Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 13 September 2011 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario,W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis hagen...@primus.ca, or sighti...@ofnc.ca
Highlights of the past week included 2 rarities in this part of the province. An immature PARASITIC JAEGER in intermediate plumage was discovered on the 7th, on the Ottawa River at Shirley's Bay and probably the same individual has been giving the gulls a hard time at Britannia Bay since then. On the 9th an immature FORSTER'S TERN was in the same general area, but has since disappeared. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and a few HORNED GREBES off Andrew Haydon Park on the 12th were signs of the season to come. Gatherings of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS continue to increase. The roost count of GREAT EGRETS at Deschenes, Quebec reached 31 on the evening of the 10th, and during the day smaller numbers can be seen in widespread locations. Resident raptors such as OSPREY and NORTHERN HARRIER have been seen regularly, 3 BALD EAGLES were at Shirley's Bay on the 10th and MERLINS and PEREGRINE FALCONS were again noted in previously reported areas. On the 9th there were still at least 13 species of shorebirds at the Casselman sewage lagoons, but the pond with the formerly excellent habitat has since been flooded - 8 species were clinging to the remaining mud fringe on the 10th, including RUDDY TURNSTONE and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Despite the excellent mud at Shirley's Bay and Britannia Bay, numbers remain small and somewhat static. However a good selection has been present, including BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SANDERLING, SEMIPALMATED, WHITE-RUMPED and PECTORAL SANDPIPER. DUNLIN were noted at the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. on the 12th, and a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE has been in Britannia Bay for several days. In addition to the rare larids, up to 10 BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 5 CASPIAN TERNS were seen at the Deschenes rapids on the 10th and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 12th. Among flocks of migrant passerines at the Britannia Conservation Area and the Shirley's Bay woods were lots of WARBLING and RED-EYED VIREOS with a couple of BLUE-HEADED and PHILADELPHIA VIREOS in the mix. From the 5th to the 8th good numbers of SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were heard flying over at night. At least one of the NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS at the Nepean Equestrian Park was seen on the 12th, and a few more AMERICAN PIPITS are showing up, right on schedule. Up to a dozen species of warblers were reported last week, including ORANGE-CROWNED; most were in small mixed groups scattered throughout the landscape. Foraging flocks of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have also begun to increase recently. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
