Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa/Gatineau
16 August 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/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region)
E. Ontario, W. Quebec
Compiler & transcriber Bob Cermak robertcerm...@hotmail.com or sighti...@ofnc.ca
Detailed analysis of photographs of the two dowitchers seen on the Shirleys Bay
mud flats from July 30th through August 5th have indicated that the birds were
1 male and 1 female adult LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in early pre-basic molt with
full primary molt (early winter plumage with flight feathers molting).
Increasing numbers of warblers and vireos are moving through our area.
16 species of warblers were seen at the Britannia Conservation Area this week.
High counts were; AMERICAN REDSTART (4), many YELLOW and YELLOW-RUMPED,
NASHVILLE (10), many BLACK-AND-WHITE, BLACKBURNIAN (2), several COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT, TENNESSEE (2), CAPE MAY (10), CANADA (2), CHESTNUT-SIDED (5),
OVENBIRD (3), BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL, and MAGNOLIA (3).
PHILADELPHIA (1), many RED-EYED and WARBLING VIREOS, families of CEDAR WAXWINGS
and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, BROWN THRASHER (2 juv.) and SWAINSON'S THRUSH (1)
were also seen in the same area. A varity of warblers have been seen at a
number of other locations including a NORTHERN PARULA (1) at Shirleys Bay on
August 16th.
Numbers of shorebirds continued to be seen this week. Highlights were;
- Constance Bay Ottawa River shoreline on August 10th; WHIMBREL (4), adult
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (15), adult SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (40+), adult GREATER
YELLOWLEGS (25), adult LESSER YELLOWLEGS (6), adult SANDERLING (4),
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (75+ mainly juv.), LEAST SANDPIPER (250+ mainly juv.),
adult WHITE-RUMPED (1) and adult PECTORAL SANDPIPER (12). On August 11th; juv.
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (3) and BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (1) were also seen
- St. Albert lagoons on August 11th; PECTORAL (1), LESSER YELLOWLEGS (20),
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (10), SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (10) and on August 14th DUNLIN (1)
- Shirleys Bay mud flats; up to 130 peeps, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (3), BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER (1), BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (2) and on August 16th LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER (1) and STILT SANDPIPER (1 juv.). On August 11th 7 WHIMBREL flew over
Shirleys Bay and 2 landed briefly on the rocky Ottawa River shore at Parc
Brebeuf
- Casselman lagoons on August 11th; RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (6), LEAST SANDPIPER
(6), RED-NECKED GREBE (1), SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (1), SOLITARY SANDPIPER (1)
- Ottawa River Deschenes rapids; CASPIAN TERN (20), COMMON TERN (44),
BONAPARTE'S GULL (4 adult and several juv.), breeding plumage RUDDY TURNSTONE
(1), Sanderling (3), female COMMON MERGANSER (6), GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULL
(2), GREAT EGRET (16 and 3, possibly 4 nests with 4+ young that are almost
fledged). On August 10th; juv. PEREGRINE FALCON (1), BARN (350+), TREE (250+),
BANK (100+), CLIFF (15), NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED (2) SWALLOWS, CHIMNEY SWIFT
(30+) and a few PURPLE MARTINS
- Andrew Haydon Park and Ottawa Beach; August 11th HUDSONIAN GODWIT (1) seen
briefly, August 12th WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (21), juv. RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
(2), SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (12+), SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (80+)
- Embrun lagoons; RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (2) on August 14th
Other interesting sightings were;
- COMMON NIGHTHAWK (17) over Carleton Place on August 15th
- on the Moodie Drive pond on August 15th RING-NECKED DUCK (1) and on August
14th REDHEAD (2)
Thanks to everyone who contributed bird observations - Good Birding!
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