Hi.
There's something in the air as I have been sneezing and eyes itching all
this week. Must be the ragweed. Just a quick note. The American White
Pelican is still present at the Moodie Drive Quarry pond. I stopped by the
pond sometime between 12 and 12:30pm today. I was told by a couple of birders
there the Pelican had been flying around and was just hidden behind one of the
islets to the left of the gate. They left. I waited in the car patiently for
it to re-emerge. Just when I was about to leave, a number of vehicles pulled
over onto the shoulder of the road. It was Tony Beck and his birding group.
Not long after arriving, great timing as always, Tony alerts everyone that the
Pelican was in the air. It was moving with a flock of gulls which eventually
drafted right behind it.
The Pelican broke away and did something I had never seen it do before in
all my previous visits. It headed straight for us. I fully expected it to
turn away at the last moment. Instead, it flew straight for us and gave me the
best looks at it thus far, making a turn near the gate just to the right and
flying over Moodie Drive. From there it circled around a couple of times,
perhaps riding on some draft and disappeared behind the treeline. While Tony's
group went back to checking out the various birds in the large quarry pond (I
overheard Yellowlegs and Black-Crowned Night Herons) Tony (think it was him)
suddenly alerts everyone again to the Pelican coming in for a landing near the
same islet to the left of the gate where it had likely taken off from earlier.
Somehow it had snuck back while everyone was preoccupied.
At least for the last 2 days, 11:30am to 1pm seems to be good for viewing
this rare visitor in action. To my knowledge, the Great Egret has not been
seen again,at the pond since last Sunday. Thanks.
W.H.
Ottawa, Ontario.www.pbase.com/golfpic
Some pictures.
Leader of the flock (more birds out of camera range).
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/102326626/original
I'm sure this sight made everyones eyes open wide (including my red ones).
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/102326627/original
Right above our heads.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/102324700/original
Directions courtesy Neily World: http://ca.geocities.com/
[EMAIL PROTECTED]/stony8.htm
>From Highway 416 take exit 66 (Fallowfield Road). If southbound, a
0.4 km offramp dumps onto Fallowfield, where you will turn right or
west. If northbound, the 0.4 km offramp brings you to Fallowfield,
where you will turn left or west onto it and in 0.5 km join the
southbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow Fallowfield
Road west for an additional 0.4 km to reach Moodie Drive. Turn left
or southeast onto Moodie Drive and go 5.3 km, passing Cambrian Road
to reach the quarries (second gate on the left).
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