Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 18 January 2011 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario,W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [email protected], or [email protected]
Despite the winter doldrums, many recent reports indicate it's still worth getting out there! Wintering waterfowl this past week included 7 CANADA GEESE among a few MALLARDS in the small area of open water at the storm-water pond at the south end of Iber Rd. in Kanata on the 16th, an AMERICAN WIGEON in Brewery Creek off the west end of Rue Garneau in Hull, Quebec on the 16th, a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on the Rideau River between Riverain Park and the Hurdman bridge, and a HOODED MERGANSER in the same general location among a few COMMON COLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSERS on the 14th. At least 6 BALD EAGLES were seen at the base of the Eardley escarpment of Gatineau Park on the 14th, 4 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen in the Buckingham and Val-des-monts (Perkins) area of Quebec back on the 11th. Again, there were very few gulls - a couple of RING-BILLED GULLS were noted on the Rideau at Billings Bridge on the 15th and a few HERRING and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were reported here and there. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER continues to be seen sporadically in Constance Bay and was most recently reported on the 15th. The only report of a NORTHERN SHRIKE this week came from March Valley Rd. in Kanata on the 16th. Many people have commented on the large numbers of AMERICAN CROWS in flight and in roosts, especially in the central and east ends of the center of Ottawa. Some people get the willies (shades of the old classic Hitchcock movie) but most agree that it is quite the impressive sight, though nowhere near approaching the numbers seen in southern Ontario. A HERMIT THRUSH persists near the small marshy area on the north side of Lac Leamy, Quebec, and a flock of 250 - 300 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was seen along Rifle Rd. off Carling Ave. on the 14th. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER discovered at Parc Brebeuf in Hull, Quebec on the 12th was searched for but not since reported; the bird in Deschenes, Quebec was also last reported on the 12th. A COMMON GRACKLE was found in the Cambridge Forest Estates community west of the Larose forest on the 14th. Emberzids and finches provided lots of local highlights: a flock of 20 - 40 DARK-EYED JUNCOS along Trail Rd. east of the landfill was seen by several observers last week, at least 5 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were still in the Ste-Rose area on the 12th, and at least 30 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were feeding in a field along Kinburn Side Rd. between Kinburn and Antrim on the 16th. The Kinburn lonspurs were among a flock of approx. 150 HORNED LARKS - a large number for this species in our area in winter. Flocks in excess of 1000 - 1500 SNOW BUNTINGS also continue to be reported in rural areas on both the Ontario and Quebec sides. A single PINE GROSBEAK was seen along Eardley-Masham Rd. north of Hwy 148 in Quebec on the the 14th, and on the same day farther north at Ramsay Lake there were 12 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS. Among the numerous COMMON REDPOLLS in Constance Bay on the weekend were 2 HOARY REDPOLLS, and small numbers of EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen at feeders at the east and west ends of the Larose forest on the 14th. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
