Hi Everyone Great day birding the Ottawa River with numerous highlights. This morning at around 8:00 a.m. while birding Dick Bell Park I observed 3 Purple Sandpipers. There were a number of small flocks of Dunlin over the river as well as 2 Sanderling, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers and 4 Brant. The Purples were very nervous and didn't land on the rocky point but continued flying west. There were a number of scoters on the river including 40+ Black, 4 Surf and 2 White-winged along with 18 male Long-tailed Ducks. At least one late lingering Great Egret was present at Andrew Haydon Park. Late morning I birded Constance Bay. With the changing weather conditions I headed to the point area to view the Ottawa River/Constance Bay. Within a few minutes I spotted my first Golden Eagle migrating south overhead and after an hour I observed 6 Golden and 1 Bald Eagle. My highest one day count ever for Golden's in the Ottawa area. This once rare species has been been increasing in numbers over the past 3 decades. At around 12:30 pm I spotted a Razorbill offshore. The bird disappeared twice for a period of time but fortunately was present when the first group of birders from Ottawa arrived but later disappeared offshore again for any late arrivals. This represents the second record for the Ottawa district. A total of 9 Purple Sandpipers were found during the day.
Good birding, Bruce Di Labio Directions: Constance Bay is located NW of Ottawa off Dunrobin Road and Point Restaurant is off Bayview Drive. Dick Bell Park is located off Carling Ave. Bruce Di Labio P.O.Box 538 Carp,Ontario K0A 1L0 613-715-2571 http://www.brucedilabio.blogspot.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists