Ontario Ottawa/Gatineau 01 June 2009 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Rare bird alerts are now included in the introductory message Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [email protected]
At 6:30 am, Monday June 01, 2009 this is Chris Lewis reporting. Not so great weather can bring some great birds - this was certainly the case recently in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. Shorebirds were again the big story of the past week, with 17 species reported from many locations from the 26th to the 31st, bringing the local seasonal species total to 24. The best shorebird habitat was found at the Alfred, Embrun, St. Albert and Almonte sewage lagoons, and the mix of species has been changing almost daily. The stars of the show were a WILLET at the Embrun sewage lagoons from May 29 until at least the 30th, single HUDSONIAN GODWITS at the Alfred lagoons on the 26th and the St. Albert lagoons from the 28th to the 29th, and a WESTERN SANDPIPER at St. Albert on the 31st. Up to 35 Black-bellied Plovers, a few Semipalmated Plovers, at least 30 Ruddy Turnstones, a smattering of Sanderlings, Least and White-rumped Sandpipers and Short-billed Dowitchers were found among multiple 100's of Dunlin and Semipalmated Sandpipers in just about any wet area in the region. At least 6 Wilson's Phalaropes were seen at Embrun on the weekend and a few Red-necked Phalaropes were also widely reported from most of the aforementioned lagoons. Interesting waterfowl reports included 3 late Snow Geese, several Redhead and at least 30 Ruddy Ducks at the Alfred lagoons on the 30th. A single Brant was still present at St. Albert on the 31st, a White-winged Scoter dropped in at Embrun on the 30th, and Gadwall were noted at Embrun and the Moodie Dr. quarry ponds. A Least Bittern was seen in a marsh along Munster Rd. on the 30th, Green Herons were spotted at McLaurin Bay and along the Thomas Dolan Parkway. Common Moorhens and American Coots were again reported from a couple of the eastern lagoons. Two Red-shouldered Hawks were seen in the Carp Hills on the 31st, and a Peregrine Falcon briefly stirred up the shorebirds at St. Albert on the 29th. Speaking of Peregrines, the downtown breeding pair has 2 young in the nest on the Crowne Plaza Hotel and this year's Falcon Watch is scheduled to begin on June 7th. To volunteer for the watch please contact Nancy Scott at 613-946-7847 or 613-253-1490 or email [email protected] Highlights from the Ottawa River included an adult LITTLE GULL at the Deschenes rapids on the 28th and 29th, and 2 ARCTIC TERNS flying over the same rapids on the afternoon of the 31st. Up to 9 Bonaparte's Gulls and 2 Black Terns were also seen in this location on the weekend, taking advantage of a large emergence of Mayflies along with many Chimney Swifts and swallow species. In spite of the persistent strong winds, the cool weather conditions have been very conducive for hearing and seeing our local breeding songbirds in their appropriate habitats. The Thomas Dolan Parkway through the Carp hills was as usual a good location for Black-billed Cuckoo, Common Nighthawk, Whip-poor-will, Golden-winged Warbler and Eastern Towhee. Yellow-billed Cuckoos were reported from Gatineau Park at Lac Philippe on the 23rd and trail #1 on the 26th, and another possible candidate was heard on the 26th along the Meech Creek trail. A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher paid a visit to backyard in Merrickville on the 31st, 4 Sedge Wrens were heard in the Richmond Fen on the night of the 30th....and the "year of the Pine Siskin" 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/
