Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 23 August 2011 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]
Most of the past week's reports came from regularly-birded migrant traps along the Ottawa River (Britannia through Shirley's Bay) as well as some of the sewage lagoons east and south of Ottawa. The Embrun lagoons currently have good habitat for waterfowl but not for shorebirds - a nice selection of ducks including RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, REDHEAD and RUDDY DUCK were found here on the 21st and 22nd. On the 20th an early RED-NECKED GREBE was reported from Shirley's Bay off the east side of the causeway, and on the west side there were at least 2 GREAT EGRETS. GREAT EGRETS also continue to be reported from Mud Lake in Britannia and the west end of Andrew Haydon Park. OSPREY, BALD EAGLE, SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S, BROAD-WINGED HAWK and MERLIN were reported from various locations. Fifteen species of shorebirds were reported and more juveniles are beginning to appear, particularly LEAST SANDPIPERS. Among 9 species at the Casselman lagoons on the weekend were a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and 3 SANDERLING. Numbers of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED and LEAST SANDPIPERS increased in several locations on the weekend, and 1 BAIRD'S and 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS dropped in at Shirley's Bay on the 17th and 21st respectively. In the ever-changing shorebird scene, at least 1 bird (an adult SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER) has been faithful to the mud flats at Shirley's Bay since the beginning of August. Two WILSON'S PHALAROPES were noted at the Winchester lagoons on the 20th, and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were seen at Shirley's Bay and the Embrun lagoons from the 17th to the 21st. Small numbers of BONAPARTE'S GULLS continue to be noted on the Ottawa River, and more GREAT-BLACK-BACKED GULLS have begun to appear. At least 3 CASPIAN TERNS and numerous COMMON TERNS were at Shirley's Bay on the weekend. More reports of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS came in over the past week - singletons as well as flocks of up to 40 were seen feeding and flying south in the evenings. The first seasonal report of a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was on the 20th in the woods at the base of Shirley's Bay causeway. Good numbers of TREE and BANK SWALLOWS were noted, and a few AMERICAN PIPITS have begun to move through. At least 15 species of WARBLERS were found in the local landscape, including NASHVILLE, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA, CAPE MAY, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, PALM, BAY-BREASTED, BLACK-AND-WHITE, AMERICAN REDSTART, MOURNING, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and CANADA. There were several reports of BOBOLINKS in rural areas, flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES are beginning to gather, and a mystery was a PINE SISKIN found dead on a driveway in the Rockcliffe area on the 18th. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
