May 22 2023 (Monday) Ottawa Spring Migrants Leader: Bernie Ladouceur.
Twelve participants including, the leader, found 86 species. Once again, this half-day trip explored the Lac Deschênes IBA. After we met at the Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre, where we had our only House Sparrow of the day, we headed to the Britannia Conservation Area (Mud Lake). Here we found 59 species in just under three hours, including 16 species of warbler. We were patient to get good views of a number of them, including Tennessee, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, and Wilson’s Warblers. Other highlights included a heard-only (for most) Mourning Warbler, a late-migrating Blue-headed Vireo, singing Swainson’s and Wood Thrushes, and a flyby Gadwall. Next, was a short stop at the Shirley’s Bay boat launch. An adult and a yearling Bald Eagle, and a Common Loon were the highlights. Finally, we walked a good length of the Greenbelt Pathway West (about 3.7 kms round trip), starting at the Carling Avenue entrance and ending at the start of an extensive field north of Highway 417. At both ends of the walk, we were treated to a good show by Bobolinks, with Eastern Meadowlarks joining in at the start of our walk, and a Northern Harrier putting in an appearance at the far (south) end. In between, the trees progressively became taller; highlights included a drumming Ruffed Grouse, a cooperative Green Heron, a persistently singing Brown Trasher, plus excellent views of both male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Scarlet Tanagers. The female tanager was especially accommodating because she was continually returning to a caterpillar “tent” to collect nest material (nice, because it’s in my atlas square!). Thanks to all who participated. A trip list follows: Canada Goose 44 Wood Duck 8 Gadwall 1 Mallard 6 Wild Turkey 2 Ruffed Grouse 1 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Rock Pigeon 5 Mourning Dove 1 Chimney Swift 5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Ring-billed Gull 100 Herring Gull 1 Common Loon 1 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 2 Green Heron 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 5 Osprey 2 Northern Harrier 1 Bald Eagle 2 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 9 Eastern Kingbird 6 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Warbling Vireo 8 Red-eyed Vireo 25 Blue Jay 14 American Crow 1 Common Raven 2 Black-capped Chickadee 15 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 Purple Martin 2 Tree Swallow 6 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 House Wren 2 European Starling 3 Gray Catbird 2 Brown Thrasher 1 Swainson's Thrush 1 Wood Thrush 2 American Robin 9 House Sparrow 1 House Finch 1 Purple Finch 2 American Goldfinch 2 Chipping Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 23 Swamp Sparrow 1 Bobolink 10 Eastern Meadowlark 2 Baltimore Oriole 7 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Common Grackle 2 Tennessee Warbler 5 Mourning Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 7 American Redstart 25 Cape May Warbler 2 Northern Parula 2 Magnolia Warbler 3 Bay-breasted Warbler 3 Blackburnian Warbler 3 Yellow Warbler 26 Chestnut-sided Warbler 8 Blackpoll Warbler 3 Pine Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 10 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 3 Scarlet Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 9 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 Indigo Bunting 1 -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at [email protected]. Please review posting rules and guidelines at http://ofo.ca/site/content/listserv-guidelines During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Ontario birders should be taking extra precautions and following local, provincial, and federal regulations regarding physical distancing and non-essential travel. To find out more about OFO, please visit our website at ofo.ca or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists.
