Friday, August 17, 2012

August 15, 2012 Local birding


Fall migration if definitely happening locally with many species of land birds on the move south!  When I can see 10+ of warblers in my back yard I know there are many moving through the region. Yesterday morning Ben and I observed Black and White Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow-rumped Warbler, along with Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Not bad for a back yard!  
Today, August 15th there was another wave of warblers including Canada Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Blackburian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Tenneessee Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  Other species observed included House Wren, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Eastern Phoebe, and a Ruby-throated hummingbird visiting the garden! 




Up to 10+ Caspian Terns have been present at Deschenes Rapids resting/loofing on the exposed rocks due to the low water levels.


The first nesting record of Great Egret for the Ottawa-Gatineau district has been sucessfull. At least 3 nests with almost fledged young can be seen from Britannia Point. The nests are on a small island on the Quebec side of the Deschenes Rapids. The young should be out any day now.


A juvenile Stilt sandpiper was present at Shirley's Bay on the evening of August 14th. This distant photo shows the shape of the STSA with its long slightly drooped bill, long legs, and very buffy feather edgings. With practise, many species of shorebirds can be identified by shape alone.


A Black and White Warbler was one of numerous species of warblers on the move south this week.


A surprise find in our backyard was a Canada Warbler.



An adult Greater Yellowlegs moulting from breeding plumage to fall plumage.


A juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs feeds along the shoreline at Constance Bay.


The Osprey patrols the river in search of fish. Over the past 2 decades there has been a noticeable increase in the number of Ospreys nesting in the Ottawa district.


Note the overall size difference between the Lesser Yellowlegs on the left and the Greater Yellowlegs on the right.

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