This morning, August 27th, I birded Shirley's Bay on the Ottawa River.
Water levels have crept back up and shorebird numbers and diversity inside
the dyke are lower than they have been in the last few weeks.
The highlight was a moulting adult American Golden Plover on the mudflats
near the base of the dyke. Unfortunately this bird flew off to the north
shortly after I found it. Also present on the mudflats were about 25 Lesser
Yellowlegs, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Killdeer and 4 Spotted Sandpipers.
Other highlights included 3 Northern Shovelers, 2 Lesser Scaup and a
juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron. All these birds were in the back bay
between the two islands.
David Britton
Ottawa
Directions (Courtesy of Larry Neilly's Birding Ottawa Page)
From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 134 (Moodie Drive). If travelling
west, the 0.4 km offramp dumps you right or north onto Moodie. If driving
east, a 0.3 km offramp brings you to Moodie Drive, where you will turn left
or north onto it and in 0.5 km join the westbound offramp traffic. Both
groups will now follow Moodie Drive north 1.3 km from here to Carling
Avenue. Turn left or northwest on Carling and go 2.2 km to Rifle (Range)
Road. Turn right or north onto Rifle Road and travel 2.0 km to the boat
launch parking lot. Park here to visit this site on foot.
WARNING - Permission to access the dyke must be obtained by contacting the
DND's Connaught Firing Range Control Office at (613) 991-5740
