At lunchtime today I had a Blue-winged Warbler in the woodlot north-west of Tunney's Pasture, the woodlot that hosted a Prothonotary Warbler a couple of years ago. The blue-wing was with a small group of migrant passerines in the same spot that the prothonotary was, namely the western part of the woodlot that extends south towards Clearview Ave, in between Island Park Drive and Patricia Ave. Other birds in the flock included Bay-breasted, Magnolia and Tennessee Warblers, and Philadelphia Vireo.
The leaves are now very much out, so seeing the birds is extremely challenging. Fortunately, the Blue-wing was relatively cooperative--much more so than the other birds in the group. It was about 5-7 metres up while I watched it. None of the birds in the group was vocal except the persistently singing (and very difficult to see) Bay-breast. In fact it was while trying to see the Bay-breast that I spotted the Blue-wing. So one strategy for finding the Blue-wing might be to listen for the Bay-breast. Paul Matthews Ottawa Directions: From hwy 417 (The Queensway) follow Island Park Drive north approx 2km to Clearview (last street before the Parkway and Ottawa River). Turn right onto Clearview one short block, then left onto Patricia for parking and entrance to the wooded area's trail. There is kind of a loop trail in this small woodlot--the bird was west of and sometimes above the westernmost part of the loop, not too far north of Clearview (where another trail comes in from the east to form a T junction). _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
