Hi all, Yesterday, at dusk, I followed from St-Isidore a loose flock of about 1000 Snow Geese and ended up at the Moose Creek sewage lagoons. Early this morning, in heavy rain, I watched as these and others left the site. In one photo I took, I counted exactly 2,879 birds (give or take a few). There were at least 10 times that amount. The number of birds in the photo are underestimated because the distant birds that form the dense flock do not appear in the photo. That photo can be viewed here: http://jacquesbouvier.blogspot.com If you visit, please do not attempt to enter the lagoons. The Snow Geese feel secure in this undisturbed site that is surrounded with a ten-foot high chain-link fence topped with 3 strands of barbed wire. Birds are best viewed when they leave for their feeding grounds at dawn. DIRECTIONS to Moose Creek SL: >From HWY 417 east of Casselman take exit 58 and proceed south on HWY 138. At the third intersection turn right on McLean Rd and drive towards Moose Creek. Go about 2 km and turn right on Valley Rd. Go about 600 meters and turn left on 8th Rd. The lagoons are on your left just past the railway tracks. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Jacques Bouvier CP/Box 184 St-Isidore, ON K0C 2B0 (613) 524-1154 bouvier@magma.ca http://jacquesbouvier.blogspot.com http://www.jacquesbouvier.ca

At about 10 am today, approximately 30,000 mostly greater Snow geese were seen in a corn field, a few kilometers west of Casselman along Highway 417 (south side). Numbers were difficult to estimate. As we watched, more geese, in the thousands, were flying in from the southeast. Possibly these were the same group reported by Jacques Bouvier, but this is the first time they have been seen west of Casselman. Please note that we could only seen the birds from the highway; birders should use caution if stopping there, although the shoulders are quite wide. There might be other roads where they can be observed. Also seen today was a Snowy owl and a Northern Harrier just about 500 meters east of the corner of Frank Kenny Road and Regimbald in the east end of Ottawa. DIRECTIONS The exit for Casselman is #66 on the 417. For Frank Kenney and Regimbald, take exit 88 from the 417, north on Rockdale Road about 5 Km, left (west) on Russell about 2 Km and right (north) about 10 Km to Regimbald. The Owl was sitting on some hay about 500 meters east, to the north. The Harrier was in the field to the south. Kim Zbitnew, Ottawa