Black-backed Woodpecker

 December 29, 2021

There were reports of this northern woodpecker at Constance Bay, so we decided to try for it.

When we arrived, there were lots of other birders also looking, most having reported seeing it.  We followed the recommended trail, and came to a place where others were looking, but not seeing it.  Bill bushwhacked over to the next road and spied a couple of people way down.  With his bins, he could see that they were taking photos. Let's go.  Sure enough, the target was there, unconcerned about the  photographers.  It stayed in the same tree for 15 minutes, then flew to another tree close by and began working at a much lower level.

Video links

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TcycAKhDkigcf5FqbLDM5KS5EiISRzNC/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p1GkUjiDaJElAqVZZQhH5vtbKDV2nEMa/view?usp=sharing

A Hairy Woodpecker also came by.

Many people had also seen the Red-headed Woodpecker from Ritchie Street, so we walked over to look for it, soon joined by others.  Bill Spotted it high in the trees, but it soon departed.  We stopped along Constance Bay Road to look for Short-eared Owls, and immediately saw one fly across the road.  We saw a couple more far in the distance, hunting over the fields.   What a productive outing!

Dunrobin/Breckinridge Christmas Bird Count

 December 28, 2021

We were assigned the part of the Carp Sector, west of Old Second Line and south of March Road.  We also volunteered to hike the Crazy Horse Trail.

We began at the corner of Old Second Line and Terry Fox, and tried to cover all the lanes and side streets.

Bannockburn Park, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 28, 2021 8:00 AM - 10:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
32.99 kilometer(s)
9 species

Hairy Woodpecker  1
Merlin  1
Blue Jay  17
American Crow  7
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  5
European Starling  25
Dark-eyed Junco  2
Northern Cardinal  9

Before completing the west sector of our route, we hiked part of the Crazy Horse Trail, which was very quiet indeed.

Ottawa--Crazy Horse Trail, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 28, 2021 10:07 AM - 10:58 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.2 kilometer(s)
3 species

Pileated Woodpecker  1
American Crow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  3

We then completed the area by Carp Road.  It was almost a bust until Barbara spotted 30 Snow Buntings near the airport.

Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.332, -76.012), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 28, 2021 11:05 AM - 12:42 PM
Protocol: Traveling
28.98 kilometer(s)
2 species

American Crow  12
Snow Bunting  30

We emailed Dan Simpson to ask for further instructions, and he suggested we try a good feeder on Huntmar near Old Second Line.  it was indeed good with 6 American Goldfinches and a White-breasted Nuthatch.

1030 Huntmar Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.327, -75.968), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 28, 2021 1:47 PM - 1:59 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.16 kilometer(s)
4 species

Black-capped Chickadee  5
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
European Starling  16
American Goldfinch  6

We got no bird photos, but had an enjoyable day nontheless.

Adawe Bridge

 December 27, 2021

After an early morning physio treatment, we headed to the Rideau Tennis Club and Adawe Bridge, to look for a reported Black Scoter and Red-breasted Merganser.  We found the latter, but not the scoter.  We also got a very cooperative Barrow's Goldeneye from the west end of the bridge.

We searched downstream and found some other species, but there was no sign of the scoter.

A Rough-legged Hawk on Earl Armstrong

 December 26, 2021

We dropped Craig off at the airport at 4 pm after his Christmas visit. Rather than going straight home, we birded a square behind the airport and were rewarded with a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk. First it was perched, then it began to hunt in the adjacent fields.  It was getting rather late in the day, so our photos are very grainy.

Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count - Britannia Sector

 December 19, 2021

This year we went directly to our sites, after clearing it with Bruce Di Labio.  With COVID surging we decided to skip the meetups and we were quite familiar with our routes, since this was our 4th CBC here.  We began, as usual, with Clyde Woods.  We were a bit later starting, so we "only" got 126 crows!

Ottawa--Clyde Woods, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 19, 2021 8:06 AM - 10:06 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.26 kilometer(s)
7 species

Cooper's Hawk  1
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  126
Black-capped Chickadee  13
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Dark-eyed Junco  2
Northern Cardinal  11

From there, we went to Hampton Park.  It was much quieter than usual.

Ottawa--Hampton Park, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 19, 2021 10:38 AM - 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.21 kilometer(s)
4 species

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  12
Downy Woodpecker  1
Black-capped Chickadee  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  4

After, we sat in our car drinking hot chocolate to warm up, then headed home for lunch.

Our next location was the Black Rapids Locks Station.

Rideau Canal--Black Rapids Lock, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 19, 2021 1:24 PM - 2:02 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.74 kilometer(s)
8 species

Mallard  4
White-winged Scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  6
Common Merganser  36     Swimming below dam, males and females.
Herring Gull  2
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Crow  7

At first we saw little, but careful scrutiny revealed a large umber of Common Mergansers, and Barbara go a White-winged Scoter. and a couple of gulls.  A Cooper's Hawk flew up river right past us, but with mitts and a frozen camera, we missed the shot.  Fortunately it did perch, although in the distance.

Our last route was Frank Ryan/Elmhurst Park.  The latter is just down the street from Nancy's, so we stopped to give her a birds calendar and she decided to come with us.  It is on her regular walk.

Ottawa--Frank Ryan & Elmhurst Parks, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 19, 2021 2:39 PM - 3:41 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.33 kilometer(s)
6 species

Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Blue Jay  2
Black-capped Chickadee  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
American Robin  27     Using a water seep.

We got a couple of Blue Jays at the start of Frank Ryan, but we could not call out the Carolina Wren.  We started back through Elmhurst when Bill spotted a robin.  Make that many many robins.  What a surprise! They were using the water seep.  We also saw both woodpeckers and nuthatches and chickadees.  The best we had ever had at this park.

ONRI Christmas Bird Count

 December 18, 2021

We did the 1A sector again this year.  Jeff Skevington was the sector coordinator and he did 1B.  It was our first time to use the eBird mobile app to record and report our checklists.  We did our route in 4 sections.

Our first section we called the rural roads centred on the Mansfield eBird Hotspot.

Mansfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 18, 2021 7:47 AM - 10:13 AM
Protocol: Traveling
37.53 kilometer(s)
10 species

Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Blue Jay  12
American Crow  40
Black-capped Chickadee  35
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
European Starling  152
American Goldfinch  1
American Tree Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  12

After that, we hiked the section of Rideau Trail from the dead end at Bleek's Road.

Rideau Trail at Bleeks Road, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 18, 2021 10:22 AM - 10:54 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.82 kilometer(s)
2 species

Downy Woodpecker  1
American Crow  3

We ate our lunch, and then surveyed the feeders in town.

Munster Hamlet, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 18, 2021 11:59 AM - 1:32 PM
Protocol: Traveling
10.85 kilometer(s)
4 species

Blue Jay  3
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  8
European Starling  6

Our last section was a short hike south of town where w finally got some American tree Sparrows.


3009 A Munster Road, Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.162, -75.932), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Dec 18, 2021 1:35 PM - 1:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 kilometer(s)
2 species

Blue Jay  3
American Tree Sparrow  4




By this time, it was snowing quite a bit, so we called it a day.