[Ontbirds] Ottawa/ Gatineau-recent sightings to July 14, 2016
Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Greg Zbitnew at k_zbitn...@bell.net or sighti...@ofnc.ca July 14, 2016 Once again, there were no real highlights this week. By and large, birding has been as dull as dishwater. Like last week, weather was seasonal to hot with some rain. The rain was and will continue to be the important factor in river water levels and hence shorebird populations for the next few weeks. Birdsong has diminished but there is still quite a bit of activity with many young birds still being attended to by their parents. There was a quite a bit of shorebird activity this week, but unfortunately mostly outside the region, at Alfred and St. Isidore. Rain on 9th eliminated the Shirley’s Bay shorebird habitat temporarily. There was a bit of activity at Petrie Island, the Almonte Lagoons and the Richmond Conservation area, but nothing out the ordinary. More interesting were a few SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS at St. Albert on the 11th. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Britannia on the 10th, and the continuing RED-NECKED GREBE as late as the 13th at Mud Lake are noteworthy. Some of the other less common sightings this week were: 1. NORTHERN PINTAIL at Shirley’s bay on the 10th 2. UPLAND SANDPIPER on Franktown Road on the 10th. 3. BLUE-HEADED VIREO and RED-SHOULDERED HAWK at Meech lake on the 13th. 4. BLUE-HEADED VIREO at Burnt Lands PP. on the 10th. 5. 2 TENNESSEE WARBLERS at Camp Fortune on the 9th. 6. SEDGE WREN still on Torbolton Ridge Road as of the 11th. The OFNC's Birds Committee no longer reports owl sightings on the Internet. We will continue to encourage the reporting of owls to sighti...@ofnc.ca for the purpose of maintaining local records. 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 - 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
[Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending July 14, 2016.
While there have been several interesting sightings at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in the past week, nothing has been totally unexpected. Mid-summer diving duck sightings are infrequent at Presqu'ile, so the four species present this week are noteworthy. Only the four REDHEADS in Popham Bay are regularly seen there. In contrast, four WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS off beach 1 and a single LONG-TAILED DUCK at Owen Point were unusual, as well as one of the latter vocalizing at night in Presqu'ile Bay. The two HOODED MERGANSERS that had been in the woodpile marsh since early this month (perhaps having fledged there) have now made their way into the open waters of Lake Ontario nearby, where they alternate between swimming close to shore and sitting on the south beach. Recent sightings of BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS on Lake Ontario and in New York state just south of the lake are a reminder that one appeared in nearby Prince Edward County in mid-July four years ago, all of which were close enough to tantalize local birders and to stir their hopes that the species might be added to the Presqu'ile list. In addition to the distant views of GREAT EGRETS on High Bluff Island, four BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were spotted on Sebastopol Island, where they have nested in previous years. On Tuesday a BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen by one observer and heard by three others in the Jobes' woods area. Yesterday in the marsh a VIRGINIA RAIL was heard and a SORA was seen. Frequent sightings of COMMON GALLINULE in the woodpile marsh this summer raised suspicions of breeding, which were confirmed on Tuesday, when four freshly hatched chicks accompanied their parents there. Only one adult PIPING PLOVER remains on beach 2, along with the three young birds. A LEAST SANDPIPER was still on the beach on Monday, and a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER was there on Saturday. Throughout the summer the Park has hosted a variety of passerine birds, among which the following were seen or heard this week: ALDER FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, ORCHARD ORIOLE, PURPLE FINCH. To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there. There is also a restricted area at beach 2, where the public is being directed away from the Piping Plover fledglings. Birders are encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there. Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca. -- Fred Helleiner 186 Bayshore Road Brighton, Ontario K0K 1H0 613-475-5309 If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] Black bellied whistling ducks, Hamilton
I have had a number of out of town queries today but have been in meetings. So far I have received no reports of these birds. They could very well be tucked away in a storm water pond somewhere. Heavy storms went through last night here so I wasn't expecting them to return to the beach this morning. Cheers Cheryl Sent from my iPhone ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] OFO SUMMER OUTINGS
Birders are reminded to carefully check the OFO site at www.ofo.ca for details of changes to some of our summer outings. Always check the OFO site for updates before heading out into the field. Dave Milsom OFO Trip Coordinator milsomd...@hotmail.com ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
