Seven IDNC members made their way to Rondeau for Migratory Bird Day on May 12^th .  Despite torrential rains, the group persevered and recorded 30 different species of birds, listed here.  One of the highlights was discovering a bay-breasted warbler, feasting on the ground with a juicy find – see warbler photos, credited to club member Bill Grant.

• Baltimore Oriole (male & female)
• Bay-breasted Warbler
• Bluejay
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Cardinal
• Catbird
• Chestnut-sided Warbler
• Common Yellow Throated Warbler (male & female)
• Downy Woodpecker
• Goldfinch
• Grackle
• Grosbeak (male & female)
• Heron (Blue)
• Heron (Gray)
• Hummingbird
• Magnolia Warbler
• Mourning Dove
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Redstart
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Robin
• Sparrow (Chipping)
• Sparrow (House)
• Sparrow (White Crowned)
• Sparrow (White-throated)
• Thrush (Gray)
• Thrush (Swainson)
• Thrush (Wood)
• Towhee
• Turkey Vulture
• White-eyed Vireo
• Wild Turkey
• Yellow Warbler

Members of the club were treated to a wide variety of bird sightings at the Lawson Nature Reserve on Saturday, May 19^th.  The Reserve is a vibrant transition ground for migratory warblers during the month of May, as well as home to a number of local bird species.  Despite the brief downpour, members saw and counted 38 different species within a 4 hour window.  Thanks are extended to our key birders for leading this bird count and helping to identify the following birds:

• American Redstart (3)
• Baltimore oriole (5 male / 5 female)
• Black and white warbler (1)
• Blue jay (3)
• Canada geese (5)
• Canada warbler (1)  [Status:  Threatened]
• Cardinal (4 male / 4 female)
• Chickadee (15)
• Chipping sparrow (4)
• Common yellow throat (1)
• Cowbird (2)
• Crow (5)
• Downie woodpecker (5)
• European Starling (5)
• Gold finch (8)
• Grackle (3)
• Great blue heron (1)
• Great Crested flycatcher (1)
• Gray Catbird (3)
• Magnolia warbler (4)
• Mallard (male and female)
• Nashville warbler (1 male and female)
• Peewee (1)
• Red-bellied woodpecker (5)
• Red-breasted nuthatch (1)
• Red-eyed vireo (6)
• Red-winged blackbird (6)
• Robin (3)
• Rose-breasted grosbeak (7 male / 4 female)
• Scarlet tanager (1)
• Tennessee warbler (8)
• Tree swallow (1)
• Turkey vulture (3)
• White-breasted nuthatch (3)
• Wild turkey (1)
• Wood duck (1)
• Wren (3)
• Yellow rump warbler (1)

Please note: The enclosed photos were taken at Rondeau Park on May 12 but do represent some of the bird species seen at the Lawson Nature

Give your friends and neighbours butterflies. Imagine your yard or balcony garden in full bloom, alive with fluttering butterflies and buzzing bumblebees…

Now make that vision a reality. Buy wildflower seeds that support pollinators!

Buy wildflower seeds

This year the David Suzuki Foundation has the following seed packet options:

• Five- or ten-packs of beautiful flowers suitable for Eastern Canada.
• Five- or ten-packs of bee-friendly beauties for Western Canada.
• A three-pack of easy-to-grow wildflowers for almost any yard or garden.

Proceeds from seeds you buy will support the Butterflyway Project. You’ll power volunteer Butterfly Rangers creating pollinator pathways in Markham, Montreal, North Vancouver, Richmond, Toronto and Victoria.

Thanks for helping protect pollinators.

P.S. Seed sale continues while supplies last. Get yours before they’re gone!

Learn more about the David Suzuki Foundation here.

Nine stalwart souls braved the minus 18 degree weather for the annual Christmas Bird Count, held on December 28. Sightings over the two-hour walk are noted below.

• American Goldfinch – 17
• Northern Cardinal – 9
• Dark-Eyed Junco – 36
• American Tree Sparrow – 1
• Brown Creeper – 2
• White- Breasted Nuthatch – 9
• Black-Capped Chickadee – 23
• American Crow – 3
• Blue Jay – 18
• Downy Woodpecker – 9
• Red-Bellied Woodpecker – 4
• Mourning Dove – 11
• Canada Geese – 22