Lots of birds on the move as fall migration gets underway
Even though it’s only the latter part of July and there is still lots of summer ahead of us, in the bird world fall migration is well underway.
Over the past week there has been an increase in migrants. Southbound shorebirds continue to dominate the reports and on July 19 my son, Ben, and I were at a number of locations and spotted a few interesting birds including a Whimbrel, Great Black-backed Gulls, Caspian Terns, Great Egrets and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The Whimbrel flew over calling, heading south over Andrew Haydon Park around 6:15 a.m. My previous early record was on July 21, 1973 along the Ottawa River at Kitchissippi Lookout. Along the Ottawa River between Shirley’s Bay and Britannia there were 22 Common Terns including three juveniles, six adult Caspian Terns, 16 Great Egrets. including one banded individual (61J), which has been summering since 2011 and breeding since 2012. We counted four young Great Egrets along with 18 juvenile Blackcrowned Night-Herons on Conroy Island at Deschênes Rapids.
At Trail Road Waste Facility there were two adult Great Blackbacked Gulls, one Lesser Blackbacked Gull, 16 Turkey Vultures and two Ruddy Ducks on the Moodie Drive ponds.
Land birds are now also starting to move with numerous Bobolinks being heard overhead since July 16 and there has been an increase in Yellow Warblers since July 18.
The Almonte Sewage Lagoon has some good habitat and on July 18 there were 38 Killdeers, one Greater Yellowlegs, 38 Lesser Yellowlegs, 56 Least Sandpipers, one Semipalmated Sandpiper, three Spotted Sandpipers, and five Solitary Sandpipers. All were adults with the exception of a few Killdeer.
On Friday, July 17 I observed an immature Northern Goshawk along Upper Dwyer Hill Road near Panmure Road.
The hot and humid conditions haven’t silenced the birds during the day. On July 18 there were singing Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Hermit Thrushes, Wood Thrushes, and other common species at Burntlands Provincial Park along March Road.
With lower water levels along the Ottawa River, Shirley’s Bay continues attract activity. An early morning visit on July 21 was very productive with a good variety of shorebirds including one Short-billed Dowitcher, nine Lesser Yellowlegs, seven Least Sandpipers, and five Semipalmated Sandpipers.
Marsh species seen at Shirley’s Bay included a family group of both Sora and Virginia Rails, one American Bittern and four Common Gallinules. A few Marsh Wrens could be heard calling too.
Over the next few months many species will stop before continuing their flight south and feed along the Ottawa River between Britannia Pier and Constance Bay.
Adult shorebirds migrate first followed by the juveniles weeks later. With adults already on the move it won’t be long before the first juveniles arrive. We should soon being seeing juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper and Solitary Sandpipers. Other young shorebirds including Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Greater Yellowlegs will arrive in early to mid-August.
On July 19, six adult Caspian Terns took advantage of the lower water levels and were roosting on exposed rocks at Deschênes Rapids.
Once a rare sight in the Ottawa Gatineau district Caspian Tern reports have increased over the past decade with flocks of up to 20 birds along the Ottawa River. If conditions are favourable along the river with low water levels watch for this large tern at Shirley’s Bay, Deschênes Rapids and Remic Rapids during August and September.
Hopefully the water levels will continue to drop. With the lower water levels many species of water birds including shorebirds, gulls, terns, herons and egrets take advantage of these feeding opportunities. There will also be an increase in the number of hawks and falcons. Both Peregrine Falcons and Merlins will be found searching for prey, mainly shorebirds for the Merlins and anything from gulls to ducks for Peregrine Falcons. Other species such as the Northern Harriers, formerly called the Marsh Hawk, will also hunt along the shoreline or over the cattail marshes. Watch for Ospreys hovering over the water and Bald Eagles swooping for fish. It can be very busy early in the morning or late in the day.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds continue to thrive in most areas with many new reports from feeder watchers in Carp, Almonte, L’Orignal, Alexandria, Perth, Old Ottawa South and Lancaster.
The Carp Chimney Swifts are doing well with four young growing rapidly and should be out of the nest in another week. Feeder reports have dropped off with only a few sightings of Rosebreasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore Orioles and Northern Cardinals. You might have noticed an increase in the bird activity in your neighbourhood recently as most local species have finished nesting and are searching for food.
With fall migration underway, review some of best field guides available for all levels of birders. The top three Eastern guides are the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America, The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America and The Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. For those interested in North American birding, the most up-to-date field guide for this region is the National Geographic 6th edition, 2011, Field Guide to the birds of North America. I highly recommend this book.
I’d like to thank all birders, photographers and feeder watchers that sent reports and/or photographs during the past week. Please email bird observations and/or photographs to: dilabiobirding@gmail.com Subject line: Ottawa Citizen Birds. For photos, please provide date, location, and photographer’s name and for bird reports, observer, date and location. The birding Code of Ethics and guidelines of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club can be found at www. ofnc.ca/ birding/ Code-of-Conduct. pdf. To reach the Wild Bird Care Centre for orphaned and injured birds call 613-828-2849. Report bird bands topwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv. Access to Shirley’s Bay is restricted. You must obtain permission from the Range Control Office before entering the area. Please call 613-991-5740 for permission.