Hello ontbirders, I am pleased to say after a couple of my efforts thwarted by inclement weather I finally managed to find the Millbrook Cres. Townsend's Solitaire at 1pm today. It was quite still but scanning the small tree in front of #7 I found the bird hiding behind some branches. Unfortunately, it was not very active but I am happy to have seen it. Thank you to several helpful birders who e-mailed me privately to keep me updated on the status of this vagrant.
In other birding news I followed up on Tony Beck's report from earlier this week and located his Black-Backed Woodpecker along the Jack Pine trail (Stoney Swamp). It had intercepted me not far from the parking area thanks to some rather cacophonous children frightening it from its hiding place. Thank heavens for small miracles. Other than that bird the area of the jack Pine trail rendered a White-Breasted Nuthatch but nothing else. No luck on the Saw-Whet owl. The Sarspirilla trail was not overly fruitful today either but c'est la vie. On the way home along Fallowfield, right near Greenbank, I easily noticed a flock of Snow Buntings moving around with two Lapland Lonspurs in the quarum. Good thing there were about 50 deer out on the fields in that area that had initially drawn my attention. All in all, a cool but pleasant day for birding in the capital region. Good birding! Jay Peterson Ottawa, Ontario Directions as per Tony Beck to Solitaire and Stoney Swamp Directions to Jack Pine Trail >From Ottawa, exit Moodie Drive south. Take Moodie south until it turns into >Richmond Road. Take Richmond Road south to Hunt Club (may be called West Hunt >Club). Take Hunt Club a few hundred metres east and you are back on Moodie. >Head south on Moodie and look for the signs for parking lot on the east side >of the road. Follow the paths. to the OFNC feeder and fan out from there. Directions to the Solitaire. From Ottawa take Prince of Wales south to Baseline Road. Head west on Baseline to Fisher Avenue. Head south and turn west at the first light (Deer Park Rd). Millbrook is the 3rd street off Deer Park._______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
