[Ontbirds] Ottawa/Gatineau - 13 Aug 10 - weekly update
Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 13 August 2010 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Rare bird alerts are now included in the introductory message Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis hagen...@primus.ca Friday August 13, 2010 this is Chris Lewis reporting. The focus continues to be on water birds with most reports coming from the Ottawa River, as well as the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. An increase in the variety and number of ducks was noted at Shirley's Bay on the 9th including single COMMON GOLDENEYE, GREATER and LESSER SCAUP, and two RING-NECKED DUCKS. The Moodie Dr. pond also hosted two GADWALL, four REDHEAD and a dozen RUDDY DUCKS on the 10th, along with 26 PIED-BILLED GREBES. Eight GREAT EGRETS were at Shirley's Bay on the 9th and the follwowing day at least seven were reported from the Deschenes rapids. An adult BALD EAGLE was the victim of harassment by several COMMON RAVENS at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 10th and on the 12th and 13th a juv. PEREGRINE FALCON kept the shorebirds on their toes at Shirley's Bay where multiple hundreds of "peeps" were present, mostly juvenile LEAST SANDPIPERS as well as smaller numbers of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, one PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and a juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Back on the 9th a WHIMBREL flew over, and the first seasonal report of a juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was on the 10th at Constance Bay. A juvenile LITTLE GULL appeared among the BONAPARTE'S GULLS at the Moodie Dr. pond on the 9th but unfortunately was not seen again. Approx. 10 juv. Bony's were here on the 9th and 10th. The number of CASPIAN TERNS at Shirley's Bay reached a record high of 17 individuals on the 9th! A small movement of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS was noted in the Britannia area on the evening of the 10th, approx. 15 - 20 CHIMNEY SWIFTS were very active over the Hampton Park area on the 13th, and increasing flocks of BOBOLINKS have been noted in rural areas. There has been very little mention of other passerine species in recent days.but more action is sure to begin soon! Finally, just a reminder with regard to birding at Shirley's Bay and the Moodie pond: The Shirley's Bay causeway is on DND property and is monitored by Range Control - to obtain permission to access the woods and causeway please call 613-991-5740. The Moodie Dr. pond is an active sand & gravel quarry on private property - please view the pond from the road and do not cross the fence. Thank you - Good Birding! ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Great Egret - London
There was a Great Egret in the Thames River in south-central London this afternoon. It was easily observed from the north side of the Springbank Rd. bridge over the Thames, just east of Wonderland Rd. Two Belted Kingfishers also in the same area. Anita Granger Ilderton, ON ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] American White Pelican- Oshawa
American White Pelican- 1 Friday, August 13 at 7:30 PM Oshawa Second Marsh (day 49 for this long staying visitor) Directions:Exit from the 401 at the Harmony Rd (exit # 419) Go south on Farewell St. to Colonel Sam Drive. Go east on Colonel Sam Drive to the GM Canada Headquarters. Park in the lot on the west side of the building and walk west to the viewing platform. Rayfield Pye Oshawa ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report - Friday, August 13th, 2010
On Friday, August 13th, 2010, this is the HNC Birding report: Blue-winged Teal Green-winged Teal Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Ruddy Duck Wild Turkey Great Blue Heron Great Egret Black=crowned Night Heron Osprey Bald Eagle American Coot Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Bonaparte's Gull Common Tern Canada Warbler It's all about shorebirds here in the HSA this week. Several good spots are suitable with an increasing number of shorebirds gathering, none of these locations terribly scenic though! At the Red Hill Stormwater pond this week Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron and Black-crowned Night Heron were present throughout the week. Nearby at the Windermere Basin, a floating mat of algae at the west end of the basin at the entrance to the harbour, seems to be a magnet for several species of shorebirds. Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Sanderling, Semipalmated, Least and Pectoral Sandpiper were seen at a distance from the lookout at the end of the gravel path. A scope is mandatory to see shorebirds on this floating mat as the access is restricted. In the basin itself, a smattering of different ducks were present in small numbers including, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck and American Coots. Up at the Monaghan Mushroom Farm located on Guelph Line north of Derry Road, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary, Least and Pectoral Sandpipers were recorded last weekend. Another good spot to check is the stormwater pond on the 407 at Brittania Road. Low water levels here were good for Short Billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpiper and Green Winged Teal. Viewing the Dundas Marsh from the North Shore of Cootes Paradise yielded Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Great Egret, Osprey and Bald Eagle. East winds were present yesterday and today at Van Wagner's beach. Birds reported from here include Green-winged Teal, Bonaparte's Gull and Common Tern. A Sanderling landed on the beach near the Lakeland Centre yesterday. A good cold front is needed to start to bring in our specialties. In the odds and sods, Wild Turkey were seen on Concession 4 east of Oldfield. This included a flock of 3 adults and 5 juveniles and a Canada Warbler was a welcome yard bird in Dundas earlier in the week. Things are starting to move so start scouring and don't forget to email your sightings! Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Juvenile Least Bittern - Presqu'ile
