Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Gregory Zbitnew at sighti...@ofnc.ca
June 6, 2019 Some more excellent birds highlighted the week, although unfortunately they were only seen by the first observers. On the 2nd, a WILLET was seen flying by Britannia point, on the 5th, 2 RED PHALAROPES (non-breeding plumage and our first summer record) were seen from Britannia Pier/ Yacht Club, 2 RED KNOTS were at the Moodie Drive ponds on the 4th, and on the 6th a MARBLED GODWIT was seen at the Moodie Drive ponds. As is so often the case, all 4 species disappeared from view without a trace. Persistent cool, cloudy and damp weather was not enjoyable, but was probably a factor in some of the rarities found, as well as the presence of a number of lingering/ late species. The weather turned warm on the 6th, and the forecast of hot summer weather next week will likely be the effective end of spring migration. Late WHITE-WINGER SCOTERS were on the Ottawa River on the 3rd. Otherwise, WATERBIRDS were mostly the expecting nesting species in inland ponds. LESSER SCAUP was at the Moodie Drive ponds until the 5th. The first ARCTIC TERNS of the season were seen from Britannia Point on the 31st -4th, but these views were distant/ fleeting. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at Moodie Drive ponds as late as the 6th. CASPIAN and BLACK TERN are seen in these ponds from time to time, with other scattered reports of CASPIAN TERN elsewhere. 2 YELLOW RAILS were heard again at the Richmond fen on the 31st. It was quite a week for SHOREBIRDS. Aside from the ones noted above, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was off the Britannia Yacht Club on the 3-4th, and among the scattered sightings of RUDDY TURNSTONE, as very “tame” one was seen regularly right at the feet of birders at Britannia Point. About 14 species were seen in the region, this week, with DUNLIN and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS being the most widespread. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was at a feeder in Constance Bay on the 30th to 1st. Late migrant FLYCATCHERS included a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER at the Rockcliffe Airporet woods on the 2nd and another near Green’s Creek on the 5 th. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER at the Rockcliffe Airport on 1st-2nd was unusually long staying. It or another was seen on the 5th and one was at Ferme Moore on the 1st. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was at the South March Highlands Conservation forest on the 4th, and a CAROLINA WREN was in Gatineau on the 1st. A SEDGE WREN was south of the Ottawa Airport on the 2nd. A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW on Grandview road on the 1st was late, as was a COMMON REDPOLL at a feeder in Constance Bay on the 30th. 24 species of WARBLER were seen this week, the weather being a likely factor. There were still numbers of TENNESSEE WARBLERS, and a late ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was near the Rockcliffe Airport on the 3rd and the 5 th. *Reminders:* *Due to flooding, DND has removed access to **the Shirley’s Bay Causeway** until it is safe again. Updates will be announced when they are available. * *and* *Cassels Street is open for traffic but the trails in the woods are still officially closed. * Thanks to everyone who contributed bird observations. We encourage everyone to report their bird sightings on eBird for the benefit of the entire birding community. Good birding. _______________________________________________ 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
