Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Greg Zbitnew at k_zbitn...@bell.net or sighti...@ofnc.ca
June 9, 2016 A few rarities spiced up the early days of the post migration season. A LITTLE GULL was at Britannia Point on the 3rd to early on the 4th. An AMERICAN AVOCET was at Casselman all day on the 6th and one was also reported from Pakenham on the 1st. A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was in the Dunrobin area from the 2nd to at least the 7th. Desperately needed rain finally arrived on the 5th, although too late in the season to have any real effect on migration. The 8th was very cool and blustery but otherwise there was no weather of note, and like last week the focus has been on the breeding birds. Waterbirds were of some note only due to a few late sightings: a GREATER SCAUP at Britannia on the 6th, a SNOW GOOSE at Casselman on the 6th, a ROSS’S GOOSE flying near Andrew Haydon Park on the 7th, and 3 TRUMPETER SWANS flying near the Moodie drive Ponds, also on the 7th. Among the LARIDS, ARCTIC TERN was reasonably regular off Britannia point this week. A few BONAPARTE’S GULLS were also there. Among the SHOREBIRDS, the rarity noted above was especially odd given the almost complete absence of others from this family. There were up to 25 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, one LEAST SANDPIPER and two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS in the east, and one LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Masson, but that was it for the migrants. The Thomas Dolan Parkway continues to be the best and probably the closest spot to get both EASTERN WHIPPOORWILL and COMMON NIGHTHAWK. Both were seen and heard on the 7th and will likely be there until late summer. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was in Cantley on the 6th. A GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH (calling at night) in the Munster area on the 7th was of note. A CAROLINA WREN is singing regularly in the Walkley/ Airport Parkway area. A very late RUSTY BLACKBIRD was in Gatineau on the 3rd. On the Larose Forest Bioblitz on the 3rd, 16 of the 17 nesting species of WARBLER were found but there were no unexpected sightings of any Passerines with the possible exception of PINE SISKIN. A BLACKPOLL WARBLER in Carlington on the 5th may be the last sighting of the spring. \The OFNC's Birds Committee no longer reports owl sightings on the Internet. We will continue to encourage the reporting of owls to sighti...@ofnc.ca 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 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
