Hello Ontbirds people, The MARBLED GODWIT was still present (its 11th day since 1st discovered on 17 Sept.!) at the base of the Shirley's Bay causeway this morning, Sept. 27. Thanks to Phil Wright for the most recent report. According to the Ottawa Field-Naturalist's Club records, this is the first late summer / early fall record for this species in Ottawa - all previously documented birds occurred in May and June.
Over the past 3 days (25 -27 Sept.), 13 species of shorebirds were seen by multiple observers on the ever-improving mud flats in this location. The numbers & mix of species changes from day to day, but during this time (in addition to the godwit) there were 2 Black-bellied Plovers, 1 Semipalmated Plover, numerous Killdeers, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, a few Greater Yellowlegs, many Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Least Sandpiper, up to 20 Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, 4 Long-billed Dowitchers and 1 Wilson's Snipe. Also in the same location, two Great Egrets continue to play hide-and-seek in the extensive marsh, and a regular Merlin continues to stir things up but has aparently not yet caught the single Barn Swallow that has been flying over the marsh and the mud flats since at least 09 Sept. A few American Pipits and Rusty Blackbirds were also noteworthy here on the weekend. DIRECTIONS: >From downtown Ottawa, take Hwy 417 west to the Moodie Dr. exit (#134). North >on Moodie to Carling Ave., then west on Carling to Rifle Rd. Go north on Rifle >Rd. to the parklng area by the "Shirleys Bay" sign. Walk west along Shirley >Blvd. past the DND fence to the entrance to the trail on your right that goes >through the woods to the causeway. **PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION >from the DND Range Control Office (613-991-5740) to access the causeway. Good fall birds to all! Chris Lewis Ottawa, ON [email protected] _______________________________________________ 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/
