[Ontbirds]Ottawa - "5 Goose Day" - including ROSS'S GOOSE

[Christina Lewis]

Hello Ontbirds people,

>From Bob Bracken, Chris Lewis, Bob Cermak, Bernie Ladouceur, Chris Lewis & Paul Mirsky:

A great day for waterfowl in Ottawa!  Among a total of 21 spp. (a good number for this date in the Ottawa area), we observed.........

- 1 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (flew into the pond along Moodie Dr. south of Trail Rd. at ~ 11:00 AM)

- a small # of SNOW GEESE (in fields along Frank Kenny Rd. south of Navan, ON)

- 1 ROSS'S GOOSE (swimming & calling in a flooded field on the east side of Frank Kenny Rd., approx. 200 -250 m. from the bridge over Bear Brook. This was from 9:30 - 10:00 AM.  It was most recently reported from this location at ~ 1:00 PM).  Aside from a single Snow Goose, it was the ONLY "white" goose in this location)

- 1 CACKLING GOOSE (feeding/resting in a field on the west side of Frank Kenny, north of Russell Rd.)

- CANADA GOOSE (countless 1,000's everywhere)

Other good birds for Ottawa at this time of year:  At the Moodie Dr. pond were a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and at least 15 Ruddy Ducks among several of the more common divers & dabblers. Lots more Green-winged Teal (in various locations) than earlier in the week, but other numbers of ducks remain quite low.

DIRECTIONS:

For ROSS'S GOOSE: From Ottawa, take Hwy 417 east to the 417/174 split, continue southeast on the 417.  Exit at #96 (Boundary Rd.) Turn left (north) on Boundary to Carlsbad Springs.  Turn right (east) on Cty Rd. #26 (Russell Rd.) and proceed to #33 (Frank Kenny). Left (north) on Frank Kenny to the bridge over Break Brook., south of McFadden Rd.  Look east toward the farm with the large silos. 

For CACKLING GOOSE:  Doubt that it will still be where we saw it - there is so much goose movement, and changes every day.  But keep scanning the Canada's and don't get "goosed out" !

For GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE:  From Ottawa, take Hwy 417 west to Hwy 416.  Go south on the 416 to exit #66 (Fallowfield Rd.)  Turn right (west) on Fallowfield to Moodie Dr.  Left (south) on Moodie.  After the sign to the Trail Rd. Landfill, look for the very large pond on your left.  This is an active sand & gravel operation and is PRIVATE PROPERTY, however, most of the birds were visible from the gate.

Hope everyone is enjoying the great weather & the "explosion" of life out there!

Chris Lewis
Ottawa, ON
hagenius at primus.ca