- RBA * Ontario * Ottawa/Gatineau * 17 October 2005 * ONOT0510.17
- Birds mentioned American Bittern CACKLING GOOSE GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Snow Goose Canvasback REDHEAD White-winged Scoter Ruddy Duck Osprey Bald Eagle American Kestrel Merlin Wild Turkey SANDHILL CRANE Short-eared Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Carolina Wren Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Palm Warbler Wilson's Warbler Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Fox Sparrow Lapland Longspur Eastern Meadowlark Common Grackle Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak - Transcript hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club date: 17 October 2005 number: 613-860-9000 for the status line : press 2 for rare bird alerts: press 1 to report a sighting: press # coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Can. Nat. Capital Reg.), E.Ont., W.Que. compiler : Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] transcriber: Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] internet : Gordon Pringle [EMAIL PROTECTED] OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE - MON OCT 17 2005 AT 5:00 PM This is Chris Lewis reporting. Most of the birds in this report were found on the annual Fall Bird Count held from Oct 15th to 16th. The unofficial total of 126 species recorded by 51 observers was low for this event, but not surprising considering the weather. However, birders who battled the brutal northwest winds were rewarded with several highlights. Of the 26 species of waterfowl found, CACKLING GOOSE was of course a new species this year - one was reported in both the SW and SE sectors. A total of 321 Snow Geese were found among all 4 sectors of the 50 km count circle, and a possible GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was reported at the large pond along Moodie Dr. Two male Canvasbacks were a surprise at the Casselman sewage lagoons on the 16th, and record high totals of 83 REDHEAD and 95 Ruddy Ducks were seen in most sectors. The only scoters reported were the White- winged ones. A late American Bittern was at the St. Albert lagoons on the 15th. Twelve species of raptors included 2 very late Ospreys and 2 Bald Eagles, and Merlins once again outnumbered American Kestrels. Shorebird numbers and diversity were generally very low, but were perhaps compensated by a record total of 53 Wild Turkeys mainly in the NW sector on the Quebec side, and another Fall Count record of 47 SANDHILL CRANES in the fields along Milton Rd. southeast of Carlsbad Springs. A total of 6 Short-eared Owls, including 4 in the "traditional" area along Earl Armstrong Rd. south of the international airport, were a nice find as well. Woodpeckers and songbirds were extremely tough under the blustery conditions. A Carolina Wren that was still singing on a property in Carp on the 14th was searched for but NOT found on the count, but 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen in the old burn area in Constance Bay. Good warblers for the date were Orange-crowned, Nashville, Palm and Wilson's. Eleven species of sparrows including 12 Fox Sparrows and a few late Field and Vesper Sparrows were widespread in low numbers. The 1st seasonal report of Lapland Longspurs came from Rushmore Rd. at Eagleson Rd. back on the 9th, and 3 were found southeast of Hallville on the weekend. A large number of Eastern Meadowlarks were in the Metcalfe and Hallville areas, and a record number of 2444 Common Grackles were swarming in the cornfields with other blackbird species in rural areas. One Pine Siskin and 16 Evening Grosbeaks did not exactly make for a stellar "winter finch forecast" for our area....but it's still early in the season! The final results of the Fall Bird Count will be posted on the OFNC web site at www.ofnc.ca in the near future. Thank you - Good Birding! - End transcript
