Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 26 July 2011 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario,W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis hagenius@primus.ca, or sightings@ofnc.ca Two rarities have dominated the local reports this past week - a very vocal and active male WESTERN MEADOWLARK in the west, and an EARED GREBE in the east. The meadowlark was first reported on the 20th at the intersection of Panmure Rd. and Upper Dwyer Hill Rd. west of Ottawa, and was still present as of the 24th. The grebe which has been a fixture at the Embrun sewage lagoons since July 1st was still here as of at least the 21st. Waterfowl reported from the Embrun lagoons included NORTHERN SHOVELER among the many MALLARDS with young, a pair of LESSER SCAUP and lots of RUDDY DUCKS. WOOD DUCKS with well-grown young have been noted at Mud Lake in the Britannia Conservation Area, and a female HOODED MERGANSER with very small young were seen at this location early in the month. Two GRAY PARTRIDGE were reported at the corner of Twin Elm and Brophy Rds. west of Richmond on the 20th, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen perched in the same tree two days in a row (the 21st and 22nd) along Hwy 417 east of the March Rd. exit. Shorebird reports remain slim so far. Among a few KILLDEER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS and LEAST SANDPIPERS at the Embrun lagoons on the 21st and 23rd was an adult BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. UPLAND SANDPIPER was seen in in the fields near Panmure and Upper Dwyer Hill Rds. on the 21st and 22nd. Three CASPIAN TERNS were at the large quarry pond on Moodie Dr. south of the Trail Rd. landfill on the evening of the 24th. The Ottawa record high for this species was 17 individuals at Shirley's Bay in August 2010. Thank you - Good Birding!