Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 22 February 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]
Among several interesting reports over the past week were out-of-season waterfowl: a male NORTHERN PINTAIL near the Bridge St. bridge in Manotick on the 16th was seen again on the 20th but does not seem to favour a particular location. A female AMERICAN WIGEON was also here from the 18th to at least the 22nd and may be the same bird re-located from farther north up the Rideau where there is now very little open water. On the 20th a female HOODED MERGANSER was on the Ottawa River by the Champlain bridge parking lot off the Ottawa River Parkway, and another (or the same?) was on the Rideau in Manotick also on the 21st. Wintering ducks certainly have been quite mobile this season! A surprisingly tough GREAT BLUE HERON was still present as of at least the 14th in McEwan Creek near the area of Russell and Blake Rds. GRAY PARTRIDGE remain elusive, with the only recent report from Forced Rd. near North Russell Rd. north of Russell, ON on the 17th but not since. Conversely, WILD TURKEYS continue to be seen just about everywhere in rural areas. Visits to the Eardley-Masham and Steele Rds. in the Gatineau hills were again successful for finding BALD EAGLES, and many observers were treated to great views of up to 2 juvenile GOLDEN EAGLES on the 20th and 21st. On the 16th and 20th an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was also seen along Steele Rd. and individuals were also noted in Bells Corners north of the Stony Swamp on the 18th and the north end of Boundary Rd. near the Mer Bleue bog on the 20th. COOPER'S HAWK sightings have outnumbered SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS this winter, MERLINS were reported from the Beacon Hill neighbourhood on the 20th, and the Ottawa Civic Hospital on the 22nd. A single GLAUCOUS GULL was again reported from the Trail Rd. landfill, where only 3 other gulls - 1 HERRING and 2 GREAT BLACK-BACKED - were seen on the 20th. A report of a single immature ICELAND GULL came from the nearby frozen quarry pond on the 18th. The most recent report of a NORTHERN SHRIKE was on the 21st along Leitrim Rd. south of the international airport. A GRAY JAY in the Larose forest was a surprise on the 18th - it was briefly seen along Martel Rd. near the sign for "Ferme forestiere Brabant". The wintering HERMIT THRUSH at the feeders near the Hurdman bridge was still holding its own as of the 19th, and flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS (up to 400 birds in some locations) continue to grace the local landscape. A SONG SPARROW was still near the east end of Trail Rd. on the 18th, where a substantial flock of AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS has also been hanging out for most of the season. Lots of action in the "winter finch" department especially COMMON and HOARY REDPOLLS which continue to be widely reported. Eight PINE GROSBEAKS were at a feeder on Ch. Roos north of Mayo, Quebec on the 19th. A female RED CROSSBILL was literally on Eardley-Masham Rd. south of Ramsay Lake on the 20th with a male singing nearby. An immature male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL is evidently still present in Beacon Hill as of the 20th. 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/
