Greetings ONTBirders, I documented 47 species in the area around the Ottawa International Airport this morning. All seven species of sparrow were present, including 7 CHIPPING, 11 SONG (a pair seemed to be nesting, but I did not locate the nest), 12 SAVANNAH, 5 FIELD, 5 GRASSHOPPER, 5 VESPER, and 4 CLAY-COLOURED SPARROWS. With regards to the clay-coloured, two exhibited strange calls. One sang an exact mimic of the chipping sparrow song (this bird has been observed frequently by many other birders). A second clay-coloured sang the two-note buzzy song, but also a trilling song that sounded more like a warbler than a sparrow song. The normal buzzy song also was lower and more hoarse than is typical. Other highlights included two INDIGO BUNTINGS, a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 3 OVENBIRDS, and 2 MOURNING WARBLERS. The mourning warblers can be heard and seen (with patience) in the forest near the radar tower off of High Road. Flycatchers are also in abundance, with 6 E. WOOD-PEWEES, 9 LEAST and 4 ALDER FLYCATCHERS. Good birding! Pat DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Hunt Club Drive and Riverside Drive, take Riverside south and stay straight when it becomes Limebank Road. Turn left onto Leitrim Road, then take the first right onto Bowesville Road. You can park just a few hundred meters from the intersection and take the trails there, or continue on Bowesville to Earl Armstrong Road. Turn left onto Earl Armstrong and follow to the end. Turn left onto High Road and again follow to the end. The trails here are also very productive for the species listed. _________________________________________________________________ Internet explorer 8 lets you browse the web faster. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9655582_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
