Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 17 May 2012 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatinau (Canada Natinal Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber Bob Cermak robertcerm...@hotmail.com or sighti...@ofnc.ca
It was another very active week for spring migration, with WARBLERS again the stars of the show - 22 species have now been reported locally, the most recent "expected" additions were TENNESSEE, BAY-BREASTED and CANADA as of the 12th. An "unexpected" one was a species that has not been reported in Ottawa for many years - a male HOODED WARBLER made a brief appearance in Billings Park near Highridge and Billings Aves. on the 13th, but was unfortunately not relocated despite several efforts on the 14th and 15th. A few late SNOW GEESE were still around east of Ottawa from the 12th to the 16th.The first local report of BRANT was of a single bird on the Carp River in Carp on the 12th. Ducks species noted in various locations (Ottawa River, Moodie Dr. quarry pond, and the eastern sewage lagoons) this week included WOOD DUCK, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, LESSER SCAUP, all 3 species of MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCK. The St. Albert lagoons on the 13th hosted a pair of GRAY PARTRIDGE, several PIED-BILLED GREBES and an AMERICAN COOT, as well as substantial numbers of SPOTTED SANDPIPER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, 6 DUNLIN and many AMERICAN PIPITS. The Embrun lagoons also has good numbers of the same species last weekend, and a RUDDY TURNSTONE was here on the 16th. WILSON'S PHALAROPES have been present at the Russell lagoons as of at least the 13th. A few COMMON LOONS were on the Ottawa River this week, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was at Constance Bay on the 13th. The first local report of LEAST BITTERN came in on the 15th from the wetland between Moodie Dr. and Corkstown Rd. south of the Nortel complex. This location continues to be reliable for VIRGINIA and SORA rails, as well as MARSH WREN - all were present as of the 15th. A couple of GREAT EGRETS were seen again on the 12th in the marshes from Masson to Thurso in Quebec, and one was at PETRIE ISLAND on the 16th. GREEN HERONS were observed along the Rideau River and at Mud Lake in Britannia on the 12th and 13th, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS continue to be seen at Mud Lake and the Deschenes rapids. Recent raptor reports have all been of local breeding species, which now include BALD EAGLE - the nesting pair on the DND property at Shirley's Bay continues to be seen almost daily. As of the 11th, at least 3 eggs have been confirmed for the breeding pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS on the Delta Hotel in downtown Ottawa. Fourteen adult BONAPARTE'S GULLS were at Constance Bay on the 13th, COMMON TERNS continue to be seen on the Ottawa River at Shirley's Bay and Britannia, and BLACK TERNS have been reported in a couple of areas since the 13th. CHIMNEY SWIFTS were seen in a couple of locations on the 16th, an increase in reports of EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, LEAST FLYCATCHER, EASTERN KINGBIRD, RED-EYED VIREO and INDIGO BUNTING were received since last week, all of our local breeding species of SPARROWS were again reported in their traditional habitats, and yet another wave of northward-bound WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS occurred from the 11th to the 13th. SCARLET TANAGER and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK were singing at Shirley's Bay on the 16th, BOBOLINKS and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS are all very active on territory. A few migrant RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were still in the Constance Creek area near Dunrobin on the 11th. Also on the 11th, the eastern or "yellow"race of PALM WARBLER as well as LINCOLN'S SPARROW and PURPLE FINCH were singing on territory at the Mer Bleue Conservation Area, and a single EVENING GROSBEAK was seen on Parliament Hill the same day. Thanks to everyone who contributed observations - 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/
