Hello Ontbirders I'm combining my sightings from yesterday and today into one post. I did not have time to post yesterday. Given the date, I think people will understand.
Yesterday afternoon I saw an adult Thayer's Gull at Remic Rapids, along with some 400 other gulls, including 15-20 Glaucous and half a dozen Iceland. It goes almost without saying that these gulls are very different from the tame Ring-bills that, at other times of year, one has to avoid stepping on in fast-food restaurant parking lots--they are very wary. At one point I wanted to get a closer look at the Thayer's so I went right down to the shore. The gulls were a long way off but they all flushed. Regretfully I can only assume that I was the cause. Eventually they all settled a bit further west (and actually closer to shore). I was able to sneak up on them and relocate the Thayer's for good looks. Earlier I had seen the male Barrow's Goldeneye while looking at the gulls. Today in contrast at the same time of day I saw a grand total of 7 gulls at Remic: Great black-backed and Herrings. They were flying upriver. A stop at Kitchissippi produced some 30 gulls, again of the same 2 common species. I did see the male Barrow's again today at Remic. Yesterday my first stop had been the Rideau River at Strathcona Park, which has relatively little open water and few Goldeneyes, all Commons. A male Barrow's has frequently been reported from there this winter and also from Remic. I was wondering whether there were 2 birds involved or just one. My feeling now is that there is only one (and it's presently hanging out at Remic), but of course I can't be sure. Yesterday afternoon I had the female Harlequin Duck in its familiar spot on the east side of the Quebec end of the Champlain Bridge. My impression is that this bird is very faithful to this site. I have yet to miss it in three trips and am unaware of anyone else missing it. I was therefore surprised at the report from Deschenes. Could there be a second bird? In addition to the Harlequin, I had a female Long-tailed Duck at the Quebec end of the Champlain Bridge and another at the Ontario end. No birds with "Barrow's blood" (either hybrids or females) at the Harlequin spot. Finally, today at around 1:30 I easily found the Red-shouldered Hawk on Old Carp Rd, much to my surprise, as I was expecting to have to work hard for it. It was in a big tree on the west side of and in behind of #1778 Old Carp. This house is some 200 metres west of the intersection with Huntmar. There's an active feeder here. There were lots of redpolls, but I was unable to spot any Hoaries. Paul Matthews, Ottawa Directions: Remic Rapids is off the Ottawa River Parkway between Island Park and Parkdale. The access road to the Remic Rapids parking lot has been plowed but is closed to the public. On weekends and holidays one can park in the Tunney's Pasture complex. From Parkdale Ave north take Columbine west (left) just before the Ottawa River Parkway, then Goldenrod on the right. Park in a lot off Goldenrod and cross the parkway on foot to the access road, going under or around the barrier. On weekdays parking is more problematic. The best bet is probably to park on residential streets to the west of Tunney's pasture, Carleton or Pontiac, then go on foot under the parkway overpass. Turn right (east) and head along the shoreline. There will probably be a path but it may not be that well tramped down. The gulls may or may not come in to roost from 2:30-3:00 onwards. No guarantees unfortunately. Red-shouldered Hawk (courtesy of Bruce Di Labio): From Ottawa travel westbound on Hwy. 417 to the March Rd./Eagleson Road and exit right onto March Rd. Follow March Road past Dunrobin Road and continue west to Huntmar Road. Turn left and follow south to Old Carp Road. Turn right and the first house on your left is the area that the hawk hangs around the back of the property. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
