Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 01 March 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]
The end of February brought in a few reports of local interest: On the 23rd a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and a male hybrid COMMON X BARROW'S were still on the Ottawa River between Bate Island and the parking lot at the base of Island Park Dr. and the Champlain bridge, and a female HOODED MERGANSER remains in the same location. Several reports of BALD EAGLES came from widespread locations last week. An immature PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Blair and Ogilvie Rds. on the 24th and the resident adult pair was again occasionally spotted on the R. H. Coats building at Tunney's Pasture. An adult GLAUCOUS GULL was among a couple of dozen HERRING and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on the Rideau River at Strathcona Park on the evening of the 28th. For those wondering where all the gulls have been this winter, a very interesting report from back on the 18th and 19th indicated that impressive numbers were a dump in Lachute, QC, 11 km. east of the Ontario border - among approx. 50 HERRING and nearly 1,000 GREAT BLACK-BACKED were 1 THAYER'S, up to 18 ICELAND, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED and close to 100 GLAUCOUS GULLS. On the 27th a BELTED KINGFISHER was discovered by a creek in the vicinity of Ch. Neely and Ch. McDonald west of Brennan, QC. NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen in different locations east, west and south of Ottawa from the 23rd to the 26th. COMMON RAVENS have begun nesting, with one female of a long-time pair already incubating as of at least the 24th. A HERMIT THRUSH at the feeders near the Hurdman (Hwy 417) bridge has survived another winter month. A group of approx. 15 AMERICAN ROBINS continue to asociate with a few BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and a single CEDAR WAXWING in the Britannia Conservation Area, and large flocks of Bohemians were once again noted in many parts of the district. An ambitious SONG PARROW was in full voice on the 24th in the Britannia neighbourhood, and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was present near Ogilivie Rd. and the Aviation Parkway along with a female PURPLE FINCH and a good number of HOUSE FINCHES the same day. Four WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS paid a brief visit to a backyard in Carleton Place on the 26th, and COMMON and HOARY REDPOLLS were again seen in several locations as were small numbers of PINE SISKINS. 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/
