[Ontbirds]Ottawa - Thayer's Gull, Northern Mockingbird, Peregrine Falcon, Lapland Longspur

[David Britton]

It was a great day for birding in Ottawa with mild temperatures and great light.  In addition to the birds already posted by Tony Beck and Bev McBride, I can add the following sightings:
 
- 2 Peregrine Falcons roosting on the east side of the R.H. Coates Building at Tunney's Pasture
 
- 1 adult Thayer's Gull, 1 juvenile Iceland Gull and 2 juvenile and 1 adult Glaucous Gulls amongst numerous Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls on the the ice of the Rideau River at the south end of Riverain Park just north of the Highway 417 Bridge 
 
- 1 Northern Mockingbird along the railway line behind Nestow Dr. - thanks to Chris Lewis et al. for sharing info about this bird which was last reported in this location back in November
 
- 1 Lapland Longspur with Snow Buntings at the southern end of March Valley Rd.
 
Directions courtesy of NeilyWorld Birding
Coates Building - http://ca.geocities.com/larry.neily@rogers.com/orwo5.htm
Rideau River at Riverain Park - http://ca.geocities.com/larry.neily@rogers.com/rideaue4.htm
March Valley Rd. - http://ca.geocities.com/larry.neily@rogers.com/orwo24.htm
 
Directions to Nestow Dr. - Take the Woodroffe Exit off Hwy 417, south to Medhurst Dr., turn right (east) on Nestow Dr.  I accessed the rail line by taking a narrow poorly travelled path beside #50 Nestow, but it required some wading through deep snow to get to the rail line.  Others had evidently accessed the line from the north, off of Viewmount Dr. (off of Meadowlands).  The birds was sitting on hydro lines where the rail line passes directly behind the houses on Nestow, just past a house with several feeders mounted on its back fence.
 
David Britton
Ottawa