Hello The American Three-toed Woodpecker that has been overwintering in Aylmer, Quebec, just north of Ottawa, was still hanging around Chemin Grimes yesterday Sunday, March 8th. I found it in a tree in the front yard of 14 Grimes at around 5:30PM, after about an hour and a half of looking. Unfortunately it did not allow very long looks before deciding to fly across the street to a woodlot that is set back from said street between number 17 and number 19 Grimes. I quickly lost sight of the bird and could not relocate it. I was unable to see the crown to confirm the sex of the bird.
There were several hairies and downies in the area as well as a small group or two of very excited white-breasted nuthatches. There were a number of ash trees that had signs on them saying they would be cut down due to ash borer infestation. Not sure whether the woodpeckers would feed on the borer larvae themselves but it's clear that the area is very attractive to woodpeckers. An American Robin flew by at one point. Impossible to know whether it was an overwinterer or an early migrant, but the latter will be arriving very shortly (and the woodpecker will no doubt be departing). Directions: Cross Champlain bridge to the Quebec side and keep straight a few hundred metres till road ends at Chemin d'Aylmer. Take left fork to turn left onto Chemin d'Aylmer and proceed west a few kilometres past Chemin Vanier and Chemin du Golf. Chemin Grimes is next right. Street is a strange shape: a rounded rectangle with a stem. Number 14 is on the eastern part of the rectangle. Paul Matthews, Ottawa _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
