January 16,2016 Local birding: Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin duck, and Summer Tanager

Hi Everyone

I spent a few hours birding this afternoon around Ottawa. The immature male Harlequin Duck was showing well off the northeast corner of Bate Island. For those who saw earlier posts this is the same bird that was reported as a female but morphed into an immature male recently.

The Summer Tanager appears to be doing well and was present in the New Edinburg area this afternoon and visited the feeder near the corner of Queen Victoria and Avon Lane. It was wolfing down peanuts. This is one of  the longest lasting Summer Tanagers to be recorded in Eastern Ontario.

Along the Rideau River between Strathcona Park and Hwy 417 I observed two classic male Barrow’s Goldeneyes.

On my way into Ottawa, with light snow falling,  I observed 1000+ Bohemian Waxwings in a few flocks with the largest concentration just south of the intersection of Moodie Drive and Carling Ave.  The main flock was  sitting up in a few deciduous trees and a small number would fly up as if they were fly catching. As I watched for 10 min. my only conclusion was that they were catching snow flakes to hydrate? The behavior was very similar to Cedar Waxwings or European Starling fly catching during the fall eating flying ants or other insects. I’ve never seen this behavior before over 45+ years of birding.

The Bullock’s Oriole is doing well and has gained 7 grams since arriving at the Wild Bird Care Center.

Good birding,

Bruce 


Directions: If you require additional information please email me privately. 

Bohemian Waxwing catching snow flakes. 

The behavior was similar to fly catching during the fall. 

The flock sitting in a deciduous tree. 

How many Bohemian Waxwings in this flock? 

Male Barrows Goldeneye 

Barrow's Goldeneye 

Preening male Barrow's Goldeneye 

The Summer Tanager appears to be doing very well.

It enjoys peanuts and hopefully will survive the cold temperatures that are forecast next week . 

The immature male Harlequin Duck continues off the north-east corner of Bate Island.