opal-rumped Tanager, Opal-crowned Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, Greyish Saltator.

Ecuador January 2, 2010

January 2, 2010
Sani Lodge - Coca - Quito

We were up at 05:00h to give ourselves lots of time to organize everything for our journey back to Quito. We had been told to leave our luggage outside the cabin before going to breakfast.
We left the dock at about 06:40h and turned to get a final glimpse of Sani Lodge. It was quite treacherous navigating this larger, heavier boat through the shallow channels and we often ran aground. We also felt the bottom of the boat strike submerged logs on several occasions.
At about 07:40 we arrived at the staging point where the boat with the canopy top to take us to Coca was waiting. We transferred into it and had no sooner set off than we had to reverse out of shallow water and try a different angle to get to more open water. It was sunny when we left but cloud cover moved in later on.
At 09:30h a snack was passed around to everyone. It consisted of a sandwich of cheese, lettuce and tomato on bread baked at the lodge. As always it was wrapped in a banana leaf, one hundred percent biodegradable and perfect for keeping the sandwich moist. Two pieces of fruit were also provided.
Several times we slowed down and changed course, a couple of times we scraped bottom, but we eventually arrived at Coca at 11:15h. We immediately boarded a bus for the airport and were quickly whisked through security to the gate for a 12:00h takeoff.
We landed in Quito at 12:25h and were met by the ever reliable Juan and Sandra and taken to the Sebastian Hotel. There we retrieved the luggage we had left behind before going to Coca and were happy to get to our room where Miriam immediately soaked in a hot bath, followed by a shower. I showered and we both changed and went out for a walk through the streets of Quito.
We located the restaurant, Mama Clorinda, recommended by Jason and Lindsay, but it was too early to eat, so we strolled back to the hotel. By now it was hot so we sat outside and enjoyed a cold gin and tonic. Afterwards we relaxed in our room for a while and then walked up to the restaurant for dinner.
We both enjoyed traditional Ecuadoran food with Miriam boldly trying cuy (guinea pig). We had seen pictures of it presented whole on a plate so she elected to have half a cuy. She was a brave soul to eat it! You could still tell exactly what it was!
Returning to our room, we got an early night in preparation for the journey tomorrow.

All species January 2 - Speckled Chachalaca, Blue-throated Piping Guan, Striated Heron, Western Great Egret, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Turkey Vulture, Great Yellow-headed Vulture, Western Osprey, Pied Plover, Yellow-billed Tern, Large-billed Tern, Common Pigeon, Eared Dove, Orange-winged Amazon, Smooth-billed Ani, Neotropical Palm Swift, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Tropical Kingbird, White-winged Swallow, Russet-backed Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Red-capped Cardinal.

The personalities on the Amazonia part of our trip

Our Guide

Olger Lecuy. Satisfactory

Our boatman, helper

Juan was terrific. We really enjoyed his company. He was always friendly and helpful, quick with a smile and had great eyes for spotting birds.

