- RBA * Ontario * Ottawa/Gatineau * 31 December 2006 * ONOT0612.31
- Birds mentioned Snow Goose Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Northern Pintail Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup White-winged Scoter Ruddy Duck Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Bald Eagle Northern Harrier American Kestrel Merlin Snowy Owl Red-bellied Woodpecker AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER Northern Flicker Carolina Wren Northern Mockingbird BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER White-crowned Sparrow - Transcript hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club date: 31 December 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 & transcriber: Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] internet: Gordon Pringle [EMAIL PROTECTED] THE OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE, 6:00 pm, SUNDAY DECEMBER 31, NEW YEAR'S EVE 2006 This is Chris Lewis reporting. Highlights at the end of 2006 were several, again mostly due to the incredibly mild season, lack of snow, and unprecedented (in recent times) amount of open water on our local water bodies. Extremely late waterfowl included 4 Tundra Swans at the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. on Christmas Day, a Cackling Goose, a Northern Pintail and a Ruddy Duck still at the Alfred sewage lagoons on the 26th, a Greater Scaup, 4 Lesser Scaup and a White-winged Scoter on the Ottawa River between Britannia and Shirley's Bay on the 27th, and 1st record of 6 White-winged Scoters at Constance Bay during the Dunrobin-Breckenridge Christmas Bird Count on the 30th. Both a Common Loon and a Double-crested Cormorant were still on the river on the 27th, however the immense flock of at least 30,000 Snow Geese near Casselman has not been reported since the 25th and has likely moved on. Other birds of interest included the following: Two adult Bald Eagles were seen again near the heronry on the Ottawa Duck Club property west of Shirley's Bay on the 27th, and other raptors reported over the past week have included several late Northern Harriers, as well as American Kestrels and Merlins in various locations. Two Snowy Owls were hunting at dusk over the field along Eagleson Rd. between Fallowfield and Richmond Rds. on the 28th. A female Red-bellied Woodpecker has been coming to a suet feeder in a backyard at #47 Evergreen Dr. in Bell's Corners for the past 2 weeks, and continues to be a regular visitor as of the 31st. There is no need to enter the property as it backs onto a wooded area with a public trail which may be accessed by a public right-of-way at the left side of the house. The property owners are aware that this is a species of interest to local birders, but PLEASE be respectful of the owners as well as the bird. Both American Three-toed and BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS continue to haunt the Kerwin Rd. trail area but a lot of work is evidently still required to locate them. A Northern Flicker was in the Britannia Conservation area on the 31st, and a Carolina Wren returned to a backyard feeder on Cote-des-Neiges Rd. in Nepean on the 30th, after, in typically Carolina Wren-like fashion, not being seen for nearly a month. A Northern Mockingbird was still present in the Blossom Park neighbourhood at the southwest end of Autumnwood St. off Mory St. on the 29th, and was NOT visiting a feeder but rather a coniferous shrub decorated with blue Christmas lights. A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was seen again in the Britannia Conservation Area near the western entrance to the "ridge trail" along Cassels St. on the 27th, and a White-crowned Sparrow was still at the Hilda Rd. feeders by Shirley's Bay on the 30th. Thanks to everyone for your reports in 2006, and here's to a great New Year of Good Birding in 2007! - End transcript
