Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 25 April 2013 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]
Chris Lewis "pinch-hitting" for Bob Cermak: It's been busy week for birds and birders alike in the Ottawa area! The number one highlight was a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW (second record for Ontario) discovered on April 25th near the Britannia water purification plant. Not quite as exciting, but still rare for Ottawa was an adult LITTLE BLUE HERON flying over Dunrobin Rd. near Riddell Rd. west of Ottawa on the 17th. A report of this species also came in from the Sawmill Creek storm water ponds along the Airport Parkway on the 23rd - a subsequent search by many observers on the 24th was unsuccessful. A BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER was also a nice find on the 19th on Haanel Rd. in Bells Corners. The large flocks of SNOW GEESE east of Bourget began to disperse last weekend. On the 24th at least 10,000 Snow's were seen a bit farther north at the Alfred sewage lagoons. Two ROSS'S GEESE were found among 500 Snow's along Frank Kenny Rd. at Bear Brook on the 21st. All of the common expected puddle ducks (except Blue-winged Teal) continue to be reported. A CANVASBACK has been on the Ottawa River below Deschenes rapids from the 19th until at least the 22nd, and a pair of REDHEAD were seen here as well. A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still on the Rideau River off Stratchcona Park on the 21st, and back on the 17th a male LONG-TAILED DUCK was at Shirley's Bay. All 3 species of MERGANSER have been seen at various locations. REDHEAD, RUDDY DUCK and AMERICAN COOT were in the Alfred lagoons on the 24th. PIED-BILLED GREBE are back in their typical areas. A few HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBE have dropped in at Shirley's Bay since the last week. Numbers of GREAT EGRET and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON are building up big-time - reports of both species have been coming in almost daily from local wetlands, but the largest numbers have been seen at Britannia and Deschenes (up to 4 of the former, and at least 25 of the latter on the 23rd). GREEN HERON and VIRGINIA RAIL were found in local wetlands on the 24th. Raptor reports included all the expected local breeding species. The first report of BROAD-WINGED HAWK was on the 20th. Shorebird arrivals since the 17th were SPOTTED SANDPIPER, UPLAND SANDPIPER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, DUNLIN and WILSON'S PHALAROPE. A single GLAUCOUS GULL was at the Trail Rd. Landfill on the 20th, and an early BLACK TERN was seen flying below Deschenes rapids the same day. The first local reports of CHIMNEY SWIFT and GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER came in on the 22nd. BLUE-HEADED VIREO were seen at Britannia and in Aylmer, Quebec on the 20th. All six species of our expected swallows (obviously NOT including the totally UN-expected Violet-Green!!) are back, many flying low in search for insects during the cold morning hours. A CAROLINA WREN was seen & heard in an Old Ottawa South neighbourhood on the 24th and 25th. WINTER WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, EASTERN BLUEBIRD and HERMIT THRUSH were noted in several locations, and on the 21st a very vocal NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD entertained a birder on Kettles Rd. south of Richmond. Small numbers of BOHEMIAN WAXWING were still moving through on the 19th. An influx of PALM, PINE, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER occurred over the past week. Impressive numbers of Sparrows continue to arrive and/or move through: an EASTERN TOWHEE appeared in an Ottawa backyard on the 21st and 22nd, CHIPPING, FIELD, VESPER, SAVANNAH, FOX, SWAMP, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and DARK-EYED JUNCO have been both numerous and ubiquitous. On the 25th, a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was singing on territory south of the international airport. COMMON REDPOLL continue to linger at feeders and in the landscape, and single HOARY REDPOLLs were still present at a couple of feeders on the 19th. Thank you to everyone who contributed bird observations! _______________________________________________ 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/
