Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 15 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: Chris Lewis [email protected], or [email protected]
The Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count is coming up this weekend (Sunday Dec. 18), and so far it looks like there will be no snow on the ground, and lots of open water on the local rivers - very much like the conditions on this CBC 5 years ago. In the meantime, a good variety of sightings came in over the past week. SNOW GEESE continue to move through, with large flocks reported from the Winchester, Chesterville, Casselman and St-Isidore areas in recent days, and at least 40,000 were observed roosting at the Moose Creek sewage lagoons on the 7th and 8th. Approx. 200- 300 were still in the area of Moodie Dr. and the Trail Rd. landfill on the weekend, along with a possible hybrid ROSS'S X SNOW GOOSE and a CACKLING GOOSE. Lingering ducks on the 9th included NORTHERN SHOVELER and GREEN-WINGED TEAL at the sewage ponds on Chemin de la Rive in Masson, Quebec, and a male CANVASBACK at Petrie Island. A few LONG-TAILED DUCKS and all 3 species of MERGANSERS continue to be seen in various locations. A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on the Ottawa River above Deschenes rapids on the 9th is probably the same individual that has been here since late November. Flocks of WILD TURKEYS were noted in rural areas, a COMMON LOON was at Petrie Island on the 9th, and single HORNED GREBES were still on the river below both Deschenes and Remic rapids on the 11th. BALD EAGLES continue to haunt the Ottawa River. Several reports of NORTHERN HARRIERS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS came in from around the region over the past week. Four GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen by the Trail Rd. landfill on the 11th. A few SNOWY OWLS spotted in widespread locations may still be on the move. As of the 11th a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was still visiting feeders in Carleton Place, and an adult pair was still hanging around in Pakenham as of the 7th. On the 8th a NORTHERN SHRIKE and a couple of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were still at Shirley's Bay. Eight AMERICAN ROBINS and 75 CEDAR WAXWINGS were feeding on mountain ash berries in Manotick on the 9th, and there were a couple of reports of late CHIPPING SPARROWS on private properties on both the Ontario and Quebec sides - one on the 9th in Manotick and another on the 10th in Aylmer. A COMMON GRACKLE came to a feeder in Carleton Place on the 10th, and recent visits to the Eardley-Masham Rd. in Gatineau Park yielded RED CROSSBILL, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, COMMON REDPOLL and PINE SISKIN. Perhaps stimulated by the mild sunny weather on the 12th, both species of crossbills were heard in full song. 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/
