August 30, 2011 Buff-breasted Sandpiper near Osgoode.

Hi Everyone

Shorebird migration continues throughout eastern Ontario and our first Buff-breasted Sandpiper of the season was observed on a sod farm near Osgoode by Bob Cermak and Bruce Di Labio. The Buff-breasted was first spotted by Bob and was present for at least 2 hours as it fed along the edge of a bordering field with tall grass. At first it spent most of its time in the taller grass and was hard to see view but finally made its way to the short sod grass and put on a great show. The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a rare to very rare fall migrant throughout eastern Ontario with Presqu'ile Provincial Park being one of the best locations where the bird is almost annual. Best time to see this sandpiper is during late August and September. No reports yet from the park but I'm sure one will be found soon. Away from Presqu'ile most inland records are from sod farms, plowed fields and occasionally sewage lagoons or drier mudflats along the Ottawa River.
I checked both Alfred and Casselman Sewage Lagoons during the afternoon and found 100+ shorebirds at Alfred including 4 Baird's Sandpiper. Unfortunately a Peregrine Falcon flew in and spooked all the shorebirds as I was just setting up my scope and most left the area. There were few ducks in the west cell but still a couple of Ruddy Ducks. While scanning the surrounding field I observed 2 Sandhill Crane and a juvenile Bald Eagle. There was still construction going on in the east cell where the shorebirds were feeding. At Casselman I didn't see any shorebirds and there was lots of construction acitivity in the east cell so no access to the lagoon.

Good birding, Bruce Directions from Ottawa:

From Ottawa take Highway #416 South. Take Roger Stevens Drive (County Road #6) toward Kars and Osgood. Following #6 cross the Rideau River and then cross River Road. Shortly #6 turned left off of the road to Osgoode. You are now on Snake Island Road. In five kilometers or so Snake Island Road (#6) crosses Manotick Station Road. In approximately 200 yards there is a sod farm field on the left (north west). Please respect private property.

Adult Peregrine in presuit of shorebirds.

East cell at Alfred Sewage Lagoon still under construction but good shorebird habitat.

August 28, 2011 Great shorebird watching at Presqu'ile Provincial Park

Hi Everyone
Spent the day shorebird watching at Presqu'ile Provincial Park. The viewing conditions were great and we observed 14 species of shorebirds. Most of the shorebirds were between Owen Point and Beach #3. It was hard to estimate the numbers due to the constant movement of birds but there were around 500+, mainly juveniles. Highlights included 14 Baird's Sandpiper, 3 White-rumped Sandpiper, 1 Stilt Sandpiper, 1 Short-billed Dowitcher, 11 Ruddy Turnstone, 68 Semipalmated Plover, 4 Pectoral Sandpiper, 37 Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, and 2 Black-bellied Plover. There was 1 Merlin that made numerous runs at the shorebirds but was unsuccessful.
Good Birding, Bruce and Ben

Directions: To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial
nesting birds there. Birders are encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there.

Lots of patience is required to carefully scan the flocks.

Extensive shorebird habitat between Owen Point and Beach #3

adult Pectoral Sandpiper

juv. Least Sandpiper

juv. Baird's Sandpiper

juv. Baird's Sandpiper

juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher

juvenile Semipalmated Plover

juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper

juvenile Stilt Sandpiper

juvenile Stilt Sandpiper with worm.

juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher

juvenile Sanderling

Flock of juv. Ruddy Turnstone with juv. Short-billed Dowitcher

Merlin looking for breakfast!

juv. Lesser Yellowlegs

juv. Baird's Sandpiper

Adult Semipalmated Sandpiper moulting.

August 26, 2011 Red-headed Woodpeckers at Constance Bay.

While checking various areas along the Ottawa River for the Parasitic Jaeger I had seen earlier during the day I made a quick stop at the Old burn site at Constance Bay and found the Red-headed Woodpeckers were still present. The woodpeckers have bred here since 2002 and for the 10th consecutive year were successful. The two juvenile birds were successfully fly catching and the adults were in nearby trees. Since July the young now have some red colour on the heads and their back colour is becoming darker , more like the adults. The woodpeckers usual leave the area by mid September but have overwintered twice.

Please review OFO's Ethical Birding Principles and (RHWO). Please do not use IPods/CD/tapes to call the bird out. The area is small, but you do require patience.

Directions: Constance Bay: RHWP: From Ottawa travel west bound on Hwy. 417 to the March Rd./Eagleson Road and exit right onto March Rd. Follow to Dunrobin Road and turn right continuing northwest through Woodlawn. At the hill turn right onto Constance Bay Rd following it for approx. 1.5 km. Turn left on Allbirch Road and drive 1.3 km to the " T " intersection. Turn left on Bishop Davis Drive and then right on Bayview Drive. Follow Bayview Drive to Ritchie St. Turn right and go a short distance to Whistler Rd. Turn left and drive .3 km and watch for a gate on the right. The trail through the burn area is opposite the gate. Parking is limited.

One of the juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers in position for fly catching.

The reddish sheen was visible on the head.

A nearby adult Red-headed Woodpecker.