hi all: This morning at about 8am, I had a juvenile Least Bittern at the large viewing platform at the midpoint of the Marsh Boardwalk at Presqu'ile. The previous evening I had Northern Waterthrush and Canada Warbler (plus all the regulars) at the Lighthouse and a Black-bellied Plover amongst the terns and gulls at Owen Point. Marc ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Red-headed Woodpeckers north of Bowmanville, Durham Region
Hi, At about 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday evening, August 11, Margaret Carney and I watched two adult Red-headed Woodpeckers flycatching from a tall telephone pole on the west side of Regional Road # 57 about 0.5 kilometres north of Shirley Road. The birds repeatedly flew up into the air above the pole and then returned to land on the side of the pole. One then flew northwest to a grove of tall, mostly-dead white cedar trees bordering the road. The location is across the road from the driveway of a large, new, two-story, red brick house north of a large red metal shed with a sign saying "Indoor and Outdoor Storage" The location is about 3 kilometrres NNE of the village of Burketon, and about 3 kilometres SSE of the village of Blackstock. To reach Durham Regional Road # 57, exit # 401 at Waverley Road in Bowmanville.and go North. Waverly Road becomes Durham Regional Road # 57. Dennis Barry Thickson's Point, Whitby 905-725-2116 ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Reesor Pond - Baird's Sandpipers
13.08.10 - 2.15 pm at Reesor Pond - a pair of Baird's Sandpipers Reesor Pond lies just north of Hwy 407 on Reesor Road in Markham ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Follow-up to Potential Disturbance of Osprey Nest- CKL 24- Bobcaygeon
Further to yesterday's posting re the above, I met with Barb Puxley (aka "Mother Osprey") at the nest site this morning, as well as with the Works team to assess the situation. It was determined that the welfare of the birds will not be compromised by the present location of the storage container (vs. a dumpster, my mistake), as it will force any construction equipment to avoid the nest during the next few weeks until the birds migrate. Barb has also discussed this with the MNR folks, and the workers/contractors are very clear as to what precautions need to be taken while doing any work, but they will avoid the nest between now and migration time. Pls feel free to contact Barb Puxley directly for further details, she can be reached at puxle...@yahoo.ca. Janice Melendez ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Kingston area birds to Aug. 13, 2010
It has been a most interesting summer in the Kingston area. We have had some unusual nesting successes including Merlins in the city and on Wolfe Island, both Common and Red-breasted Mergansers on Amherst as well as Lesser Scaup at the lagoons. The Peregrines in downtown Kingston fledged two young. There were three successful nests of Short-eared Owls on Amherst Island producing a total of eleven young and another nest was found on Wolfe but it was destroyed by farm machinery. Loggerhead Shrike numbers are down. There were only five breeding pairs in the Napanee Plain with four singletons; they did manage to fledge twenty young. The shrike habitat, which we have improved over the last few years, is doubly important for other grassland species. These sites contained over 40 pairs of Grasshopper and 30 pairs of Clay-colored Sparrow. The first returning shorebirds were noted on July 10: 30 Lesser Yellowlegs, 10 Least Sandpipers and a Short-billed Dowitcher at the lagoons. A Solitary Sandpiper was at Elginburg on July 11th and 20 Greater Yellowlegs were in the Wilton Creek at Morven on the 14th. A pair of Stilt Sandpipers were recorded on the 18th. A field trip of the KFN to Amherst on August 8th had 11 species of shorebird including 2 Semipalmated Plover, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 Short-billed Dowitchers and a Red-necked Phalarope. The first Black-bellied Plover of the fall was on Amherst on Wednesday. Other signs of fall migration have been few; a Cape May Warbler July 26-31 and an Olive-sided Flycatcher August 7th, both near Elginburg, an Am. Pipit on Amherst August 8th, a Tennessee Warbler at Bedford Mills on the 10th and 16 Common Nighthawks at Fermoy on the 11th. Active local birders often speculate about the next new bird to be added to the Kingston area checklist (now exceeding 370 species) but no one in their wildest fantasies thought that a Yellow-nosed Albatross would be flying along the Kingston waterfront. The bird has begun its journey back to the southern hemisphere after some rehabilitation at the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Ottawa area: Red-necked Phalarope
Hello Ontbirders This morning at Shirley's Bay I observed 1 juvenile Red-necked Phalarope along with 700+ shorebirds mainly juvenile "peeps", 600+ Least and 50+ Semipalmated Sandpiper. There was also a Peregrine Falcon hunting the shorebirds. 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 dyke. There is lots of POISON IVY along the dyke. PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE RANGE CONTROL OFFICE BEFORE ENTERING THE DYKE AREA-- Call (613) 991-5740 and request permission to visit the dyke 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 Mobile 613-715-2571 ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
