[Ontbirds]Ottawa/Gatineau 25Nov07... Slaty-backed Gull, Barrow's Goldeneye, Purple Sandpiper, Oregon Junco

[Gordon Pringle]

- RBA

* Ontario
* Ottawa/Gatineau
* 25 November 2007
* ONOT0711.25

- Birds mentioned

Canvasback
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
PURPLE SANDPIPER
SLATY-BACKED GULL
Northern Shrike
Bohemian Waxwing
OREGON JUNCO
Snow Bunting
Pine Grosbeak
Common Redpoll
Evening Grosbeak

- Transcript

hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club
date: 25 November 2007
number: 613-860-9000
for the status line : press 2
for rare bird alerts: press 1
to report a sighting: press #
coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Can. Nat. Capital Reg.), E.Ont., W.Que.
compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis  hagenius at primus.ca
internet: Gordon Pringle  parula at magma.ca

THE OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE @ 6:00 pm, SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2007

This is Chris Lewis reporting.

The best birds this week were found just before the first major 
snowfall of the season hit our area.

On the 20th, a SLATY-BACKED GULL was discovered outside the Ottawa 
area but close enough
to mention in this report - also it is a very rare bird in 
Ontario.  The gull was still happily feeding
on garbage at the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre on County Rd. 
56 south of Pembroke
as of at least the 24th.  To arrange a visit to this site, it is 
necessary to call ahead (613-735-7537)
and ask for Elizabeth Graham. Visitors must check in at the entry 
office and abide by the safety
regulations.  The gull can be easily viewed without leaving one's vehicle.

In Ottawa on the 21st a flock of 14 PURPLE SANDPIPERS landed at the 
end of one of the rock
jetties at Britannia Beach; several remained here to ride out the 
storm on the 22nd but have not
been reported since then.

Other noteworthy sightings included a male Canvasback on the Quebec 
side of the Ottawa River
near the boat launch east of the end of Vanier St. in Deschenes on 
the 19th, and a male
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE seen again on the Rideau River north of the Rideau 
Tennis Club the
same day.  Just like last winter, there seems to be no certainty as 
to whether there are 2 male
Barrow's or just one moving back & forth between the Rideau site and 
the Ottawa River at Remic
rapids. An OREGON JUNCO discovered back on the 12th was seen again on 
the 23rd and the 25th;
it seems to be moving around in the general vicinity of the Fletcher 
Wildlife Garden and the
Arboretum of the Central Experimental Farm.  Reports of Rough-legged 
Hawks, a couple of Merlins
and Northern Shrikes, and good numbers of Bohemian Waxwings, Snow 
Buntings, Pine Grosbeaks,
Common Redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks continue to come in from 
various locations.

Thank you - Good Birding!

- End transcript