Bruce Di Labio's Blog: April 2013

Saturday, April 27, 2013

April 27, 2013 Violet-green Swallow update.

Hi Everyone
Unfortunately no reports of the swallow so far today. There were lots of people looking and the swallow numbers and mix has change since the VGSW was discovered on April 25th There were 100's of swallows scattered along the Ottawa River from Remic Rapids to Shirley's Bay. Hard to know if it is still in the area or has moved on. I found out late yesterday that the Violet-green Swallow was observed from the Quebec side of Deschenes Rapids at around 9:30a.m. for approximately 40 minutes yesterday. So after left Mud Lake it move across the river for a while. Lots of area to search.
Good luck,
Bruce

Friday, April 26, 2013

April 26, 2013 Ottawa Violet-green Swallow update

Hi Everyone
The Violet-green Swallow was present this morning at 8:30a.m. feeding over Mud Lake off Cassels Road. The swallows left the area and moved over to the Ottawa River feeding off Britannia Point at Deschenes Rapids. It was observed briefly twice and hasn't been located since around 10:00a.m. The swallows have dispersed for the time being but can appear back feeding anytime. It maybe best to check early tomorrow morning before the swallows disperse as the temperature warms up.

Good luck,
Bruce

Directions: From 417 exit at Pinecrest and travel north to Carling Ave. Go east on Carling to Richmond Rd. turn left and next left on Poulin St. Follow north to Britannia Rd. turn right and follow to Cassels Rd.. Turn right and drive to Britannia Point. If you have any questions call.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

April 25, 2013 First record of Violet-Green Swallow for Ottawa!

Hi Everyone

A surprise discovery by Jake Walker this morning was a Violet-green Swallow feeding in a flock of mainly Tree Swallows at the Britannia Filtration Plant near Mud Lake/Britannia Conservation area. The swallows fed low for a while and great views were obtained recording all the important field marks. As the morning warmed up it slowly began to cover feed higher and over a larger area. Fortunately at one point it even perched in a close-by deciduous tree for a minute. No time was wasted and a number of good photos were taken. This represents the first record for the Ottawa-Gatineau district and only the second documented record for Ontario. The first was found on October 28 and 29, 1992 at Thunder Cape, Thunder Bay District. As the morning warmed up all swallows left the filtration plant field and were feeding off Britannia Point over Deschenes Rapids on the Ottawa River. The Violet-green Swallow was relocated around 11:15a.m. after a bit of searching as it feed in a mixed group of 200+ swallows. It was last reported around 1:00p.m. and at that point the swallows were higher up and more difficult to identify. Hopefully it will reappear later this afternoon or towards dusk. If not seen I'd recommend checking tomorrow morning early. The Violet-green Swallows normal range is in western North America. In Canada it reaches to eastern Saskatchewan and is a vagrant in Manitoba and east to the Atlantic coast. There are only a handful of records in the north-east United States.

Good birding,

Bruce

First record of Violet-green Swallow for the Ottawa-Gatineau Districts.

April 21, 2013 Amherst Island birding

Hi Ontbirders

Spent the day birding Amherst Island. Overall a beautiful sunny day with lots of bird activity. The Owl Woods had a nice variety of land birds including 12 Eastern Towhee, 3 Brown Thrasher, 2 Hermit Thrush, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3 Pine Warbler, and 3 Ring-necked Pheasant were heard. A Sandhill Crane was spotted flying over the woods calling and an adult Little Gull was seen off the South Shore Road along with 750+ Bonaparte's Gull. On the KFN property a late lingering immature Snowy Owl was observed along with an early adult Black Tern.

Good birding,

Bruce

Directions: Amherst Island: Located 18 km. west of Kingston. Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Rd. 4, Camden East) and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and drive 100 meters until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the island on the hour. Cost is $9.00 Canadian round trip. There are no gas stations on the island. There are restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock. The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road. To reach the Owl Woods, turn left (east) at the four-way stop sign by the general store and drive 3.4 km along Front Rd. to the (seasonal) Marshall Forty-Foot Rd. Marshall Forty-Foot Rd. is across the road from house #2320. Drive along Marshall Rd. to the mid-way point, where there is an "S" in the road (1.2 km, look for the K.F.N. kiosk which had owl observing ethics). Park in the gravel lane or off the road edge.

Because of liability issues, visitors to the Kingston Field Naturalists' property at the east end of Amherst Island MUST be accompanied by a KFN member. For KFN contact information or how to become a member, please visit http://kingstonfieldnaturalists.org/ ."

