A Little Birding in Canada and Vermont

 On Wednesday, September 6th we left our Brockville, Ontario hotel early and headed east. The morning was in the 70's and sunny with a slight breeze. The air wasn't exactly clear as unusual heat and humidity remained in the area, but the breeze helped make being outside more comfortable. We took a small detour off the main highway to Long Sault Parkway which connects several islands of the St. Lawrence Seaway. 

 

 We saw 14 species on the 6 or so mile drive. A small flock of Wild turkey grazed near the side of the road. The various water views showed lots of Canada Geese, Ring-billed Gull,  Mallard, and little else.

 It was a beautiful drive with a few pull offs into camping and picnic areas that required permits of you are camping, picnicking, or fishing. We were not in any area birding long enough to require a permit.

We continued east into Quebec and skirted Montreal to the south and visited another place on the seaway: the small hamlet of Pointe-des-Cascades. We drove to the end of a winding lane to a park with a boat ramp and picnic areas. We birded the area, having it pretty much to ourselves. 

 

We heard a very vocal Warbling Vireo, saw industrious Black-capped Chickadees, among others. A small flag of adult and juvenile Cedar Waxwing perched and sang high in an ash snag, a victim of the voracious ash borer.

 

We drove east and then south to cross the US/Canada border in far north-east New York. We took an easterly route into Vermont after lunch. It was about one in the afternoon when we drove into Missisquoi NWR. The heat drive us to bird in a shadier place on the refuge along the Missisquoi River. 

Not too birdy, with hearing more than seeing: Black-capped Chickadee, Grey Catbird and Pileated Woodpecker. Ring-billed Gulls circled overhead.

And froggy! A great day even if the birds were a bit shy!