Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 19 April 2012 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) 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: Bob Cermak [email protected] or [email protected] There has been two extemely interesting sightings. A photo of a moulting male INDIGO BUNTING (with no tail feathers) taken at a feeder in Bell's Corners on March 30th surfaced on April 3rd. There were extensive discussions about this bird including whether or not this was an over wintering bird or a record early spring migrant for Ottawa and Ontario. If this was an early migrant it would be a remarkably early occurrence, over a month earlier than any spring sighting in this area. The only other report I have received on this bird was that it was still present on April 10th. On April 14th an ebird report surfaced of a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW seen at a feeder and in the neighbourhood south of the Beachwood Cemetery from early February to mid March. A rare bird report for this bird has been submitted to the Ontario Bird Records Committee. The recent south winds have brought many new early spring migrants to our area. Some of the more interesting birds have been; - a SAVANNAH SPARROW was seen in the Mer Bleue Conservation Area on April 12th - at the Britannia Conservation Area (BCA) on April 14th were 1 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, 1 male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and 6 PINE SISKINS - on April 14th at the Winchester lagoons there were 5000 to 10000 (seen from the road, could have been many more) LESSER SNOW GEESE (30% blue phase) and at least 4 ROSS'S GEESE (since only about 10% of the flock could be seen in detail there could have been many more) - on the same date with flocks of CANADA GEESE were 5 CACKLING GEESE near Twin Elm and 5 more along Boundary Road - up to 4 adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS have been seen on the ponds south of Trail Road (at the top of the hill) all week - 1 adult KUMLIEN'S GULL was seen at that location on April 14th - a pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS have returned to the Pakenham area, first seen April 14th - a GREAT EGRET was seen at Dow's Lake (now mostly mud flats) on April 15th - a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE seen by a number of birders on April 15th from the Bill Mason Conservation Area boardwalk was most likely a transient migrant. Mid April is a known time for this species to pass through the Ottawa/Gatineau area - a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was seen on the ridge and a PINE WARBLER was heard in the woods at the BCA on April 15th - flocks of up to 75+ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continue to be seen - the first of the year RED-NECKED (2) and HORNED (1) GREBES were seen at Shirley's Bay on April 16th - on April 16th the Shirley's Bay river and inner ponds (not always active so far this year) were very active; GADWALL, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREATER SCAUP, and COMMON LOON. A BELTED KINGFISHER was also seen at Constance Creek on Thomas Dolan - the Dow's Lake mud flats and ponds have been active with a varity of waterfowl and GREATER YELLOWLEGS (1) on April 16th and 2 with 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS on April 17th - 3 PINE WARBLERS were heard near the Bell arena on April 16th - CHIPPING SPARROWS have been reported at a few locations - there have been a few reports of BARN SWALLOWS and on April 17th 3 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were seen over the Ottawa River at the Pont des Chaudieres Bridge - on April 18th 6 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen on the small island (where the RING-BILLED GULLS nest) near the Gatineau shore of the Ottawa River Des Chenes rapids - today there was a PALM WARBLER and a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET at the BCA, a number of PURPLE MARTINS at the Nepean Sailing Club, and at Shirley's Bay; GREATER SCAUP, 6 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (base of the causeway), 1 DUNLIN and 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER (east side of causeway just before first island), 40+ HORNED and at least 4 RED-NECKED GREBES - a very early, possibly record early, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was seen in a Pakenham backyard today Thank you for your bird observations, 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/
