Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Gregory Zbitnew at [email protected]
January 12, 2017 There were no real highlights this week, but there was a late report of 4 BOREAL CHICKADEE on the 2nd on Trail 3 off Camp Fortune Road. Birding conditions were relatively static, and so was the bird population. The resident birds resided, and the lingering birds lingered. As is normal in January, great swathes of field and forest were bereft of birds, with pockets of activity at feeders and in the open water. The weather was a mix of freezes, thaws, snow, rain, freezing rain and sun, every type of winter weather all in the same week. The uncommon overwintering DUCKS continued this week-HARLEQUIN DUCK at Hurdman (another was at the Champlain Bridge on the 7th), WOOD DUCK and AMERICAN WIGEON at Billings Bridge, and NORTHERN PINTAIL on Iber Road. GULLS have diminished considerably, but there was still a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at the Trail Road Landfill on the 7th. The other lingering flowing-water-dependent bird, BELTED KINGFISHER, was on the Jock River at Greenbank on the 8th and on the 6th in Gatineau Park. GRAY PARTRIDGE were their elusive selves, mostly buried in snow and cornstalks, and were last seen in the Eagleson-Rushmore area on the 6th, but were near Carp on the 8th and in the Russell area on the 7th, There have been a number of spots for fairly reliable RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER-Gatineau, Fallowfield, and March Valley Road. GOLDEN EAGLES were seen from time to time on Steele Line Road and the vicinity. A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen near Magladry/ Canaan north of Larose Forest. 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRD were on Berry Side Road on the 7th, and 3 near Luskville on the 12th. CAROLINA WREN is fairly regular in Carlington and Carleton Place, and a TUFTED TITMOUSE continues near Quyon as late as the 12th. A FOX SPARROW is still regular in the Meadowlands area as late as the 8th, and finally, 5 PINE GROSBEAK were near Lac Philippe on the 10th, and 2 were in the Steele Line area on the 8th. 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. We encourage everyone to report their bird sightings on eBird for the benefit of the entire birding community. Good birding. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
