Hi Everyone Lots of birds on the move! Birding along the Ottawa River continues to be good. I spent 3 hours this morning between Andrew Haydon Park and Shirley's Bay. At the boat launch at Shirley's Bay I observed a "Yellow" Palm Warbler. It fly over and landed in some shrubbery and was visible for a couple of minutes before disappearing. It is a rare spring migrant, I've only seen them on territory at Mer Blue Bog and Alfred Bog during spring migration. Lots of water birds including 49 Red-necked Grebe and 22 Horned Grebe. Yesterday saw 53 Horned and 17 Red-necked Grebe in the same area. Also yesterday, a breeding plumaged Red-throated Loon flew over the Britannia Rapids area and there were 2 Great Egrets at Deschenes Rapids. Land bird numbers are again up today with good numbers of White-throated Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Purple Martin and Bank Swallow in the area. Two Bald Eagle, 1 adult and 1, 2nd year bird were playing with sticks in a large tree in the Shirley's Bay area this morning.
Happy Easter 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 (summer). **** 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 birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
