- RBA * Ontario * Ottawa/Gatineau * 24 August 2006 * ONOT0608.24
- Birds mentioned Pied-billed Grebe GREAT EGRET LITTLE BLUE HERON Gadwall Redhead Ruddy Duck Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Cooper's Hawk Broad-winged Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Sanderling Baird's Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Red-necked Phalarope Lesser Black-backed Gull Wilson's Warbler - Transcript hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club date: 24 August 2006 number: 613-860-9000 for the status line : press 2 for rare bird alerts: press 1 to report a sighting: press # coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Can. Nat. Capital Reg.), E.Ont., W.Que. compiler : Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] transcriber: Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] internet : Gordon Pringle [EMAIL PROTECTED] THE OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE @ 6:00 PM, THURSDAY AUGUST 24, 2006 This is Chris Lewis reporting. A flurry of migration activity continued over the week, mainly in the heron, waterfowl and shorebird departments. The most recent report of the juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON was on the morning of the 20th when it was seen again at the High Falls Conservation Area in Casselman. On the Quebec side, an amazing total of up to 12 Great Egrets was reported at Black Bay west of Plaisance from the 13th to the 17th, and 2 were at the Marais aux Grenouillettes west of Masson on the 15th. A single GREAT EGRET was seen again in the large quarry pond on the east side of Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. on the 23rd, along with still numerous Pied-billed Grebes, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon feeding on a duck carcass. Interesting waterfowl included a Gadwall with young at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 20th, a female Redhead at the Casselman sewage lagoons, and a collective total of 228 Ruddy Ducks at the Alfred, St-Isidore and Casselman lagoons, also on the 20th. Shorebird numbers and species continue to be good, with 18 species reported since the beginning of the fall migration period. New species this week were Baird's Sandpiper at Shirley's Bay on the 20th and 21st, and a Sanderling at Andrew Haydon Park on the 20th. Also noteworthy were 9 Short-billed Dowitchers at Shirley's Bay on the 21st, single Red-necked Phalaropes at Shirley's Bay and the west end of Andrew Haydon on the 21st and 23rd respectively, and a total of 9 at the aforementioned sewage lagoons. A few raptors of interest were also reported, including an immature Bald Eagle over Shirley's Bay on the 20th and at least 3 Broad-winged Hawks in various locations since the 13th. Other more local fellows such as Osprey, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, American Kestrel and Merlin were also in evidence. Warbler migration is also moving along. Ten species, including Wilson's, were noted at the Jack Pine Trail on the 23rd. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club annual "Seed-a-thon" is coming up on Sept. 3rd. This "big day" event raises funds to supply the various bird feeders maintained by OFNC volunteers along some of our popular local nature trails. For more information about the Seed-a-thon, as well as how you can make a pledge, please visit the OFNC web site at www.ofnc.ca Thank you - Good Birding! - End transcript

