Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa/Gatineau
29 September 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 10:00 am, Tuesday September 29, 2009 this is Chris Lewis reporting.
Another good week for migrant-watching, with most of the action reported
from the Ottawa River, the Britannia Conservation Area and the large quarry
pond on Moodie Dr. south of the Trail Rd. landfill.
A bird with the field marks of a female BREWER'S BLACKBIRD was reported on
the 28th on the "ridge"north of Mud Lake in Britannia and was last seen
flying northwest at 8:45 am. As of the 27th, the MARBLED GODWIT is still
present - its 11th straight day on the mudflats at Shirley's Bay.
SNOW GEESE are beginning to move through in numbers. Flocks of up to 70
birds were reported from widespread locations since the 25th. The lingering
BRANT at Andrew Haydon Park was joined by a CACKLING GOOSE in one of the
ponds on the 27th, and another Cackler was seen among the ever-increasing
CANADA GEESE in the Moodie Dr. area the same day. Approx. 20 PIED-BILLED
GREBES were in the Moodie Dr. pond on the 26th and the first seasonal report
of a RED-NECKED GREBE came from the river at the east end of Andrew Haydon
the same day. Two GREAT EGRETS continue to skulk around the Shirley's Bay
marshes as of at least the 26th, 2 GREEN HERONS were seen in a pond in
Deschenes, Quebec, on the the 27th, and on the 24th an adult BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON was flying around the Bruce Pit on Cedarview Rd. Recent raptor
reports included an adult BALD EAGLE at Lac La Peche in Gatineau Park on the
26th, a few NORTHERN HARRIERS here and there, lots of MERLIN activity, and
an immature PEREGRINE FALCON at Andrew Haydon on the 24th. Both VIRGINIA and
SORA RAILS were noted in the Shirley's Bay marshes last week, and 2 AMERICAN
COOTS were still in the Moodie Dr. pond.
Sixteen species of shorebirds were reported last week, mostly from Shirley's
Bay and Andrew Haydon Park. A couple each of BLACK-BELLIED and AMERICAN
GOLDEN PLOVERS were among many KILLDEER and both species of YELLOWLEGS.
SOLITARY and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS have pretty much cleared out. A very close
fly-by of 3 WHIMBRELS was a surprise on the 23rd in Carlington Heights. A
mystery has been the total lack of SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS in recent days,
and only 1 LEAST SANDPIPER was noted at Shirley's Bay on the 26th. However,
up to 24 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 2 each of DUNLIN and STILT SANDPIPERS were
still here on the weekend along with four LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and a
WILSON'S SNIPE. At least 3 BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 4 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS
were at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 26th and up to 8 of the latter were seen
in the Deschenes rapids among growing numbers of GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on
the 23rd.
Good numbers of songbirds continue to move through; from the 24th to the
27th serveral BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, WINTER WRENS, GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY
CROWNED KINGLETS were found in several locations, along with multiple HORNED
LARKS and AMERICAN PIPITS. A single BARN SWALLOW was still frantically
flying around at Shirley's Bay on the 26th. YELLOW-RUMPED's were again the
most numerous warbler species but ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN
PARULA, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, PALM and BLACKPOLL
WARBLERS were also noted from the 24th to the 26th. A somewhat late SCARLET
TANAGER was seen at Deschenes on the 27th, and sparrow reports from
widespread locations included CHIPPING, CLAY-COLOURED, SAVANNAH, LINCOLN'S
and WHITE-THROATED, as well as an influx of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and
DARK-EYED JUNCOS on the weekend. Noteworthy blackbirds included 3 EASTERN
MEADOWLARKS in Aylmer, Quebec on the 27th and several RUSTY BLACKBIRDS along
the river as well as along Trim Rd. on the weekend as well.
Thank you - Good Birding!
_______________________________________________
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