Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Gregory Zbitnew at sighti...@ofnc.ca
December 20, 2018 The highlight of the week was the 100th Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on the 16th. The best birds of the count were a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER in the Britannia sector and a female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK found near the Dewberry Trail in the Gloucester sector. This latter bird was still there on the 19th, and was actually first found in the area on the 10 th. Weather was not a hindrance to birding this week, and conditions were ideal on the 16th, with mild and calm conditions, plus little snow cover to hamper movement. Preliminary results gave an above average species count of 75. WATERBIRDS had a low showing although there were record numbers of BUFFLEHEAD. There were also record numbers of COMMON RAVEN, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH and BELTED KINGFISHER. Every one of the 8 “WINTER FINCHES” were seen but some were in very low numbers. There has been little change to the ice cover on the rivers, so that there is still plenty of room for the few remaining WATERBIRDS, although variety remains good at 14 species. Less common were RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, LONG-TAILED DUCK and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER on the Ottawa, with RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL (Billings Bridge on the 16th, and Chapman Mills on the 19th), and WOOD DUCK on the Rideau. CANADA GEESE were sparse on the CBC but there were 1400 at Chapman Mills on the 19th. Other highlights of the week included: · GREAT BLUE HERONS in Barrhaven on the 14th, Aylmer on the 16th, and Kanata on the 19th. · 3 BELTED KINGFISHERS in the Ottawa sector on the 16th. : · RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS in Chelsea on the 16th, Shirley’s bay on the 17th and near the Champlain Bridge on the 19th. · 13 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS in Richmond on the 19th. · WINTER WRENS in Britannia and Aylmer on the 16th. · Single RED CROSSBILLS at Green’s Creek on the 16th and in Alta Vista on the 18th. · A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in Old Ottawa South on the 17th. · A SWAMP SPARROW near the Rideau Tennis Club on the 16th. · A HERMIT THRUSH in Aylmer on the 16th. · A GOLDEN EAGLE on Chemin Steele on the 15th. Finally, up to 30 EVENING GROSBEAKS were hanging around the Dewberry trail feeders most of the week. 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 birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
