Hi Ontbirders:
Nice mild today in Ottawa. Stopped briefly at Andrew Haydon Park and saw a
pair of Hooded Mergansers (m/f) and Buffleheads (m/f) in the east most pond.
The mergansers have been there for a couple of weeks now. A number of Scaup I
had been watching in the west most pond were absent this afternoon...perhaps
out on the river.
At Mud Lake a mating pair of Wood Ducks was seen in the pond at the main
entrance next to the road. A second male was nearby as well. The mated pair
is very tame and will swim very close to you without a care in the world. As
timinmg would have it, the pair mated in front of me no more than 10 minutes
after I arrived. Later I saw someone feeding the same Wood Ducks. That
explains the tameness somewhat. I saw them there last week at the same
location and have heard they've been around for awhile. Someone walked by and
informed me that a Great Egret was seen at Mud Lake earlier in the day.
Not much going on at the Hilda feeders on Hilda Road in the Shirley's Bay area
just west of Andrew Haydon Park. Your usual suspects including numbers of
Red-wing Blackbirds, Grackles and Cowbirds. The famous and very rare Black
Chipmunk is still being seen at the same feeders this Spring. This will be its
third year there. A story about the rare chipmunk was in todays newspaper, The
Ottawa Citizen in the City section.
Link to rare Black Chipmunk story:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Rare+black+chipmunk+survives+another+winter+stuff+cheeks+near+Shirley/6480690/story.html
Thanks.
Mating pair of Wood Ducks photo.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/142782698/original
W.Hum
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/some_recent_shots
Directions:
Mud Lake: North on Britannia road to the very end which is Cassels Road. Turn
right and the main entrance is on the right.
Andrew Haydon Park: West of Mud Lake along Carling Avenue until Holly Acres
Road where you turn into the park.
Hilda Road feeders: West of Andrew Haydon Park along Carling Avenue past
Nortel building until Rifle Road. Turn right and head north toward the river
until Lois. Turn right until Hilda, then turn left.
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