Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 09 August 2010 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Rare bird alerts are now included in the introductory message Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [email protected]
It's still early for any significant bird migration events in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, but there have been several very interesting observations. The #1 highlight was an unprecedented number (for Ottawa) of 13 CASPIAN TERNS at Shirley's Bay on Aug. 2nd. Most were seen between the islands along the causeway, and at least four were still present and actively fishing west of the causeway on the 7th. On the 8th, six GREAT EGRETS were hanging out together west of the causeway, and two were seen the same morning at Andrew Haydon Park. Eight were also reported from the Quebec side of the Deschenes rapids from July 30th - Aug. 1st....which begs the question: how many Great Egrets are there on the Ottawa River? Waterfowl numbers have remained fairly static on the river and at the eastern sewage lagoons, however numbers of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are building up, as are those of GREAT BLUE HERONS and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS. Recent raptor highlights included BALD EAGLES in a wide variety of locations. From July 30th - Aug. 8th, an adult was seen in a backyard in Dunrobin, immature birds flew over Cumberland and the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of the Trail Rd. landfill, and at least 3 individuals of different ages were seen in the Shirley's Bay area. A PEREGRINE FALCON was at the east end of Andrew Haydon Park on the 5th, and multiple MERLINS have been frequenting the Ottawa River shoreline and stirring up the shorebirds on the ever-increasing mud flats. The variety and numbers of shorebirds have not changed very much since the last local update. LEAST SANDPIPER continues to be the most numerous species, with more juveniles beginning to appear. New arrivals included one BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER at Shirley's Bay on the 5th and three at the Casselman sewage lagoons on the 8th, and a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER and an immature RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at the Embrun lagoons on the 8th. Numbers of juvenile BONAPARTE'S GULLS have begun to increase, with eight seen on the Ottawa River east of Andrew Haydon Park on the 7th and a dozen at the Moodie Dr. pond the same day. A second -year LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL first seen at the Deschenes rapids back on July 23rd was still present on Aug. 3rd. Varying numbers of COMMON TERNS (many of them young birds) continue to be seen on the Ottawa River, especially at Shirley's Bay.
From the 2nd to the 7th of Aug., two adult and one juvenile RED-HEADED
WOODPECKERS have been observed in the Constance Bay area - this is the 9th consecutive successful breeding season for this species at this location. Serious songbird migration has yet to begin, but post-breeding movement continues. Good numbers of CHIMNEY SWIFTS were noted at Britannia on the 7th and five species of swallows were seen at the Embrun lagoons on the 4th. Warblers reported over the past week included NASHVILLE, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA, CAPE MAY, YELLOW-RUMPED, BAY-BREASTED, BLACK-AND-WHITE, AMERICAN REDSTART, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and a female SCARLET TANAGER with a juvenile were spotted at Britannia on the 7th. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
