After a decent start last weekend in building a winter list, I decided to keep going and I spent a few hours each day since Monday, mainly checking the river at Shirleys Bay and other good areas for winter birds in Ottawa.
To-day, Dec 8, a Wilson Snipe was present behind the National Research Council on Montreal Rd., as well as a Merlin. A Barrow's Goldeneye was present on the Rideau River near the Queensway Bridge. Yesterday Dec. 7, a male Wood Duck was on the Jock River at the bridge on Steeple Hill Cr. A Cackling Goose as well as both scaups and a Ring-necked Duck were present at a large pond on Moodie Dr. On Dec. 5, among a large flock of Canada Geese at the same pond, there were 2 adult blue form Snow Geese; among some 100 or more ducks that flew away from the pond in mid-afternoon, there were 2 Pintails. The previous day a Green-winged Teal was present on the pond. Large numbers of gulls were also present at the pond each day (best viewed around noon), including Iceland and Glaucous as well as a possible 2nd year Lesser Black-backed and a possible 1st summer Thayer's (gulls are generally far away on the pond and difficult to pick among the crowd). On Dec. 4, at Shirleys Bay, a Horned Grebe and 2 Black Scoters could be seen from the boat launch, and a Pintail and 20 Coots were seen West of the dike (on Wednesday, the bay West of the dike was completely frozen). For those who would like to see the list of birds seen in and around Ottawa since Dec 1st, the following web site might be very useful: http://ca.geocities.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/winterlist06-07.htm For directions, please e-mail me in private. Good birding to all. Langis Sirois, Ottawa From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 9 09:10:26 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from tomts36-srv.bellnexxia.net (tomts36.bellnexxia.net [209.226.175.93]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6593A639B8 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 09:10:25 -0500 (EST) Received: from sympatico.ca ([64.230.9.134]) by tomts36-srv.bellnexxia.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.13 201-253-122-130-113-20050324) with ESMTP id <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for <[email protected]>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 09:10:25 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 09:07:57 -0500 From: Langis Sirois <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.79 [en]C-SYMPA (Win98; U) X-Accept-Language: fr-CA,en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Ontbirds <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: [Ontbirds]Wood Duck - Ottawa Correction to location X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:10:26 -0000 In my previous message I wrote: "Yesterday Dec. 7, a male Wood Duck was on the Jock River at the bridge on Steeple Hill Cr." Checking the map, it appears that the bridge on Steeple Hill does not run across the Jock River, but across a creek that flows perpendicular to the river. Sorry. Good birding to all. Langis Sirois, Ottawa From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 9 09:11:13 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from sccrmhc14.comcast.net (unknown [204.127.200.84]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4FC63639D1 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 09:11:04 -0500 (EST) Received: from pc2 (c-68-43-27-47.hsd1.mi.comcast.net[68.43.27.47]) by comcast.net (sccrmhc14) with SMTP id <2006120914105901400q0vnbe>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 14:10:59 +0000 From: "Joe Agius" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Ontbirds'" <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2006 09:12:53 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.2627 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 Importance: Normal Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Razorbill (Friday) at NOTL - Note X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:11:13 -0000 Ontbirders, As a follow up note to my sighting of the Razorbill yesterday (Friday): The bird was viewed from 3:30pm until 4:45pm from the parkette immediately south of the golf course at Niagra-on-the-Lake. I first saw it as it flew in from the west and landed about 200 yards out in the river. Shortly after finding the bird I was joined by Erwin Meissner from Massey, ON and Mike Gerber. It then began diving for the next hour in and around the "RIP". The last fifteen minutes we were there the bird was preening and sitting up. The bird was still there when we left and was sitting up in the water giving nice views. Shortly after the Razorbill flew in it began feeding in the rip and did so for about an hour. During that time I noticed something that may help others locate the bird when it's feeding in and around the rip. A group of Bonaparte's Gulls appeared to be kleptoparasitizing food from the Razorbill. When the Razorbill dove to feed I was able to watch the group of Bonaparte's and as the Razorbill returned