Ecuador January 3, 2010

January 3, 2010
Quito - Miami

We were out of bed by 05:00h to organize our suitcases for our flight to Miami. We went downstairs to see what was available for breakfast and to our surprise a full spread was laid out. It was quite delicious too - juice, fresh fruit, cheese and ham, hot café au lait. Juan arrived promptly at 06:20h to pick us up and we headed to the airport under a sunny Quito sky.
Upon check in we were advised that space was available on an earlier flight so we gladly accepted that offer. We had to quickly pay our departure tax and proceed right to the gate. Every piece of carry-on luggage was being searched and full body pat downs were taking place but it was soon accomplished and we boarded a very full aeroplane. There was no room in the overhead containers for my carry-on so Miriam slid it under the seat in front of her. It restricted her leg room a little, but she said it wasn’t too bad.
The pilot advised that our estimated flying time to Miami was four hours and five minutes, but we had to fly around a volcano. There was considerable turbulence and we had to change altitude several times to try to get to smoother air.
We arrived in Miami at 11:40h and joined the long lines to go through US Immigration. It really takes forever as every passenger ahead of us was photographed and fingerprinted, but when our turn came we passed through with virtually no scrutiny.
Baggage was already coming down the carousel when we arrived there. We waited and waited, but ours didn’t arrive. Finally the carousel stopped and any unclaimed luggage was placed adjacent to it. I checked thoroughly three times and Miriam joined me and checked again. No bags!
I don’t even want to recount all the details of the Kafkaesque scenario that ensued. We ultimately found out that although we had been placed on an earlier flight our bags were on standby. American Airlines in Quito never provided that information, otherwise we would have stayed with our original flight and travelled with our luggage.
We couldn’t get a sympathetic ear or any civil level of cooperation from either the airport staff or American Airlines in trying to file a lost baggage claim. Suffice to say, everyone we encountered majored cum laude in the related disciplines of Indifference, Hostility and Truculence. We finally cleared the airport at 17:40h to go to the Airport Howard Johnson Hotel, quite drained by the experience. We chose Howard Johnson, by the way, since this was the only hotel we could get to respond to the courtesy phone.
Interestingly, after we arrived home we were contacted twice by American Airlines asking us to file our claim for lost luggage. It was hard to convince them that we had our luggage with us when we left the airport. They wanted to know our claim number despite the fact that we had no claim to make. They wanted our baggage tag numbers to perform final searches. On and on it went.
You know, I have NEVER travelled through Miami without one problem or another and have NEVER departed on time when connecting there. I swear that after this experience, if the only practical way to travel is through Miami or on American Airlines, I will change my destination and pick another trip.
Our frustration this day was not finished. After relaxing for a while and freshening up in our room we went down to the only place to eat. It was a sports bar with loud televisions all over the place, and since we barely know a hockey puck from a basket ball, and care even less, it was not particularly appealing to us. Furthermore, there was a vociferous, foul-mouthed drunk at the bar. We asked if they could throw him out and to their credit they did.
We knew things would not go well in the restaurant when the waiter didn’t know what the soup of the day was, and we had to be told by patrons at the next table. Almost a half hour later two bowls of lukewarm chicken soup arrived with a stack of cellophane-wrapped crackers. That was all that Miriam ordered but I chose calamari. Forty five minutes later it arrived, deep fried and resembling nothing so much as onion rings. In fact there was so much batter it was impossible to taste the calamari, it might as well have been onion rings or anything else you can quadruple coat with batter. The cocktail sauce accompanying the calamari tasted like ketchup with a little black pepper added.
We were happy to return to our room, read for a while and go to sleep.

Accommodation: Howard Johnson Airport Inn. Rate: Approximately $135.00 plus taxes (I can’t find the receipt) Rating: Two stars.

Ecuador January 4, 2010

January 4, 2010
Miami - Toronto - Waterloo

We awoke to the sound of the alarm in the adjacent room going off. It appeared that it was not being rented so the alarm continued beeping until we left our room.
Breakfast was not available until 07:30h but we had to catch the 07:00h shuttle to the airport.
There were long lineups moving very slowly everywhere and no one to offer assistance of any kind. One elderly couple were obviously having great difficulty with the automatic check in and had I not already secured my place in the line up I would have helped them. They approached one uniformed fellow who brusquely told them to follow the instructions on the screen. I suspect this passenger had little experience with computers, perhaps none at all, and he was clearly befuddled by the whole process. He kept returning to his frail-looking wife with a hopeless expression on his face.
A haughty, officious-looking woman, an employee of American Airlines, was asked a question by a passenger. He obviously didn’t hear or didn’t understand her response so he asked again. Her reply dumbfounded us, "I already told you, sir. I don’t know why you don’t listen." Charming, huh? Excellent customer relations skills, huh?
The process of getting through security was slow, all hand luggage was examined, we had to remove shoes, sweaters, belts, jackets etc and were subjected to a full body pat down.
When we finally made it through we got a coffee and Miriam had a muffin for breakfast. I had sushi!
We walked to our gate but after sitting there for a while were told to move to another gate. It was late when we took off, but we were just relieved and happy to be on the final leg of our journey.
Upon arrival at Pearson International Airport in Toronto we were speedily processed through Canada Customs and Immigration, retrieved our bags and caught the shuttle to pick up our car.
It was good to be home!
　
General Commments

We had a great birding experience and would recommend Ecuador to anyone looking for a birding adventure in South America. There were no long journeys and we found birds everywhere we went, even in downtown Quito.
We loved the country, the people and the wildlife and we are determined to return.

