Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa/Gatineau
January 9, 2014
Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec
Compiler & transcriber Bob Cermak [email protected] or [email protected]
The Dunrobin-Breckenridge CBC on the 4th found 40 species which due to our
severe winter is well below the 32 year average of 50 species. Preliminary
results of interest: WILD TURKEY (317), COOPER'S HAWK (5, ties record), SNOWY
OWL (3), GREAT HORNED OWL (1, record is 53 in 1988!), CEDAR (flocks of 15 and
14) and BOHEMIAN (1) WAXWING and SONG SPARROW (5 record is 6).
The 10th Casselman-Foret Larose CBC, held on the 4th, final results are not yet
available but interesting results of one team were 32 species including: 5
gulls including an adult THAYER'S GULL at the Lafleche dump, SNOWY OWL (5),
BARRED OWL (2), RUFFED GROUSE (6), CEDAR WAXWING (8) and difficult to find this
winter just one GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET and due to the dramatically reduced
numbers now in our area only three HOUSE SPARROW.
The massive SNOWY OWL irruption from the north continues. One theory is that an
extraordinary abundance of lemmings in the north resulted in the survival of
nearly all SNOWY OWLS born last year instead of the usual 20% survival rate. Of
interest are 301 found by one birder over one weekend last month in
Newfoundland and single birds in Florida (3rd state record) and Bermuda.
Interesting sightings this past week were: WINTER WREN (1) at the west end of
the Britannia Conservation Area ridge, NORTHERN PINTAIL (m) at Billings bridge,
a flock of SNOW BUNTINGS (40) east of Manotick, CEDAR WAXWING (30) on Quigley
Hill Rd, GRAY PARTRIDGE (3) near the intersection of Brownlee and Shea roads
and (9) on Moodie Dr 600 meters north of Brophy Rd, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (33),
which are scarce in our area this winter, at a feeder in Bridlewood, Kanata,
BOHEMIAN WAXWING (1) near Constance Bay Rd and NORTHERN HARRIER (adult male) on
Kinburn Rd south of Woodlawn, HARLEQUIN DUCK (1) and LONG-TAILED DUCK (1) below
and BUFFLEHEAD (2) above the Deschenes Rapids, COMMON GRACKLE (1) with an
injured wing at a feeder in Stitttsville and a CAROLINA WREN at a Rockcliffe
feeder.
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 including how to unsubscribe visit
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
