Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Gregory Zbitnew at gkzbitn...@gmail.com or sighti...@ofnc.ca Recent sightings to November 10, 2016 There have been a few more sightings of the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE among the 1000s of SNOW GEESE near the Laflèche landfill east of Casselman, most recently on the 7th. A most unusual lingerer was a likely YELLOW WARBLER at Breckenridge on the 4th. Generally there was little change to the bird population this week. There was minimal precipitation and temperatures generally above seasonal. The regular winter birds were fairly widespread, water was open, and a few interesting lingerers were about. There are still lots of WATERBIRDS around, mostly on the Ottawa River as usual, with LESSER SCAUP and COMMON GOLDENEYE being the most abundant. On the 5th at Shirley’s Bay there were over 1000 DIVING DUCKS of 10 species and 200 PUDDLE DUCKS of 8 species. All three SCOTERS and LONG-TAILED DUCK were included in the mix from time to time. Just at the edge of the 50K circle, on the Madawaska Head Pond near Arnprior, an unusually large number (up to 12) of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were present on the 8-10th. A singleton of this species was at Andrew Haydon Park on the 9th. A sign of winter is the arrival this week of BARROW’S GOLDENEYE along the Ottawa River. There were 5 around, an unusually high number for the season. One was in Russell on the 6th. A somewhat late PIED-BILLED GREBE was at Shirley’s Bay on the 5th, as was a RED-THROATED LOON on the 8th. A late BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON continued at Andrew Haydon park until the 4th. SHOREBIRDS are disappearing quickly; only about 5 species were seen this week. A PURPLE SANDPIPER was at Britannia Pier on the 4th. Some late ones were a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at the Moodie Drive Quarry as late as the 8th, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Constance Bay on the 9th, and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER at Britannia on the 5th. Among the raptors, there was a GOLDEN EAGLE on Kerwin road on the 4th and one at Shirley’s bay on the 7th. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was in Russell on the 6th. Among the SONGBIRDS, mostly it was the lingering birds that were of interest: 1. A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT continued at Britannia Pier as late until the 7th., and one was also at Breckenridge on the 4th. 2. A ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK continued in Gatineau at least until the 7th. 3. 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were at Shirleys Bay on the 5th. 4. A CAROLINA WREN was in Gatineau on the 8th. 5. SWAMP SPARROW was on Kerwin Road on the 5th. 6. There were at least 4 sightings of FOX SPARROW at various places, all at feeders. 7. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and RUSTY BLACKBIRD were at the Hilda Road feeders on the 8th. 8. A CHIPPING SPARROW was at Parc Brébeuf on the 6th. Finally, there were a few scattered sightings of EVENING GROSBEAK and a single sighting of RED CROSSBILL on Kerwin Road on the 4th. 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 (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
