Hi everyone The Nelson's (Sharp-Tailed) Sparrow, found by Jay Peterson at Shirley's Bay yesterday and seen by numerous observers, was still present this morning, Sept. 21. It was seen from the base of the causeway, foraging on the ground around the cattails in the area just left of standing bare trees behind the mudflats.
The Marbled Godwit was still present on the mudflats along with a Stilt Sandpiper, at least 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 6 or 7 Pectoral Sandpipers, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Kildeers, an American Golden Plover (which tried to be identified as a Black-bellied), Teals, Hooded Mergensers, a Barn Swallow and a Virginia Rail. Some observers also had a Sora and a Marsh Wren. Directions courtesy of Bruce DiLabio >From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to the Moodie Drive exit and turn north (right) on Moodie Drive and continue to Carling Ave. Turn left at Carling Ave. and follow Carling to Rifle Road. Turn right (north) on Rifle Rd. Park at the lot at the end (boat launch). Walk back to the road, and continue through the gate on the Department of National Defense property. There is a trail on your right (clearly marked with vehicle "No Entry" signs) which heads into the woods, and, eventually to the dyke. There is lots of POISON IVY along the dyke. **** PLEASE NOTE**** YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE RANGE CONTROL OFFICE BEFORE ENTERING THE DYKE AREA-- Call (613) 991-5740 and request permission to visit the dyke area for birding. After this very pleasant visit to Shirley's Bay, Hervé Tremblay and I went to the large pond on Moodie Dr were geese, ducks and gulls congragate, particularly at this time of the year. Among the thousands of Canada Geese on the pond we observed one Cackling Goose, one Greater White-fronted Goose (probably the same that was observed by Rick Collins 2 days ago), one very large hybrid (probably White-frontedxCanada, and 6 Snow Geese (one was smaller than the others - it was so far away that we were not able to conclude if it was a Lesser Snow goose or a Ross' Goose - there is a good possibility that it was a Ross' goose). Other birds at the pond included 3 adult Lesser black-backed Gull, one Bonaparte Gull, a Coot, a Common Moorhen, 2 Gadwalls, a Pintail, a Ring-necked Duck and numerous Pied-billed Grebes. Directions to Moodie drive pond, courtesy of Neilyworld >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). Park along the >side of the road without blocking the access. Private property, do not enter. Good birding to all. Langis Sirois, Ottawa _______________________________________________ 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/
