Wednesday, October 31, 2012

October 31, 2012 Birding eastern Ontario.

 
 
Hi Everyone
After all the excitement on Lake Ontario with hurricane Sandy, Ben and I decided to spend the day birding along the St. Lawrence River. Our first stop was at Prescott. We worked our way along the river to the Cornwall Power Dam. Overall, very quiet, highlights included 60+ Black Scoter (mainly female) at Cardinal and 200+ Ring-necked Duck at Farran Park along with 65 Gadwall. We checked both below and above the power dam but nothing of note except for the lack of birds! We then headed back to Ottawa and birded the Ottawa River til dusk. Highlights included 130+ Black Scoters, interestingly mainly female. Over the years most of the larger flocks of scoters are only male. This group had 103 female and 27 male. Off Britannia Pier we observed a moulting adult Red-throated Loon. On the way home, at Kanata we had a flock of 40+ White-winged Crossbills feeding in spruce trees at the corner of Beaverbrook and Varley Drive.
Good birding, Bruce and Ben

Directions: please email me privately for directions
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An adult male White-winged Crosbill feeding on spruce cones.




The White-winged Crossbill is a regular fall visitor to eastern Ontario.






A male White-winged Crossbill.




The White-winged Crossbill travels great distances in search of food.



As the group feeds, the spruce cones fall to the ground.

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