Greetings Ontbirds people, Gordon Pringle is on vacation, therefore I am posting the latest Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club "Bird Status Line" report directly to ONTBIRDS. THE OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE, MONDAY OCTOBER 16, 2006. This is Chris Lewis reporting. The 12th annual OFNC Fall Bird Count on Oct. 14th and 15th yielded some great finds. Despite chilly temperatues and sometimes very brisk west-southwest winds, 52 participants found a preliminary total of 137 spp. in the Ottawa-Gatineau area which encompasses a 50 km radius from Parliament Hill. The previous high was 139 spp. in 2002. Final results will be posted on the Club's web site a www.ofnc.ca when they become available. Among the 24 spp. of waterfowl found on the weekend, there were only 2 Snow Geese; however 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were at the large quarry pond on the east side of Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd., and a record high of 124 Ruddy Ducks were counted, with 112 of these at the Casselman sewage lagoons on the 15th. 47 Pied-billed Grebes, 259 Double-crested Cormorants, 3 Green Herons, 3 American Bitterns and 117 Turkey Vultures were also new record highs, and 43 SANDHILL CRANES - most of them seen in flight over the fields along Milton Rd. near the Mer Bleue bog on the evening of the 14th - were just shy of the previous record of 47. Eleven species of hawks included 2 late Broad-winged and 3 Red-shouldered Hawks on the Quebec side, and a record high of 60 Northern Harriers. Twelve species of shorebirds were excellent for this time of year; highlights included a record number of 129 Killdeer in the southeast sector, a very late Solitary Sandpiper at the Sabourin marsh in Hull, Quebec and a Long-billed Dowitcher at the Almonte sewage lagoons. Seven species of warblers included the 1st Fall Count record of a NORTHERN PARULA south of the International Airport, and single Nashville and Blackpoll Warblers tied the previous records, as did 184 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 3 Common Yellowthroats. Twelve species of sparrows included record high numbers of Field and Savannah, and 2 very late Lincoln's Sparrows were at the Russell sewage lagoons on the 15th. Other noteworthy songbirds were an EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (another 1st record for the Count), record highs of 5 Blue-headed Vireos, 45 Eastern Bluebirds and 9,151 American Crows, a very late Gray Catbird in the southwest sector and a very late Brown Thrasher at the Casselman sewage lagoons. Thanks to all who helped make this year's event a great success - and Good Birding! Chris Lewis Ottawa hagenius@primus.ca