At 6:00 pm on May 25, 2009, this is Bernie Ladouceur reporting.
The focus of migration turned suddenly from warblers to shorebirds yesterday, May 24, with over 800 individual shorebirds reported from three locations: This included over 400 Dunlin, 200+ Least Sandpipers, and close to 100 Semipalamated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. The Almonte sewage lagoons had approximately 300 shorebirds, including 1 Red-necked Phalarope, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 8 Short-billed Dowitchers,. Also present were a Lesser Scaup, a Green Heron and 2 Blue-winged Teal. The St. Albert lagoons boasted over 400 shorebirds, including a White-rumped Sandpiper. Also present was a single Brant and 2 Northern Shovelers. A Short- billed Dowitcher was present the day before among a smaller number of shorebirds The Embrun lagoons added 3 Wilson's Phalaropes. Also present were a number of Ruddy Ducks, Northern Pintail, a Common Moorhen and the swan that has been present for a few weeks now, and the identification of which continues to be discussed. Other locations for shorebirds include Earl Armstrong Road, south of airport and west of "S" curve, which had 5 Short-billed Dowitchers on the 23rd and a pond at the end of Southbrook and Beatrice drives in the new Chapman Hills development, south of Strandherd Road in Barrhaven; there was also a Lapland Longspur present at this location today, May 25th. A visit to the Larose Forest on the 24th produced 18 species of warbler. All 17 of the regular breeders were present, including Cape May Warbler on Neuf-mille road. Other species included Blue-headed Vireo, 5 White-winged Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, a Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged Hawk. The Carp Ridge along Thomas Dolan Parkway had a Golden-winged Warbler, Eastern Towhees, Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, Broad-winged and Sharp-shinned Hawks on the 21st. The woods at the north end of Patricia Avenue produced a BLUE-WINGED WARBLER among a few other migrants on May 22nd, bringing the spring warbler count to 26. The bird could not be relocated that evening or the next morning. Also at this location were a Lincoln's Sparrow on the 20th and a Gray-cheeked Thrush on the 19th. Reports from Mud Lake in Britannia included a Golden-winged Warbler on the 23rd, and a Whimbrel heard flying up the rapids, plus a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Mourning Warbler, 7 Blackpoll Warblers and a lingering Northern Parula on the 21st. The Innes Point Bird Observatory reported a Red-bellied Woodpecker, 12 Wilson's Warblers, a Willow Flycatcher and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, all on the 22nd. Alder Flycatchers are now widespread. Flocks of 300 and 100 Brant were reported from separate locations on the 20th; and on the 23rd were 2 Gray Partridge observed on Giroux Road, east of the quarry, an Orange-crowned Warbler near entrance to the Mer Bleue and a Black-billed Cuckoo in the Cumberland area. Missing last week's report were 2 or 3 Least Bitterns in the Marsh west of Moodie Drive, south of the Nortel complex on May 17th. On the Quebec side: Lac La Blanche had 17 species of warbler, including 5 singing Northern Parulas on May 23rd; and there was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and an immature Bald Eagle at Marais aux Grenouillettes. On May 22nd, there were15 species of warbler in the woods north of Rue Gabriel-Lacasse, just west of the Gatineau Park in the former city of Hull; and an Upland Sandpiper was reported from Aylmer. Finally, the Pine Siskin invasion continues. "Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ 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/