A late lingering Snowy Owl on Amherst Island

An adult Bonaparte's Gull harasses the Snowy Owl.

The Spotted Sandpiper is a regular spring migrant and breeder on Amherst Island.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

April 2, 2013 Redpoll frenzy continues at Hilda Road Feeders.

The redpoll feeding frenzy continues at the Hilda Road feeders. This afternoon I observed over 400 redpolls including 4 Southern Hoary Redpoll, 1 Hornemann's Hoary Redpoll, 1 Greater Common Redpoll along with 100's of Southern Common Redpolls. These are my latest dates for both Hornemann's Hoary and Greater Common along with one of my few April records and highest day total. Hard to predict how long these redpolls will frequent the feeders but I sure the cold weather is keeping them in the area.

Southern Hoary Redpoll

The Southern Common Redpoll is having one of its best seasons in years with high numbers still present in eastern Ontario.

There is some variation in the breast colour in redpolls. This individual had a more orange coloured breast.

Southern Common Redpoll.

Birding Ethics

Ontario Field Ornithologists' Ethical Birding Principles
As the number of birders increases, we must all make every effort to act in a positive and responsible way. We must also convey responsible image to non-birders who may be affected by our activities. Most people appreciate birds but this appreciation can be quickly destroyed by the irresponsible actions of a handful of birders.

In the past a code of ethics was not considered necessary, but times have changed and as more and more pressure is put on our environment it is essential to do whatever we can to lead by example. Each of us must show consideration to other birders, landowners, habitat, birds and other wildlife at all times. We are ambassadors of birding and our actions today will reflect the respect we receive in the future.

The welfare of the birds must come first.
Whatever your interest, from scientific study to listing, always consider the impact of your activity on the bird. Respect bird protection laws. We are all responsible to ensure we abide by them at all times.

Habitat protection.
Habitat is vital for the existence of birds and we must ensure that our activities cause minimum damage to our environment. Use trails to avoid trampling vegetation.

Keep disturbance to a minimum.
Although some birds can tolerate human activity, this varies from species to species and from season to season. Use common sense and extreme caution around nests. Migrants may be tired and hungry and should not be kept from resting or feeding. When photographing birds, study their reaction and if they become agitated, back off. Avoid the use of flash photography on owls. Tape recordings and similar methods of attracting birds may cause stress for territorial birds. They should be used sparingly and avoided in heavily birded areas. Do not deliberately flush birds. Patience is often rewarded.

Rare breeding birds.
If you discover a rare breeding bird, do not feel under any obligation to report your find to other birders. Record the details of your discovery. You may wish to file the nest with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme at the Royal Ontario Museum. Avoid visiting known sites of rare breeding birds unless they can be viewed from a distance without disturbance.

Rare birds.
Rare migrants or vagrants are the species most sought after by birders. If you discover a rarity, consider the circumstances carefully before releasing the information. You must take responsibility for the decision to release the find. You should consider whether an influx of birders will disturb the bird, people or other species in the area; whether habitat will be damaged; and where people will park. Inform the landowner of the find, explain what may happen and obtain permission to tell other birders. Ask the landowner for a list of dos and don'ts, for example, where birders may stand to get a good view and what restrictions there may be on time of day. Also ask which areas are off limit. If you decide to release the news, give precise directions and instructions. If possible include a phone number. At all times make as little noise as possible. Remember, most non-birders will be surprised by the number of visitors who wish to see a rare bird.

Respect the rights of landowners and occupiers of land.
Before entering an area, be aware of the rules about access such as by-laws of Conservation Authorities, National and Provincial Parks, and Regional Authorities. Many landowners and authorities allow birders access to areas normally off limits. Always act in a responsible way and if you are asked to leave, do so immediately. Do not block gateways or cause damage to fences, and leave gates as you find them. Do not obstruct people who may be working in these areas.

Have proper consideration for other birders.
When telephoning for information, do so at reasonable hours of the day. Try not to disrupt other birders’ activities or scare the birds they are watching. Many other people enjoy the outdoors; do not interfere with their activities. Be polite to other birders and helpful to beginners. If you see people obviously disturbing birds or significantly damaging habitat, explain to them the effect of their actions but be courteous, they may not be aware of the effect they are having.

Increase our knowledge about birds.
Keep notes of your sightings and send them to area compilers. Send rare bird reports to the Secretary, Ontario Bird Records Committee.

When birding in other countries, provinces or regions.
Find out if there is a local code of ethics or any special rules that should be respected.

|Other Birding Codes of Conduct|

Bruce Di Labio's Blog