Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 03 May 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]
A return to normal spring weather brought lots of bird activity, with more expected migrants arriving every day. Thirty species of waterfowl in various locations included increased numbers of WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN PINTAIL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL along with the other common species of dabbling ducks. A pair of REDHEAD is still at the Embrun sewage lagoons, a few GREATER SCAUP are still around among 100's of RING-NECK DUCK and LESSER SCAUP, good numbers of BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON GOLDENEYE continue to be present, and the 1st report of a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was on May 2nd on Shirley's Bay. Up to 10 HORNED and 20 RED-NECKED GREBES were on Shirley's Bay on the 1st and 2nd. An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen near Dunrobin on the 30th. At least 17 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS (including at least 8 on nests) were seen on Conroy Island in the Deschenes rapids on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River on the 1st, and singletons were seen from the Ontario side at Britannia all week. Raptor reports from April 27th to May 2nd included BALD EAGLES at Shirley's Bay and Petrie Island, a few BROAD-WINGED HAWKS heading over various locations, AMERICAN KESTRELS in rural areas, MERLINS hunting and displaying in urban areas, and the resident pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS are nesting again on the Delta (former Crowne Plaza) hotel in downtown Ottawa as of approx. April 20th. On May 1st COMMON MOORHENS were back at the Embrun sewage lagoons. In shorebird sightings, KILLDEER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, UPLAND SANDPIPER and WILSON'S SNIPE were noted in appropriate habitat. At least 1 WILSON'S PHALAROPE was back at the Embrun lagoons on the 1st, and the first local reports of COMMON TERN began coming in on the 30th. CHIMNEY SWIFTS are back with several noted at Britannia on the 2nd. There has been a definite increase in numbers of PURPLE MARTINS, TREE and BARN SWALLOWS, and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, BANK and CLIFF SWALLOWS have arrived as well. BLUE-HEADED VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, HOUSE WREN, WINTER WREN, HERMIT THRUSH and BROWN THRASHER were all very evident and vocal in recent days. On the 27th, 50 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were still around along March Rd. west of Ottawa. The local warbler count is up to 8 species; while YELLOW-RUMPED, PINE and PALM remained dominant this past week, NASHVILLE, YELLOW, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACK-AND-WHITE and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH were reported as of the 2nd. Most of our expected early May sparrow species are back on territory, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were reported in a couple of locations on the 2nd and 3rd. Thanks to all who contributed their 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/
