Hi Everyone This afternoon at 1:00pm I observed two juvenile Sabine's Gulls at Shirley's Bay. As I was scanning the limited mudflats, suddenly the 2 gulls appeared. I watched them briefly as they quickly passed over the area. I managed to take a couple of distant photos, then put out a local alert. Unfortunately they disappeared as quickly as they arrived. I spent the next 45 minutes scanning along the causeway but no luck. A group watched from the parking lot/boat launch too. Since they vanished so quickly I suspect they moved overland heading southwest. This is one of the earliest records for the Ottawa-Gatineau district and is 1 of the approximately 15 records of juveniles. Interestingly the majority of records have been recorded between September 12th and 25th. Good birding, Bruce
Directions: Shirley's Bay: From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to the Moodie Drive exit and turn north (right) on Moodie Drive and continue to Carling Ave. Turn left at Carling Ave. and follow Carling to Rifle Road. Turn right (north) on Rifle Rd. Park at the lot at the end (boat launch). Walk back to the road, and continue through the gate on the Department of National Defense property. There is a trail on your right (clearly marked with vehicle "No Entry" signs) which heads into the woods, and, eventually to the causeway. There is lots of POISON IVY along the causeway. **** PLEASE NOTE**** YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE RANGE CONTROL OFFICE BEFORE ENTERING THE SHIRLEY'S BAY AREA-- Call (613) 991-5740 and request permission to visit the causeway area for birding. Di Labio Birding Website Courses and Field Trips http://www.dilabiobirding.ca http://www.brucedilabio.blogspot.com Bruce Di Labio 400 Donald B. Munro Drive P.O. Box 538 Carp, Ontario K0A 1L0 Office 613-839-4395 Cell 613-715-2571 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
