Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 07 December 2010 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario,W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [email protected], or [email protected]
The first week of December was a productive one with several goodies for those embarking on a local winter list. A group of 7 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE including 1 immature bird matched the highest number of this species seen in Ottawa in one day - they were discovered on Dec. 4th among approx. 500 CANADA GEESE with 2 - 3 SNOW GEESE in the mix. The White-front's were still present as of at least 11:00 AM on the 5th. A ROSS'S GOOSE was still in the fields along Greenbank Rd. south of Hunt Club Rd. on the 1st but has not been subsequently reported; however a CACKLING GOOSE was in this location and other singletons were found from the 3rd to the 5th in the quarry ponds at Giroux Rd. north of Navan and along Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. Lingering puddle ducks such as NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL were still around in a few areas of open water on the 1st. A male CANVASBACK in Baie Simard off the boat launch below Rue Houle in Deschenes, Quebec, was a nice find on the 4th and was still present on the 6th. A few RING-NECKED DUCKS, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were seen at several locations on the Ottawa River during the past week, and over 250 COMMON MERGANSERS were on Mississippi Lake in Carleton Place on the 4th and smaller numbers were seen elsewhere. On the 3rd, 3 COMMON LOONS were spotted on the Ottawa River off Grandview Rd. east of Shirley's Bay. Many flocks of WILD TURKEYS were seen in rural and suburan areas, a GREAT BLUE HERON flew over Hwy 7 east of Carleton Place on the 2nd, and numerous sightings of BALD EAGLES of various ages continue to come in, some in clusters of 4 to 5 birds, most of them along the Ottawa River. An adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK was watching the large bird feeder on the Jack Pine Trail off Moodie Dr. on the 4th, and several RED-TAILED as well as at least 10 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were seen in widespread locations on the weekend. At least 33 SANDHILL CRANES were still present along Smith Rd. southwest of Navan on the 1st, a BELTED KINGFISHER was at the Giroux quarry pond the same day, the male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER on Ch. Fer-a-Cheval in Masson-Angers, Quebec was most recently reported on the 1st, and a female of this species showed up at a feeder on Dalkeith Rd. opposite the churchyard in Pakenham on the morning of the 6th.
From Nov. 28th to Dec. 1st a few late AMERICAN PIPITS were still moving
through, and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continue to increase, with observations of flocks ranging in size from 10 to over 500 birds coming in on almost a daily basis from locations too numerous to list here. A nice surprise at a feeder on William McEwen Rd. south of Bankfield Rd. was a male PINE WARBLER from Nov. 27th until at least Dec. 4th. Good-sized flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS were flying and feeding in rural areas, and a couple of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were still visting a feeder in Carleton Place as of the 4th. Small numbers of COMMON REDPOLLS were noted in the Carleton Place, Kanata, Dunrobin and Richmond areas in the past few days, and 10 - 50 PINE SISKINS were reported from feeders in Manotick and Carleton Place during the past week. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