Major Highlights

1. Four Andean Condors
2. Angel Paz and the Antpittas
3. So many hummingbirds
4. So many tanagers
5. A lagoon full of Hoatzin

Major Disappointments

1. No Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe
2. Missing the Agami Heron
3. Not finding the Mystery Owl at San Isidro
4. Only one new owl species for the whole
trip
5. Not visiting the Oilbird cave

Acknowledgements

Marcia Balestri, ever helpful, provided copies of her trip reports and species lists for two trips to Ecuador.
Albert and Esther Goetz first put the idea of Ecuador in our heads.
Jimmy and Ruth Marie Lyons gave us a great deal of information, including an excellent video, and put us in contact with Mercedes Rivadeneira of Neblina Forest.

Further Information

David M. Gascoigne or Miriam Bauman
606 Osprey Drive
Waterloo, ON
Canada N2V 2A5
519 725-0866
Fax 519 725-1176
email: theospreynest@sympatico.ca
blog: travelswithbirds.blogspot.com

Total Species Summary

The tabular format I use for this summary is not compatible with my blog. If you would like a copy please request it by email.

Quebec City and Cap Tourmente

QUEBEC CITY AND CAP TOURMENTE
October 9-12, 2009

October 9, 2009

I had to work Friday morning and it was close to lunch time before we were able to get away from Toronto. The weather was dull, overcast, with periods of heavy rain at times. The drive along Highway 401 was fairly uneventful, but as soon as we arrived on the outskirts of Montreal we encountered stoppages and delays due to road construction and repairs, and progress was slow indeed. Realizing that we would not make it to Quebec at a reasonable hour we decided to spend the night in Montreal and leave early the next morning.
We were able to get a room at the P.-E. Trudeau Travelodge, but it turned out to be a sad choice. Our room was facing the highway and next to the vending machines. Sleep was an elusive commodity that night as the constant whine of traffic battled with the clank of cans hitting the bottom of the pop machines and the inebriated conversation of latecomers all night long.
Dinner was taken at a nearby Thai restaurant and was both excellent and reasonable.

Accomodation: Travelodge - Aeroport Montreal, 1010 Ch. Herron Dorval, QC H9S 1B3
Price: $89.90 plus taxes. Rating: 2 stars only; a room at the back might have rated higher.

October 10, 2009

Continental breakfast was included in the fee for the room and we ate at 06:30h. Mediocre would best describe the fare. No fruit, no yoghurt, mostly sickly pastries and donuts, with some cereal. I had a bagel and cream cheese, Miriam had hot oatmeal and we were on the road by 07:00h. We arrived at the Pont Mercier by 07:12h and despite it being reduced to one lane made good time across. A Great Blue Heron was the highlight from a birding perspective.
It was raining, sometimes with great intensity, and we were feeling a little gloomy given the awful weather. The closer we got to Quebec, however, the more the sky cleared and by the time we crossed the Pierre LaPorte Bridge from the south shore the sun was peeking through.
We called the B & B where we had reserved accommodation and were told that our room was ready and that we could park the car there and set off to explore Quebec City on foot. Since the B & B was centrally located we elected to do this.
The weather got progressively better and we had a marvellous time exploring old Quebec and had quite good birding in the parks in the old city and on the Plains of Abraham. There were many White-throated Sparrows, a Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Juncos and a very confiding Hairy Woodpecker at arm’s length.
Our biggest disappointment was lunch. We ate at a bistro in the Vieux Quartier of Quebec and decided on those two most quintessential of Quebec dishes Soupe aux Pois and Poutine. The soup was awful, obviously from a can and heated in a microwave oven since it was scalding in places and cold in others. Poutine is an arterial nightmare, but not to be missed on a visit to Quebec. Sadly, this was everything that Poutine should not be. The fries, instead of being robust and crisp, able to withstand the onslaught of the gravy, becoming only coated and not absorbing the liquid, were instead drowned rather than fried and absorbed the gravy rendering everything a soggy mess. Furthermore, instead of traditional cheese curd they used cubes of cheese which promptly melted into the gravy forming a gelatinous goop. It was not vintage Poutine!
We returned to our B & B at around 17:00h and enjoyed a glass of Fuzion Shiraz before going out to dinner. The rue Cartier is an easy walk from the B & B and has no less than twenty-three restaurants. We selected an Indian restaurant called Garam Massala and enjoyed an excellent meal of Pappadum, Tandoori Chicken, Shrimp Korma, Aloo Peas, Rice Palao, Nan Bread and a fruit dessert. Service was good and we were well satisfied. It was delightful to walk back to the B & B where we retired to a good night’s sleep which was very welcome after the debacle the previous night at Dorval. Everything was quiet, we quickly fell asleep and didn’t waken until almost 06:00h the following morning.
Accommodation: Gite du Parc, 345, rue Fraser, Quebec, QC G1S1R2 Price: $115.00/night, all taxes included. Cash only. Rating: 4.5 stars.

