December 14, 2009 Winter birding in the Ottawa area

Spent a couple of hours birding along the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers today. The Ottawa River is still wide open except for some shoreline ice and sheltered bays frozen. The Rideau River was mostly open but a few stretches of calm water were frozen. There were still 2 male Barrow's Goldeneye near the Rideau Tennis Club north of Hwy. 417 but most interesting was a moulting male Northern Shoveler in a flock of Mallards. Along the Ottawa River I observed a female Barrow's Goldeneye below Deschenes Rapids. Other waterfowl of note included 1 Wood Duck, 3 Ring-necked Duck, 2 Lesser Scaup, 1 Long-tailed Duck, all 3 mergansers and 1 Bufflehead. Along Carling Ave. I observed a flock of 220+ Bohemian Waxwing near the corner of Moodie Drive, a flock of 40+ at March Road and Shirley's Brook and 30+ in Carp at Donald B. Munro and Salisbury Road. Still a few thousand gulls hanging around including 11 Iceland,6 Glaucous, 1 Lesser Black-backed and 200+ Ring-billed Gull off Andrew Haydon Park. With very cold temperatures on the way I sure many will be heading south.

Good birding, Bruce

Directions: From Ottawa take 417 east to the Vanier Parkway and exit north. Follow parkway to Donald Street and turn left (west) and continue to Rideau Tennis Club/Rideau River. If you require additional information, please email me privately.

Preening is very important for all birds especially if your a duck!

Very rare during the winter months in eastern Ontario this will be a very good bird for the Ottawa CBC.

The Northern Shoveler is easy to pick out by its bill shape.

The male Barrow's Goldeneyes along the Rideau River have set up home for the winter as long as the river remains open.

Report colour banded birds.

A Great Black-backed Gull having breakfast along the Rideau River.