> Ontario/Quebec > Ottawa/Gatineau > 7 December 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: Bob Cermak [email protected] for Chris Lewis > [email protected], or [email protected] > The first week of December has been exciting for Ottawa/Gatineau area birders. There has been a significant influx of CANADA GEESE, SNOW GEESE, SNOWY OWLS, CANVASBACK DUCKS and AMERICAN CROWS. There are also numbers of lingering interesting waterfowl. Thousands of CANADA GEESE are feeding in the OFNC area corn fields. Numbers of SNOW GEESE are being seen including 300 on Moodie Drive at Barnsdale on Dec 4th and over 2000 east of Casselman early in December. Single and on one occasion three SNOWY OWLS were seen at various locations over the last week. An adult male CANVASBACK DUCK was seen by many from December 2nd to 4th south of Petrie Island and another 4 adult male CANVASBACK'S were seen from Britannia point on December 4th. A first winter THAYERS GULL and an extremely rare albino RED-NECKED GREBE were seen from Ottawa beach on December 4th. On December 5th a late BLACK SCOTER and a lingering HERMIT THRUSH were observed at Shirley's Bay. SANDHILL CRANES, up to 71 on December 1st, continue to be seen on Milton and Smith road in the east end of Ottawa. Perhaps due to the unseasonably warm weather a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was feeding on the Ottawa river at Andrew Haydon Park on the 3rd. On December 1st there was an excellent selection of waterfowl at Black Bay (Baie Noir) on the Quebec side of the river. Present were 500 AMERICAN WIDGEON, 22+ GADWALL, 26 NORTHERN SHOVELER, 5 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 50+ HOODED MERGANSER, 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 1 WOOD DUCK, 1 PIED-BILLED GREBE and a possible EURASIAN WIDGEON. Single AMERICAN KESTRELS were seen on December 4th at the 417 exit at Casselman and near highway 148 west of Alymer. A CACKLING GOOSE and some LESSER SCAUP were seen at Andrew Haydon Park on December 3rd. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER visited a feeder in Carlton Place on the 2nd. During the last week 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, an ICELAND GULL, HORNED GREBE, SNOW BUNTINGS and several GREAT BLUE HERONS were seen at various locations. There were 9 very late RUDDY DUCKS at the Moodie Drive gravel pit on December 4th. 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/
