Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 27 September 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 past week saw a slight increase in waterfowl variety. Two SNOW GEESE were at the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. on the 20th and numbers of CANADA GEESE are building up in traditional staging areas. WOOD DUCK, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, COMMON MERGANSER and RUDDY DUCK were seen in various locations, most in small numbers.
Two RED-NECKED GREBES were at Shirley's Bay on the 23rd and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS continue to increase especially on the Ottawa River. On the evening of the 24th 28 GREAT EGRETS were observed coming in to Shirley's Bay and 2 adult BALD EAGLES were also present. RED-TAILED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK and MERLIN were seen here and there on the weekend and a PEREGRINE FALCON was at the Richmond Conservation Area (former sewage lagoons) on the 26th.
Two of the ponds at the Richmond lagoons have good shorebird habitat and during the past week have hosted KILLDEER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SOLITARY SANDIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER and a juvenile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was also at Shirley's Bay on the 24th, as were 6 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS. Back on the 20th, 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and a RUDDY TURNSTONE were noted at the Deschenes rapids.
Nine LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and 87 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted at Deschenes at dusk on the 21st, and a juvenile SABINE'S GULL spent its 8th day on the Ottawa River between Britannia Bay and Deschenes on the 23rd - an unusually long stay for this species in Ottawa.
On the late side were a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD in Cumberland on the 20th and a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO in Pakenham on the 24th. During recent clear nights, good numbers of GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were heard in flight. Many songbirds have begun to thin out including CEDAR WAXWINGS, and the majority of warblers have been YELLOW-RUMPED, although other species continue to move through - TENNESSEE, ORANGE-CROWNED, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, PALM, BLACKPOLL, MOURNING and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT were found in in diverse locations, mostly as singletons. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS continue to increase, the first local report of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW came in last week, and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was found along the boardwalk at Jack Pine Trail in the Stony Swamp on the 23rd, along with 1000's of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.
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