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 robertcerm...@hotmail.com or sighti...@ofnc.ca
Chris Lewis "pinch-hitting" for Bob Cermak: The last report of Ottawa's first (Ontario's second) VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW at the the Britannia Conservation Area was on the morning of April 26th. On the 30th a EURASIAN WIGEON was discovered at Hwy 148 and the Riviere Blanche bridge in the west part of Lochaber, Quebec. Excellent waterfowl viewing was to be had at the Embrun sewage lagoons on the 28th - 16 species included all the non-rare dabbling ducks, as well as many diving ducks including REDHEAD and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. The Moodie Dr. quarry ponds also continue to host a good selection of ducks, with a surprise pair of LONG-TAILED DUCK on the 28th and increasing numbers of RUDDY DUCK (27 were counted on the 27th). A CANVASBACK was still on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River below Deschenes rapids as of at least the 26th. On May 2nd , 3 RED-NECKED GREBE were on the river at Shirley's Bay, and the same day 2 HORNED and 1 RED-NECKED GREBE were in a more unusual location at Dow's Lake. COMMON LOON have been seen in several locations on the Ottawa River. AMERICAN BITTERN, GREEN HERON, GREAT EGRET, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON and VIRGINIA RAIL were all reported, as were NORTHERN HARRIER, COOPER'S HAWK, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL and MERLIN, with the latter now performing their classic courtship displays. Two pairs of PEREGRINE FALCON are back at previous breeding sites - the Delta Hotel in downtown Ottawa, and the Data Centre on Heron Rd. Great shorebird habitat at the Embrun lagoons has so far attracted a few GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, and WILSON'S PHALAROPE. The Richmond lagoons along Eagleson Rd. also had 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPE on the 27 and 28th. UPLAND SANDPIPER are back on territory near Constance Bay. After a very early mid-April appearance, COMMON TERN are now arriving on their more usual spring schedule. The first local report of RED-HEADED WOODPECKER back at Constance Bay came in on the 2nd, and a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at a feeder on provate property in Aylmer, Quebec, on the 28th was probably the same bird that spent some time here back in January. CHIMNEY SWIFT, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and EASTERN KINGBIRD were reported in recent days while the flocks of GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET have dispersed. The first local report of HOUSE WREN came from Pakenham on the 1st, BROWN THRASHER continue to be vocal and visible, and an AMERICAN PIPIT flew over the Trail Rd. landfill on the 28th. Seven species of WARBLER have now been reported - the most recent arrivals were NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE and YELLOW. On the 25th, an eastern "yellow" PALM WARBLER was spotted in the Mer Bleu area, a well-known breeding location for this race of the species. SPARROWS continue to put on a good show. Several reports of EASTERN TOWHEE came in from a variety of locations since the 26th, some AMERICAN TREE SPARROW are still around, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were reported on the 2nd. Numbers of RUSTY BLACKBIRD have been seen and heard in wet woodlands at Britannia, Shirley's Bay, and Dunrobin since the 3rd week of April. An influx of PURPLE FINCH was noted in recent days, a few COMMON REDPOLL were still at feeders on the 2nd, and several flocks of EVENING GROSBEAK were noted in Pakenham on the 1st. Thank you to everyone who contributed bird observations! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
