Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 12 April 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]
Migrants are on the move, and lots of new arrivals are now being reported. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE continued to pass through - single birds were at the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd.on the 8th and at Baie de la Pentecote in Parc du Plaisance, Quebec on the 9th, and a flock of 32 was mentioned flying over the Dunrobin area on the 9th. A large flock of SNOW GEESE (no number given) was seen northeast of Bourget on the 5th and small numbers were scattered among the still numerous CANADA GEESE in many areas. Sixteen species of DUCKS were reported also from a wide variety of locations, including a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at Plaisance on the 10th and an early RUDDY DUCK at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 9th. A pair of GRAY PARTRIDGE were seen along Brownlee Rd. south of Ottawa on the 11th. WILD TURKEYS are displaying now - a tom in full courtship oblivion was in the middle of Riddell Rd. near Shirley's Bay on the 9th. COMMON LOON, PIED-BILLED GREBE and RED-NECKED GREBE were all reported over the past week. At least 10 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are back on nests at the colony on the Ottawa River by Lemieux Island, the 1st local report of AMERICAN BITTERN came from the Mer Bleue area on the 10th, and on the 9th and 10th single GREAT EGRETS were spotted in the Marais aux Grenouillettes near Masson-Angers, Quebec as well as farther east at Plaisance. A major influx of BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS occurred since the 6th - up to a dozen have been counted among the RING-BILLED GULL colony in the Deschesnes rapids on the 10th, and several were also seen at Lemieux Island and elsewhere in the Ottawa area. OSPREYS are now back at several nest sites, all three species of ACCIPITERS were seen on the weekend, RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS are back on territory in the Dunrobin and Constance Bay areas, and a few reports of AMERICAN KESTRELS and many reports of hunting and courtship-displaying MERLINS came in over the past week. Five SANDHILL CRANES were seen in the Mer Bleue area on the 9th, and single transients were reported other locations. WILSON'S SNIPES and AMERICAN WOODCOCKS were performing on the weekend, BELTED KINGFISHER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER and EASTERN PHOEBE were new arrivals since the 5th, and several reports of NORTHERN SHRIKES came in from rural locations east and west of Ottawa. TREE SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, and HERMIT THRUSH were also recent arrivals, and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was in an unspecified location in Hull, Quebec on the 5th . An awesome flock of approx. 5000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in Gatineau, Quebec at Blvd. Gamelin and Prom. du Portage on the 10th contained 1 CEDAR WAXWING, and smaller flocks of Bohemians continue to frequent the Ontario side at Britannia and Shirleys' Bay. The local sparrow scene is now dominated by SONG SPARROWS, but AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS are still moving through, and the 1st local reports of SAVANNAH and FOX SPARROWS came in on the 7th and 11th respectively. EASTERN MEADOWLARKS and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS are back on territory, COMMON REDPOLLS continue to be in the landscape, and an increase in AMERICAN GOLDFINCH numbers was noted last week as well. 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/