August 26, 2011 Parasitic Jaeger at Deschenes Rapids

Hi Ontbirders

This morning at 8:30 a.m. I observed an adult light morph Parasitic Jaeger flying along the Ottawa River at Deschenes Rapids. The jaeger flew in from the east, spooked all the gulls that were resting on the exposed rocks at Deschenes Rapids than continued west and disappeared. I relocated it off Dick Bell Park from upper Deschenes Rapids. When I arrived at Dick Bell Park around 9:15a.m. the jaeger was gone and I checked Shirley's Bay but no luck. There were few gulls west of Deschenes Rapids except off Innis Point where there was a small concentration of Ring-billed Gulls and 30+ Common Tern.
Good Birding, Bruce

Directions: Deschenes Rapids, from Britannia Filtration Plant: From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 129 (Greenbank & Pinecrest Roads). If travelling west, the 0.3 km offramp dumps you right or north onto Pinecrest Road. If driving east, a 0.3 km offramp brings you to Pinecrest/Greenbank Road, where you will turn left or north onto Pinecrest Road and in 0.4 km join the westbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow Pinecrest Road north 0.8 km from here to Richmond Road. Turn right or northeast onto Richmond and go 0.5 km, crossing Carling Avenue, to Poulin Avenue. Turn left or north onto Poulin and go 0.6 km to where a left only turn puts you on Howe Street. Follow Howe west 0.2 km to Britannia Road. Turn right or north onto Britannia Road and proceed 0.8 km to Cassels Street. Turn right or east onto Cassels and go 0.7 km to a small parking area on the end at the Britannia Filtration Plant.

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.

**** 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.

August 23, 2011 Fall Blue-winged Warbler at Ottawa!

Just back last night from a 2 week holiday in Italy and received an email from Barb Robertson with photos of a possible Blue-winged Warbler found earlier during the day in a woodlot near Carleton Beach off Pontiac Street near Island Park Drive and the Parkway. Early this morning I read the email and forwarded the information to Bob Cermak and Paul Matthews. Later in the day I received an email from Paul who had relocated the Blue-winged Warbler. Another call to Bob and then Ben and I were off to the warbler. There was lots of activity in the wood lot and Ben and I observed Canada Warbler, Ovenbird, Bay-breasted Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler but no Blue-winged Warbler. Finally the warbler was seen again and after some searching we all got a great view as it fed on berries. Our final total was 12 warbler species with Wilson's Warbler as we were leaving the woods. This is the same location a male Prothonotary was found in May 2007. I think with regular coverage this area has a lot to offer! This is the first fall observation for the Ottawa district and likely one of the few detected during fall migration in eastern Ontario. They are a rare spring migrant in eastern Ontario and have bred in the Kingston region and Presqu'ile areas. This past spring there was a good flight with a number of observations between Ottawa and Cobourg.

Directions: From Ottawa take 417 west to Island Park and exit. Follow Island Park Drive north to Clearview St. Turn right on Clearview and then left on Patricia and right on Pontiac. It was just off the main east-west trail on a short side trail that goes south to an opening in the fence that borders Pontiac St on the north side. This opening is between Cowley Ave and Keyworth Ave.

First fall record of Blue-winged Warbler for the Ottawa District.

The Blue-winged Warbler is a very rare visitor to the Ottawa district first being recorded in 1979.

August 21, 2011 Recent AOU changes.

The American Ornithological Union has published the 52nd supplement to the Checklist of North American Birds. This supplement includes a number of changes, most of which will not affect your list except for the order and a few splits. The splits result in new names but no gains to your list in Canada or the United States. The scientific name changes are mainly in the Wood Warblers and a few other changes in genus and family order. The only change that affects the Canadian/US bird list is the split of the Old World Common Moorhen from the New World population. The name Common Moorhen is now back to Common Gallinule. For a complete summary of the changes visit http://www.aou.org/auk/content/128/3/0600-0613.pdf.

August 17, 2011 Birding Shirley's Bay

The shore birding along the Ottawa River at Shirley's Bay continues to improve. Today Ben recorded a nice selection of waders and noted that the water level was still going down producing a good mudflat. He bicycled from Carp to Shirley's Bay with his scope and binoculars! His list included 1 Red-necked Phalarope, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 8 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, 1 Short-billed Dowitcher, 35+ Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Killdeer, 3 Spotted Sandpiper and 3 Osprey.


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.

**** 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.

A small group of Lesser Yellowlegs feeding.

Fall birding Courses and Specialty Trips now updated!

My Fall birding courses will be starting August 27th (Saturdays) and August 30th (Tuesdays). Please see details on my website http://www.dilabiobirding.ca or email Bruce Di Labio at bruce.dilabio@sympatico.ca for more information.

Looking forward to another exciting season!
Bruce

August 8, 2011 Shorebird watching at Shirley's Bay.

With all the recent hot weather and little rain, the water level along Ottawa River is finally dropping and there are mudflats at Shirley's Bay and a sandbar at Ottawa Beach/ andrew Haydon Park. I birded the Shirley's Bay area and had a number of shorebirds including 1 adult Long-billed Dowitcher (very rare), 3 Short-billed Dowitcher, 7 White-rumped Sandpiper, 7 Semipalmated Sandpiper and 6 Lesser Yellowlegs including 1 juvenile. Also present, 3 Great Egret, 17 Great Blue Heron and an immature Sora. The adult Long-billed Dowithcer is only my 3 record for fall migration. We usually find a few juveniles latter into September or early October. Surprisling it was almost 40 years when the first Long-billed Dowitcher was recorded for the Ottawa district also at Shirley's Bay.
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.

**** 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.

With lower water levels along the Ottawa River start checking your favorite shorebird areas!

August 7, 2011 Chimney Swift nesting successful!

The Chimney Swifts were successful again this year! Unfortunately I wasn't home to witness the hatching but 3 young fledged. The hatching date and fledging date were similar to last year. In fact very close to the same dates. I checked the chimney twice during the day and could see 3 young clinging to the side of the chimney wall. Two were below the nest while the third was on its own.

A young Chimney Swift clings to the chimney wall.

Nest site of the Chimney Swift. Note stick nest lower right hand side.