October 11, 2009

Breakfast was a fine affair. Firstly (and most importantly) the coffee was very good! We were served orange juice, fruit and yoghurt, a three cheese omelette with ham, hot toast, and after we thought we had finished we were tempted by a little chocolate cake and pure, light, delicious Quebec maple syrup. How decadent is that?
Everything was prepared as each guest came in by Rene, the proprietor, and another convivial fellow who did most of the cooking. We were joined by a delightful young couple from Saskatchewan, Egan and Natasha, and two couples from France.
Right after breakfast we left for Ile d’Orleans in miserably cold, wet weather with the odd snowflake mixed in with the rain. We made a brief tour of the western part of the island, but the weather remained inclement and our birding opportunities were limited. There were only a few Ring-billed Gulls on the water, in an area where I have seen strays such as Black-legged Kittiwake in the past. We saw about a half dozen Great Blue Herons, all hunched over and looking dejected (anthropomorphism, I know) and a Golden-crowned Kinglet, as small highlights in a relatively birdless experience.
As we were leaving across the bridge we started to see a break in the dark sky and with the sun poking through, we drove to Cap Tourmente in high spirits. By the time we arrived there we had full sunshine and it was a pleasant day.
Cap Tourmente was the destination we had looked forward to the most. It is the first Ramsar Site in North America and is famed for the concentration of Snow Geese which stop there on their way farther south. Today we were in luck. We were advised at the gate that 38,000 Snow Geese were present. Many people had decided to visit, but most were non-birders without scopes or binoculars. We made our way to the viewing area and were enthralled with the activity taking place. Many geese were feeding but others were arriving and still others flushed and swirled in the sky, only to land again shortly afterwards. We never detected any falcon or other raptor that might have panicked them. We also saw only White morph geese; nary a Blue morph anywhere. What a marvellous spectacle it was and we enjoyed it for over an hour. Such spectacles of nature are truly heart-pounding events to be savoured and remembered. We were able to help others by explaining the reason for the geese being there, a little of their breeding biology etc. and everyone seemed appreciative, especially to look through our scope. If ever there was a time I was happy to speak fluent French that was it. Miriam panned the geese and locked onto a single Great Black-backed Gull and a flock of about twenty Buff-bellied (American) Pipits flew right over our heads.
We took our lunch by purchasing a steaming bowl of creamed carrot soup and eating it outside in front of a battery of bird feeders. How the weather had changed for the better from the morning! The feeders were very active and we saw Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee and White-breasted Nuthatch. It should have been a decent day for raptor migration but, other than numerous Turkey Vultures, only a single Rough-legged Buzzard passed overhead.
On the way back to Quebec we stopped at Sainte-Anne de Beaupre and toured parts of the basilica and a couple of the other chapels. What an impressive location, rivalling many similar sites in Europe, ancient testaments to faith. We noticed an elderly woman prostrate at a station of the cross, only to follow the same procedure at the next station. Faith indeed. I doubt that her exultation could have been any greater than our joy at the Snow Geese, but she no doubt felt that she was securing a place in another realm.
Miriam had a hankering for a French pastry and coffee so we found a place on rue Cartier where she enjoyed a Moulin de Fruit and I a Baileys Cheese pastry. Oh how good they were!
We returned to our B & B and settled in for a glass of Chilean Carmen Merlot. Suddenly the wind picked up and for about ten minutes or so it was quite violent and rain and snow were whipped around. We had doubts about walking over for dinner, but it subsided as quickly as it had arisen and we strolled over to Graffiti, an elegant restaurant. We had promised ourselves one night of fine dining in Quebec and this was to be it. We shared a dish of duck prepared three ways, Miriam had a veal shank and I had an Angus steak. All was prepared and presented perfectly and was very tasty indeed. It was a little expensive but we were well satisfied and were very happy as we meandered back to the Gite du Parc. We chatted for a while and went to bed before 22:00h.

