Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 26 April 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 It's been a great week with lots of birds for everyone who's been out, rain or shine! Waterfowl reports included a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in a marsh along McKibbon Rd. south of Eardley, Quebec on the 22nd, and a couple of large flocks of SNOW GEESE, estimated at up to 4,000 on Frank Kenny Rd. north of Russell Rd. from the 22nd to the 24th, and up to 10,000 flying along the Ottawa River near Plaisance on the 25th. Numbers and variety of DUCKS have increased, with lots of dabblers & divers on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the Ottawa River. A pair of SURF SCOTERS on the 19th at Shirley's Bay was a rare find in Ottawa for this time of year, as was a pair of BLACK SCOTERS at Dick Bell Park from the 22nd to the 24th. All three species of MERGANSERS are present on the Ottawa River as of the 19th. A RED-THROATED LOON flew over the rapids at Britannia on the 23rd, and on the 22nd 22 COMMON LOONS were seen in Shirley's Bay with smaller numbers reported since then. The first local observations of HORNED GREBES came in on the 22nd, and RED-NECKED GREBE numbers have built up, with 49 counted at Shirley's Bay on the 24th. At least 2 GREAT EGRETS are back at the island in the Deschenes rapids where potential nesting activity was noted last year, and a dozen or more BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen again at this location on the 19th incuding several on nests. Adult and immature BALD EAGLES were noted in the Shirley's Bay area on the 23rd and 24th, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK near McDonald's Corners southwest of Lanark on the 24th was new for the year, and AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, and PEREGRINE FALCON were again reported from various locations. More reports of AMERICAN COOTS have come in, 2 SANDHILL CRANES flew over the Cumberland area on the 22nd, at least 1UPLAND SANDPIPER is back in the Constance Bay area, and a very vocal male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER in Constance Bay on the 22nd is likely the same bird that over-wintered here. All of our SWALLOW species are now back, BROWN THRASHERS were new arrivals on the weekend, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continue to linger at Shirley's Bay, and YELLOW-RUMPED, PINE and PALM WARBLERS are back right on time. EASTERN TOWHEES are back on territory in the Carp hills along the Thomas Dolan Parkway. Lots of SPARROWS are about including AMERICAN TREE, FIELD, VESPER, SAVANNAH, FOX, SWAMP and WHITE-THROATED, and DARK -EYED JUNCOS remain abundant. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen along the causeway at Shirley's Bay on the 23rd, PURPLE FINCHES were featured in many local reports, COMMON REDPOLLS are still being commonly heard and seen around the region, and the village of Pakenham is evidently a magnet for PINE SISKINS and EVENING GROSBEAKS - several of the former and over 60 of the latter were noted on the 22nd and 23rd. Thank you - Good Birding!