Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa/Gatineau
8 November 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]
Ottawa/Gatineau birders have been anticipating and hoping for CAVE SWALLOW to
arrive in our area for some time. On the 3rd a CAVE SWALLOW (southwest
(Mexican) species) and a CLIFF SWALLOW were found over the Ottawa River just
south of Bate Island east of the Champlain Bridge. The CLIFF SWALLOW was seen
every day until the 6th (a record late sighting) when it was seen again with
the CAVE SWALLOW at the same location. Neither swallow has been reported since.
There has been a noticeable movement of PINE GROSBEAK (flocks up to 12),
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (flocks up to 30) and BOHEMIAN WAXWING (flocks up to
120) throughout our area this past week. Smaller numbers of COMMON REDPOLL
(small flocks and one flock of 25) and RED CROSSBILL (single birds calling and
a flock of 7 in Pakenham) have been reported. At least 5 female BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER were seen; 2 along the Eardley-Masham Road, 1 near the Stony Swamp
Trail, 1 (possibly 2) in Rockcliffe Park and another near the Rockcliffe Pkwy
at Green's Creek.
In a one hour period (9 to 10 am) in dynamic weather conditions on the 3rd from
Dick Bell Park RED-THROATED LOON (14), COMMON LOON (6), GOLDEN EAGLE (4, 2
adult and 2 juvenile, a remarkable number, possibly a one day record in Ottawa)
and PEREGRINE FALCON (1) were seen migrating south. Also seen were LONG-TAILED
DUCK (60+) from that location on the river.
Last week a record (for this area) number of SANDHILL CRANE (148) were seen at
the south end of Trim Rd on the 27th. This week, on Milton Road, 152 were seen
on the 6th and 154 were seen on the 7th.
A dark morph GYRFALCON was seen briefly flying south over the Remic Rapids then
heading south over the city on the 6th. On the same day PEREGRINE FALCON (2
adults and 1 juvenile) were seen on the Coate's Building in Tunney's Pasture.
At various locations in the west end (March Valley Rd, Riddell Dr, etc) on the
2nd; RED-TAILED (6), ROUGH-LEGGED (2) and COOPER'S (1) HAWKS, NORTHERN HARRIER
(1) and BALD EAGLE (2) and SNOW BUNTING (85+).
Burnside (Moodie Dr) pit continues to be active. On the 6th there were SNOW
GOOSE (16), RED-NECKED and RUDDY DUCKS, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSER and
NORTHERN GOSHAWK (1), RED-TAILED (2) and ROUGH-LEGGED (1) HAWKS.
Other interesting sighting were;
- AMERICAN PIPIT (55+) and GREATER YELLOWLEGS (25) flying over a field NW of
St. Albert on the 1st
- NORTHERN SHRIKE (1) near a bird feeder in Carleton Place on the 2nd
- EURASIAN WIGEON (1) and CANVASBACK (1) continue to be seen at Black Bay east
in Quebec
- CAROLINA WREN (2) continue to be seen at various locations in the Britannia
Conservation Area
- RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS (2) continue to be seen in Pakenham
- a very late AMERICAN BITTERN (1) was seen in a Ottawa River marsh at the Mac
Skimming property east of Orleans on the 6th
- outside the Ottawa/Gatineau birding area, in Perth, on the 4th a female
SCARLET TANAGER was photographed but was not subsequently seen
Thanks to everyone who contributed 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/
