At Reesor Pond 10th July, I'm now almost certain I saw a
Band-tailed pigeon among a flock of feral pigeons feeding
upon recently hydro-sown grass-seed on the newly sculpted
environs of the pond.
I saw it again on the 13th and again during the16th July
when I had a close look through bins at about 10 meters distant.
Its bulk and long tail, which almost touched the ground, was
what first attracted my attention, that and the fact that it did not
automatically follow the feral pigeons when they took flight.
At rest it showed bright yellow feet, a yellow black-tipped
bill and yellow iris. It was of a generally dark appearance similar
to a dark feral pigeon but without any iridescence showing,
neither on its head or neck. I detected no white crescent or nape
iridescence. There was white in the undertail coverts. In taking
flight, at base of tail, a broad pale band was apparent with a darker
band showing above it.
I'm late in posting because I was not sure of what I was looking
at, my information source being Sibley's Field Guide which describes
the bird as pale gray and lavender overall with a white neck crescent.
But today I found that the bird I saw, which was of a fairly uniform
dark bluegray plumage, corresponds to the description found in the
National Geographic Field Guide and that seen in the photo in the
Audubon Society Encyclopedia. Even Cornell states that the bird is
dark overall.
That I did not see a white neck crescent and the fact that the
bird
was quite dark, may indicate a cross. In the feral flock there were
banded birds, obvious escapes which may further explain the bird's
behavior which was not as timid as I would expect.
There are thousands of feral pigeons in the fields round Markham
where the harvest is being cut - that and the fact that the seed at
Reesor
Pond has now sprouted will make the bird difficult to find.
Reesor Pond lies on Reesor Road just North of Hwy 407.
Please forgive this lengthy note - Stan Long
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From: "Bruce Di Labio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "ontario birds" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:30:32 -0400
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Subject: [Ontbirds]Ottawa: Great Egrets Yellow-thr. Vireo
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Hi Everyone
Today, August 10, I birded along the Ottawa River between Shirley's Bay
and Britannia Conservation Area. The water level is very low and there were
large mudflats at both Shirley's Bay and along Andrew Haydon Park. The
shorebird numbers were good at SB with 100+ Lesser Yellowlegs (95%) adults,
40 juv. Semipalmated Sandpiper, 22 juv. Least Sandpiper, 6 adult Greater
Yellowlegs and a few Solitary, Pectoral and Spotted Sandpiper. There were
three Great Egrets feeding in the back bay west of the dyke. Lots of warbler
activity was noted at both SB and BCA with good numbers of Yellow 40+,
American Redstart 20+, Nashville 1, Northern Waterthrush 2 and 30
Yellow-rumped Warbler, including a number of juvenile plumaged individuals.
Also at Britannia, a Yellow-throated Vireo and a Philadelphia Vireo were
observed near the entrance to BCA.
good birding
Bruce
Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O.Box 538
Carp,Ontario,K0A 1L0
(613)839-4395 Home (613)715-2571 Cell
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/
Directions:Shirley's Bay: From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to the
Moodie Drive exit and turn north (right) on Moodie Drive and continue to
Carling
Ave. Turn left at Carling Ave. and follow Carling to Rifle Road. Turn right
(north) on Rifle Rd. Park at the lot at the end (boat launch). Walk back to
the road,
and continue through the gate on the Department of National Defence
property. There
is a trail on your right (clearly marked with vehicle "No Entry" signs)
which heads into the woods, and, eventually to the dyke.
**** PLEASE NOTE**** YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE RANGE CONTROL
OFFICE BEFORE ENTERING THE DYKE AREA-- Call (613) 991-5740 and request
permission to visit the dyke area for birding.
Britannia Conservation Area/Mud Lake: From Hwy 417 west past downtown Ottawa
to Pinecrest Rd. (exit 129). North on Pinecrest to Richmond Rd. Turn right
(east) on Richmond and keep in the left-hand lane, turn left (north) onto
Poulin Ave. which ends at BritanniaRd. Turn right (north) on Britannia Rd.,
then right again (east) on Cassels St. Park along the road near the
entrance to BCA.