October 12, 2009

Breakfast was again quite fabulous. It started with the same fruit and yoghurt, delicious cold orange juice and hot, steaming coffee. This was followed by French toast with maple syrup. Again after we thought we were finished we succumbed to Rene’s offer of blueberry cake with yoghurt!
We bade farewell to our Saskatoon friends and went to collect our belongings to hit the road. We encountered numerous delays and what should have been an eight hour drive turned into an eleven hour grind. Autumnal extravagance was flaunted at every turn, the colours being stunning in bright sunshine. Skeins of geese were often high overhead. We arrived home safe and sound, none the worse for wear, and felt that we had enjoyed a very pleasant weekend indeed. If we do this again we’ll be sure to add an extra day.

Total Species

Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Mallard
Duck sp.
Great Blue Heron
Double-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Buzzard
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
American Crow
Northern Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Common Starling
House Sparrow
Buff-bellied Pipit
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

West Perth Community Wetland

West Perth Community Wetland
Mitchell, ON
September 6, 2009　
We arrived at 09:30h in bright sunshine with hardly a breath of wind and were anxious to see what shorebirds had populated the ponds on their southbound migration.
In the first pond the water level was quite high and there were small numbers of shorebirds, mainly countless Killdeer and a number of Lesser Yellowlegs. A Great Blue Heron was stalking in the shallows and given the volume of Leopard Frogs jumping everywhere around us, we were sure it was feeding well.
Upon rounding the end of the first pond Miriam looked back and saw a breeding-plumaged Grey Plover on a sandbar. Either we had missed this species when first scoping the area or it had just arrived. What a truly handsome bird! We agreed it was the bird of the day.
There were lots of American Goldfinches flitting around with an abundance of thistle seeds for them to feed on. There were also Savannah and Song Sparrows with American Crows moving noisily overhead and a Belted Kingfisher zipped by. Not a swallow was to be seen. I guess they have all departed for the year and it will be next spring before we see them again.
Upon reaching the second pond we were surprised to find that some of kind of dredging operation appears to be underway. There was heavy equipment on the shore and a tractor had buried itself in the mud and slime. There was quite a bit of exposed mud in this cell and there were Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers feeding there, as well as a couple of Semipalmated Plovers. In the pond where we normally encounter huge rafts of waterfowl there were none, save for a single female Northern Shoveler. In the pond opposite was a sizeable flotilla of Mallards, but other than ubiquitous Canada Geese they were the only waterfowl we saw. We did, however, see three Greater Yellowlegs and on several occasions they cooperatively fed alongside Lesser Yellowlegs giving us an interesting juxtaposition of the two related species.
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was feeding on a miscellany of flowering plants at the water’s edge - another migrant which will be leaving us shortly. A couple of Turkey Vultures were quite high overhead but given the lack of wind and minimal convective activity they were flapping constantly.
On the way back to the parking area we carefully examined every bit of mud and were rewarded with four Pectoral Sandpipers. Two Eastern Phoebes were flycatching from the fence and a couple of Mourning Doves seemed to be picking at midges on a mud flat.
Not having seen any gulls up to this point we were fascinated to see a flight of Ring-billed Gulls with two American Herring Gulls land on a sandbar and line up like well-behaved children at school assembly.
We left almost exactly three hours after we had arrived having enjoyed a fine morning of birding. No doubt, shorebird species and numbers will be changing constantly so we'll try to get back again next weekend to see what’s new.

All species
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Turkey Vulture
Grey Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Phoebe
American Crow
European Starling
American Goldfinch
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow