Hello Ontbirders
12 participants braved the winter to attend the OFO Ottawa Area Field
Trip on Jan 28.
Despite the cold, we had beautiful blue skies and calm conditions
throughout the day.
The lovely winter-wonderland scenario was augmented by freshly fallen
snow from the previous night, and a touch of morning hoar frost.
Birding activity was generally quiet and typically winter-like.
Regardless, the day was entertaining with some good birds and lots of
wildlife clues in the snow.
While waiting for the last participants at the meeting spot off
Carling Ave, a lone first winter Ring-billed Gull circled the parking
lot.
Although this is a very rare species for late January in Ottawa, it
proved to be a hard sell.
Winter specialties seemed to be on everyone's mind.
Our first stop was at the Hilda Road feeding station in Shirleys Bay.
Here, we were treated to a dozen Cedar Waxwings feeding on buckthorn.
Several Blue Jays and chickadees patrolled the area while American
Tree Sparrows fed on the ground.
Along March Valley Road, we got scope views of a dark morph Rough-
legged Hawk and a distant adult Red-tailed Hawk.
A few lucky people at the head of the group got to see a Fisher run
across the road.
At the Ottawa Duck Club feeding station we added 5 Wild Turkeys, 3
Mourning Doves, 4 White-breasted Nuthatches and a Porcupine.
Kerwin Road was surprisingly quiet. Although conditions were ideal
for hearing subtle sounds, bird activity was relatively low.
Ravens were making various vocalizations at a distance while Blue
Jays were particularly chatty. Black-capped chickadees, Hairy
Woodpecker, Downey Woodpecker and Red-breasted Nuthatches were mildly
active along the trail. However, without question, the highlight was
several White-winged Crossbills at close range feeding in the tops of
Spruce Trees, with several males singing.
We finished just before noon.
However, six of us continued again after lunch.
We started at Bayshore to see the overwintering drake Wood Duck and
male Belted Kingfisher.
The Wood Duck put on a great performance for the camera.
After that, we returned to Kerwin Road with hopes of more northern
specialties.
En-route, we saw a Common Raven flying low over Terry Fox Drive with
a (probable) Meadow Vole in its beak.
At Kerwin Road, we didn't add anything new to the day's list.
However we were treated to more White-winged Crossbills, including
males in aerial display & first year male plumages.
Also highly entertaining were pairs of Common Ravens engaged in
aerobatic bonding/courtship flights.
We ended the day with 24 bird species - a reasonable field trip total
for the Ottawa area in late January, especially considering the
limited habitat we explored.
1 - Wood Duck
8 - American Black Duck
20 - Mallard
(6 - Black/Mallard Hybrid)
1 - Red-tailed Hawk
1 - Rough-legged Hawk
5 - Wild Turkey
1 - Ring-billed Gull
9 - Rock Dove
3 - Mourning Dove
1 - Belted Kingfisher
3 - Downey Woodpecker
7 - Hairy Woodpecker
15 - Blue Jay
8 - American Crow
11 - Common Raven
19 - Black-capped Chickadee
4 - Red-breasted Nuthatch
4 - White-breasted Nuthatch
2 - European Starling
12 - Cedar Waxwing
14 - American Tree Sparrow
24 - White-winged Crossbill
3 - American Goldfinch
8 - House Sparrow
Cheerio
Tony Beck
158-B Woodridge Cr.,
Ottawa, Ont.
K2B 7S9
tel.: 613-828-5936
website: http://www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony
