Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 12 October 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]
It was another action-packed week, with great weather and great birds including the first seasonal report of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at the Nepean Equestrian Park at Moodie Dr. and Corktown Rd. on the 11th, and several ROSS'S GEESE from the 9th to the 11th - one was at the Moodie Dr. quarry pond and 3 were at a quarry on Giroux Rd. northeast of Navan. More SNOW GEESE are beginning to arrive, 41 BRANT were in Britannia Bay on the 10th and at least 1 CACKLING GOOSE was in this location on the 9th among the ever-growing numbers of CANADA GEESE. An influx of ducks in recent days included a EURASIAN WIGEON in Baie Noire on the Quebec side of the river on the 9th, and both sides of the river now have many AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER. Other species noted over the week were REDHEAD, GREATER SCAUP, all 3 species of SCOTERS, LONG-TAILED DUCK and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. An immature RED-THROATED LOON was at Shirley's Bay on the 10th along with several HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBES. On the 4th, 15 GREAT EGRETS were counted at Shirley's Bay and at least 5 were still here on the weekend. A late-ish OSPREY was at Constance Bay on the 9th, BALD EAGLE and PEREGRINE FALCON sightings continue almost daily along the river, COMMON GALLINULE and AMERICAN COOT were noted at Baie Noire on the 9th, and on the 3rd several SANDHILL CRANES were seen again in the Navan area. SHOREBIRDS were plentiful with 17 species reported. The most numerous in recent days were BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, WHITE-RUMPED and PECTORAL SANDPIPER and DUNLIN. Up to 5 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were at Constance Bay from the 9th to the 11th and a total of 33 HUDSONIAN GODWITS were still on the Ottawa River from Constance Bay to the Deschenes rapids on the 9th, with flocks dispersing and coming together in different combinations every day. Eight were also seen at the Giroux quarry on the 11th. A BARN SWALLOW was on the late side at Shirley's Bay on the 5th. A plethora of passerines has made woodland and field birding enjoyable. Many locations had multiple BROWN CREEPERS, WINTER WRENS, both species of KINGLETS, HERMIT THRUSHES, AMERICAN PIPITS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS along with a few ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACKPOLL and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. A WILSON'S WARBLER was at Tunney's Pasture on the 4th. A movement of NELSON'S SPARROWS provided some excitement from the 8th to the 11th - at least a dozen (probably more) were in the cordgrass at the mouth of Constance Creek, and others were found at Baie Noire and Petrie Island. AMERICAN TREE, CHIPPING, FOX, WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS are widespread, many in good numbers. Flocks of PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS were noted since the 4th, and a small number of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS flew over the Shirley's Bay area on the 6th. 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/
