Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Gregory Zbitnew at [email protected]
June 1, 2017 2 rarities highlighted the week, as migration winds down. On the 27th, a WILLET (western) was at Embrun most of the day, and was seen by many. This was the first local sighting since 2009. On the 31st, a WHITE PELICAN flew over Britannia Woods, headed west. This was the first local sighting in a number of years. Unfortunately this bird was not relocated. PASSERINE migration is probably about 99% complete. SHOREBIRD migration is peaking or will be in a few days. Weather conditions were somewhat rainy and unsettled, but not sufficientlybad to produce any fallout so far. WATERBIRDS have pretty much reached their summer levels. A few WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS passed through, but the rivers and inland ponds/ lagoons have few birds aside from the nesters. SHOREBIRDS provided the greatest interest this week, with 4 new for the year including the rarity. Embrun had a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE on the 27-28th, and 2 WILSON’S PHALAROPE were at the Greenbank Road flooded field on the 27 th. Up to 9 RUDDY TURNSTONE were at Shirley’s Bay on the 1st. Despite this, few SHOREBIRDS of any kind were around. There is very little suitable shore habitat anywhere, and while there were plenty of flooded fields, there is no place to concentrate them. The Moodie Drive ponds have had a few SHOREBIRDS, including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, but as of the 31st there was nothing there. An AMERICAN COOT was at the réserve naturelle du Marais-Trépanier on the 27th. LESSER BACK-BACKED GULL was seen occasionally at the Moodie Drive Ponds. The long-awaiting ARCTIC TERN arrived at Constance Creek on the 31st, but so far just a single one for a few minutes. There have been a number of sightings of YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. This appears to a really good year for them as well as BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. 4 of the latter were seen/ heard on the Osgoode Link Trail near the airport. Some good news is that the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (1 for sure) is back at Constance Bay. There have been a few scattered sightings of OLIVE-SIDE FLYCATCHER, most recently at Lac McGregor on the 31st. There were a few more sightings of YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER- Rockcliffe Airport on the 26th and Hurdman Woods on the 31st. The first and so far only SEDGE WREN sighting has been in the Richmond Fen on the 27th. Of WARBLERS, there was a late sighting of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in Britannia on the 25th, but mostly we are now in nesting season. 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
