Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Greg Zbitnew at [email protected] or [email protected]
Recent sightings to December 3, 2015 2 first records for Ottawa this week ended several weeks of boring birding. A MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was found on Cambrian Road west of Moodie on the 29th-30th. Meanwhile, a BULLOCK’S ORIOLE was found in Pakenham on the 29th and was still present as of the 3rd. Winter has not yet arrived in Ottawa. Temperatures have been near to above seasonal and there is no snow cover yet. Despite this, it has been a rather slow week with the exception of the 2 rarities. The lack of significant freezing means that the major watercourses are wide open and waterbirds are still present in some numbers. However, volume and variety has declined considerably compared to last week, and most still water is frozen. 14 species of duck have been reported this week, down considerably from previous weeks but still a respectable number for this time of year. At the Moodie drive ponds 2000 CANADA GEESE, 1 CACKLING GOOSE and 30 DUCKS ducks of 4 species remain. A late RUDDY DUCK was present there on the 3rd. 110 DUCKS of 5 species were at the Rideau Tennis Club including a BARROW’S GOLDENEYE. There have been no recent sightings from the Shirley’s bay causeway. Both HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBE were seen from Britannia on the 28th, and a RED-THROATED LOON was seen in Quyon on the 1st -3rd. 57 SANDHILL CRANES were on Smith road on the 28th, and will likely persist until a major snowfall. Single GREAT BLUE HERONS remain here and there as there is still a lot of running water. A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT at Andew Haydon Park was very late. Among the hawks, most unusual was a very or record late BROAD-WINGED HAWK at Baie Simard on the 3rd. A NORTHERN GOSHAWK on Kerwin and a few reports of somewhat late NORTHERN HARRIER were of interest. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen in Pakenham on the 30th. NORTHERN SHRIKE have not been common this winter, but one was reported on Huntmar and another on Barnsdale on the 2nd. Birding on land has been fairly slow with just a few lingering birds to report: 1. HERMIT THRUSH on Britannia ridge on the 28th and on the 3rd at Merivale Gardens; 2. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD at Fletcher Wildlife gardens on the 2nd; 3. COMMON GRACKLE on Chemin du Fer à cheval in Gatineau on the 1st and at a feeder in Barrhaven on the 3rd. 4. BROWN THRASHER near Luskville on the 2nd. 5. An unidentified and unfortunately dead WARBLER was found in Kanata on the 2nd. Lastly, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was in a flock of 500 SNOW BUNTINGS at Bankfield and the 416. The OFNC's Birds Committee no longer reports owl sightings on the Internet. We will continue to encourage the reporting of owls to [email protected] for the purpose of maintaining local records. Thanks to everyone who contributed bird observations. Good birding. _______________________________________________ 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
