Lodge Road, 4th Line, Eagleson Road & Steeple Hill Crescent

 December 29, 2022

After a little shopping at Rona, we headed south on Merivale Road to make a little afternoon  birding tour. First stop was Lodge Road on the Rideau to view some ducks.  A whole lot of male Common Mergansers!

We carried on to North Gower, then turned north on 4th Line.  Her we saw our best view of Snow Bunting so far this season.

Then it was on to Eagleson Road, wher,e after doing the square on Brownlee and Aikens, we finally saw our first Snowy Owl of the year!  Several other birders had also stopped.

We left going north on Eagleson, and had just tuned onto Fallowfield, when Jane called to say she was on the owl.  What a coincidence!  I don't know how we did not see her there.

Our last stop was the feeders on Steeple Hill Cres, where we saw some Doves and a close up Cardinal.

A very productive afternoon!

Horned Grebe

December 20, 2022

A Horned Grebe has been reported off Bate Island, and we resolved to go for it.  But it was a Feederwatch count day, so we had to check the feeders first.

When we got to Bate Island, we saw many Common Goldeneys.  But a smaller bird soon revealed itself in the distance, and Barbara go a decent shot.

And for a bonus, there was a Pileated Woodpecker in the parking lot.

ONOH Chistmas Bird Count - Britannia Sector

 December 18, 2022

It was mild but snowy and very quiet on our first 2 areas, Clyde Woods and Hampton Park.

We met Bruce Di Labio and other birders at Harvey's for lunch, then carried on to Nancy's for our next hike at Elmhurst and Frank Ryan parks.  Here we had better luck, spotting 2 Pileated woodpeckers and a roosted Barred Owl.

Our last stop was at Black Rapids, where there were some Herring Gulls and lots of ducks.  We were just wrapping it up when we noticed a big flight of American Crows passing overhead.  Barbara tried to count them, and she got at least 8000!

Ottawa--Clyde Woods, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
18-Dec-2022 8:38 AM - 11:02 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.51 kilometer(s)
10 species

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  40
Herring Gull  1
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  95
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  17
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
European Starling  8
American Tree Sparrow  2
Northern Cardinal  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124181897 

1273 Greyrock Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.365, -75.744), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
18-Dec-2022 11:05 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.04 kilometer(s)
3 species

Downy Woodpecker  1
American Crow  2
European Starling  26

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124183098 

Ottawa--Hampton Park, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
18-Dec-2022 11:25 AM - 12:23 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.35 kilometer(s)
3 species

Downy Woodpecker  2
American Crow  5
Black-capped Chickadee  12

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124188479 

Ottawa--Frank Ryn & Elmhurst Parks, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
18-Dec-2022 1:41 PM - 2:46 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.36 kilometer(s)
4 species

Barred Owl  1
Pileated Woodpecker  2
American Crow  3
Common Raven  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124200650 

Rideau Canal--Black Rapids Lock, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
18-Dec-2022 3:11 PM - 3:46 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.33 kilometer(s)
8 species

Mallard  90
American Black Duck  2
Common Goldeneye  4
Common Merganser  1
Herring Gull  5
American Crow  8000     Counted going over to roost as darkness descended.  May have been more.
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124206051 

ONRI Chirstmas Bird Count - Munster Section 1A

 December 17, 2022

We began by surveying all of the rural roads in our sector, then followed up with Munster Hamlet streets.

Next, we hiked a couple of very snowy trails that, unfortunately, did not yield much.

Darkness was coming, so we headed to Pete Blancher's home in Richmond for the compilation and pizza supper. It was very enjoyable to meet all of the other birders that worked in other sectors.

Mansfield Road, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
17-Dec-2022 8:36 AM - 10:38 AM
Protocol: Traveling
38.16 kilometer(s)
10 species

Wild Turkey  13
Mourning Dove  3
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  27
Black-capped Chickadee  3
European Starling  150
American Robin  1
American Tree Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  6
Red-winged Blackbird  1     With a large group of starlings

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124097896

Munster Hamlet, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
17-Dec-2022 10:52 AM - 12:22 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.9 kilometer(s)
4 species

Blue Jay  1
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Bohemian Waxwing  40
American Goldfinch  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124108848 

Copeland Path, Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.174, -75.895), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
17-Dec-2022 2:03 PM - 2:29 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.57 kilometer(s)
2 species

Blue Jay  1
American Crow  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124120774 

3009 A Munster Road, Ottawa, Ontario, CA (45.162, -75.932), Ottawa, Ontario, CA
17-Dec-2022 3:05 PM - 3:42 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.61 kilometer(s)
2 species

Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124127795