Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 21 October 2010 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 Another action-packed week , with lots of variety and some exciting sightings. SNOW GEESE are increasing in the east - approx. 500 were seen in the fields near Casselman on the 16th and about 100 were in the Alfred area on the 19th. From the 16th to the 19th a movement of BRANT occurred with flocks ranging in size from 10 - 150 seen along the Ottawa River from Shirley's Bay through Petrie Island, and 2 pairs of CACKLING GEESE were reported from Sawmill Creek in Ottawa South on the 20th. Diversity of diving ducks continues to increase. At least 50 REDHEAD were still present among a large raft of SCAUP spp. at Shirley's Bay on the 17th, all 3 species of SCOTERS are now well-represented on the river, the first local reports of LONG-TAILED DUCKS came in on the 13th, and BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE,and COMMON MERGANSERS have begun to arrive in increasing numbers. WILD TURKEYS are beginning to flock up again - about a dozen were seen along Barnsdale Rd. on the 20th and another group has been seen occasionally along Rifle Rd. by Shirley's Bay. On the 16th 7 HORNED and 11 RED-NECKED GREBES were counted at Shirley's Bay, and several remain on the river since then. A report of a GREAT CORMORANT flying west up the river in the Shirley's Bay area was followed up but so far there have been no further reports. A few ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were spotted west of Ottawa in recent days. The build-up of SANDHILL CRANES continues in the cornfields at Milton and Smith Rds. southwest of Navan; so far the highest count was 35 on the 16th (up to 100 were in this location by mid-November last year). Local shorebird highlights included single BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS at Petrie Island and the Casselman sewage lagoons, 60 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS and a good number of WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS at Casselman on the 16th and 17th, and a HUDSONIAN GODWIT discovered on the southwest corner of Smith and Milton Rds. on the 17th; presumably the same bird was seen again on the 19th. A female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on the 16th along the trail in the Mer Bleue conservation area was likely the same bird found here on the 12th , and a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen along the Mer Bleu boardwalk on the 18th. A NORTHERN WHEATEAR photographed at Petrie Island on the 16th evidently did not stay around. A couple of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were noted on the weekend, and AMERICAN PIPITS continue to abound. The unusual local GRAY JAY movement continued last weekend, with individuals found at Shirley's Bay and the trail off Kerwin Rd. east of Dunrobin. Somewhat late were a BLUE-HEADED VIREO at Shirley's Bay on the 18th and a NORTHERN PARULA on the 17th among the numerous YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS in the Britannia conservation area. Sparrows continue to be numerous, with AMERICAN TREE, FOX, WHITE-THROATED, WHITE-CROWNED and DARK-EYED JUNCOS delighting many observers. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR at Petrie Island from the 18th to the 20th appeared to be quite "tame"for photographers, and a dozen EVENING GROSBEAKS dropped in briefly at Mer Bleu on the 17th. The 16th annual Ottawa-Gatineau Fall Bird Count is coming up this weekend! The event will be held from 3:00 PM on Sat. Oct. 23rd to 3:00 PM on Sun. Oct. 24th. For more information, check out the Ottawa Field-Natualists' Club web site at www.ofnc.ca Thank you - Good Birding!