to the surface the Bonaparte's would harass the Razorbill in hopes of getting a meal. David Sibley talks specifically about kleptoparasitism between Bonaparte's Gulls and Razorbills in his book "The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior" (pg 302). Sibley also discusses the feeding habits of alcids and describes "strong currents" similar to the rip that provide prime feeding locations for Razorbills (pg 313). It was also mentioned that the bird shows a pattern of arriving to feed late in the day. On my first failed attempt to see the Razorbill I know it was seen earlier in the day but also at 3:20pm that day. It may be worth trying for it late in the day. The light was great for us around 4:30pm. Other birds seen/not seen on my travels from Detroit yesterday: No sign of the Slaty-backed Gull (3) Red-throated Loons (NOTL) (0) Gray Partridge - I figured I'd try for these since there was some snow on the ground. I struck out in and around the Brantford Airport. (1) Barrow's Goldeneye off Gray's Rd in Stoney Creek Directions: Razorbill - Niagara-On-The-Lake can be reached via the QEW and Highway 55. Barrow's Goldeneye - From QEW exit at Centennial Road (Hwy 20) go north to North Service Road and head right, east. Access the lake at Drakes Drive for Grays Road Good birding, Joe Agius, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 9 11:17:01 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from mail44.messagelabs.com (mail44.messagelabs.com [216.82.249.179]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 6F77F638F6 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 11:17:00 -0500 (EST) X-VirusChecked: Checked X-Env-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Msg-Ref: server-15.tower-44.messagelabs.com!1165681019!23566464!1 X-StarScan-Version: 5.5.10.7; banners=-,-,- X-Originating-IP: [152.72.251.229] Received: (qmail 30637 invoked from network); 9 Dec 2006 16:16:59 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO USRACIM09.global.scj.loc) (152.72.251.229) by server-15.tower-44.messagelabs.com with SMTP; 9 Dec 2006 16:16:59 -0000 Received: from USRACIM14.global.scj.loc ([152.72.251.239]) by USRACIM09.global.scj.loc with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830); Sat, 9 Dec 2006 10:16:58 -0600 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message MIME-Version: 1.0 Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2006 10:16:56 -0600 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: Thread-Topic: Razorbill - Niagara-on-the-Lake - Saturday Dec 9 Thread-Index: AccbrXKPMfCEeWdJQGOL30TUNnVbYg== From: "Mcgregor, Sheldon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 09 Dec 2006 16:16:58.0952 (UTC) FILETIME=[73CDFC80:01C71BAD] Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Razorbill - Niagara-on-the-Lake - Saturday Dec 9 X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 16:17:01 -0000 On the 4th try (not including my near misses in the 80's) I saw the Razorbill with Jim Heslop this morning. We first saw it at ~ 8 am very near the fort on the US side and it moved gradually out along the line of water turbulence/transition until it was roughly in the middle and to the left of the parkette when we left the bird still in view at 8:45 am. It was diving at times frequently and at times not very often.=20 We were viewing from the parkette to the south (upriver) of the golf course. To reach Niagara-on-the-Lake take the QEW to exit #38 and head to Niagara-on-the-Lake. As you reach town continue straight until the T intersection at the golf course. Turn right, take the first left, this road bends to the right after ~ 100 m, continue about another 200 m to the parkette on the left. Sheldon McGregor Ancaster From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 9 13:48:01 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from main2.mycybernet.net (main2.mycybernet.net [209.222.63.140]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 73E57634BF for <[email protected]>; Sat, 9 Dec 2006 13:48:00 -0500 (EST) Received: from 102-49-222-209.mycybernet.net ([209.222.49.102] helo=blue) by main2.mycybernet.net with smtp (Exim 4.62) (envelope-from <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>) id 1Gt7KC-0003Qj-LV for [email protected]; Sat, 09 Dec 2006 13:53:28 -0500 From: "Jack or Connie Walker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Birds (E-mail)" <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2006 13:47:25 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook CWS, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1807 Subject: [Ontbirds]Muscovy Duck in Stouffville X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:48:01 -0000 There's a domestic MUSCOVY DUCK (very tame) wandering around our neighborhood. At 1:45 it is sitting on the street on Sandale Rd at the dead end. >From Hwy 48 & Stouffville rd, East 1 set of lights to Sandale Rd, turn left (north) and 2 blocks to the dead end. It may wander around (had a chuckar here a few years ago and it stuck around for a few days). Jack Walker
