Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 19 May 2010 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]
The middle of May is usually a dynamic time for migration and the past week did not disappoint! Waterfowl for the most part are well-established in breeding habitats, although 16 SNOW GEESE were still at the Alfred lagoons on the 18th and a couple of late COMMON GOLDENEYE were still on the Ottawa River at Britannia on the 17th. CANADA GEESE and MALLARDS have hatched their first broods. New on the scene were 7 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS at Dechenes rapids on the 18th. A lone and rather late RED-NECKED GREBE was seen on both the river and the pond at Britannia from the 14th to at least the 18th. A GREAT EGRET was seen again at Britannia on the 15th and GREEN HERON and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON were present here as well. Shorebird sightings from the Ottawa River included small numbers of LEAST SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN and two SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS at Shirley's Bay on the 16th, a RUDDY TURNSTONE on the rocks in the Deschenes rapids and a dozen LEAST SANDPIPERS at the west end of Andrew Haydon Park on the 17th. Small numbers of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and up to 16 LEAST SANDPIPERS were at the stormwater pond along Eagleson Rd. at Fernbank Rd. from the 16th to the 18th. A visit to the eastern sewage lagoons on the 18th yielded a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, 7 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and 25 LEAST SANDPIPERS at Alfred, as well as 20 each of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and 50 each of LEAST SANDPIPERS at St. Albert and Embrun. WILSON'S PHALAROPES were again noted at the lagoons. The most exciting bird of the week was a 1st-summer LITTLE GULL discovered at the Deschenes rapids on the 16th, coinciding with a large emergence of mayflies typical for this time of year. The gull was still present as of at least the 18th. The flying feast also attracted good numbers of BONAPARTE'S GULLS - 74 were counted on the 16th and varying numbers have been seen since then. Rather early was a flight of ARCTIC TERNS up the river with two on the 16th and 5 on the 17th all seen from the shore by Britannia filtration plant. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was heard several times on the 17th in Gatineau Park near the Champlain lookout. Passerines were well-represented all over the area. EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES were first reported on the 17th, LEAST FLYCATCHERS are now widespread, and BANK SWALLOWS are back in good numbers at the Moodie Dr. quarry pond south of Trail Rd. VEERIES, HERMIT THRUSHES, WOOD THRUSHES and GRAY CATBIRDS are on territory, and the only expected warbler species yet to be reported are ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSON'S. The Britannia Conservation Area and other migrant traps were hopping with warblers on the weekend, and two territorial male GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS were found in a traditonal location along the railroad tracks off Huntmar Dr. south of Old Carp Rd. on the 15th. Many more reports of SCARLET TANAGERS, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES have come in, and another sighting of a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was reported on the 17th, flying over the town of Embrun with COMMON GRACKLES, but was not seen again. 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/
