Ottawa Area Birding: Rockliffe Air Base Woods to Crysler with JC Birding

August 8, 2024

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We met at the parking lot on Airport Marina Road, Sami and Lynne were the first to arrive and told us there were Chimney Swifts overheard. We waited around for Carol and Alan. We wandered up to the first path that goes to the river, where we met Carol and Alan (welcome) , who were parked at the end of Blair Road. I did not know about that parking lot and they indicated it is a much bigger lot than the one we had used. Good for later reference. On their way to meet us, they saw the Philadelphia Vireo (later Eleanor and Barbara saw it) and some Great Egrets. We hung around the spot where they had seen the Vireo, but it was not for all of us to see the bird, darn.

There were a mega number of American Goldfinch flying about along with a good number of Cedar Waxwings. The birds were not singing, oh we did hear a Black &n White Warbler and it finally showed itself. The Song Sparrows were around but not really singing. So this outing was watching and hopefully seeing birds. Two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers flew in. Carole, Bill, Ken, Alan saw movement in the bushes and determined it was a Veery. Alan was determined to find it and walked down the path and quietly pished and sure enough the bird showed itself. I joined him and saw a bird moving in the bushes but I would not have been able to identify it if it hadn't been for Alan.

We walked the paths, searching for birds, we heard a House Wren and of course Black-capped Chickadees. We had to be careful because there were bikes, runners and walkers on the trail. We stayed in the area for at least an hour and a half. At this time Sami and Lynne said they were going to head home. So they left us and headed to their vehicle.

At one corner we saw lots of Warbling Vireos, a few Yellow Warblers, and a Tennessee Warbler. I received a call from Sami saying they had met up with Guy and they would drive him to us. Good to see Guy, he told us he had biked several trails looking for us. He birded with us for a bit and then discovered he did not have his backpack with him. Off he went to retrace his footsteps, back at his bike, no backpack. The backpack had his wallet and his keys to unlock his bike, did the backpack get stolen? Maybe he left it in Sami and Lynne's car. A hurried text to me, who gave him Sami's number. Sami and Lynne went to the garage to check, sure enough the backpack was in the car. Oh relief for Guy. He was telling us that sometimes he forgets and maybe in the early stages of dementia. I gave him my notation book and pen and asked him to draw a clock. Confused he did while the others laughed. He drew a clock with the time. I diagnosed that he did not have dementia. We all laughed. He had not heard of that test.

At this point we had a bite to eat and something to drink. Carol and Alan were off to the water catchment ponds and Guy was off to the Byward Market. The rest of us decided to go to the end of Champlain to see what was there. We stopped at P27 to use the washroom and check out birds - Northern Flicker and Gray Catbird. A motorcyclist drove in and I went over to talk to him. I wondered why some motorcycle tires look bald and others look like they have a bit of tread. He told me the rubber used in motorcycle tires are much softer and stick to the pavement. We talked a bit, I thanked him and we went off to Champlain Street. There we saw an Osprey flying, a Great Blue Heron fishing and some Mallard with one Ring-neck Duck swimming. We called the Marsh Wren, no response.

We went back to the vehicles and decided to have lunch and discussed where to next. Shorebirds at the lagoons, which lagoons. Ken found that there were lots of shorebirds at Crysler, Eleanor's search yielded nothing at Crysler. We decided to go to Crysler maybe we were just being hopeful. I asked if Crysler is the place with the abattoir? Right, Bill's response was that is what you call it. Eleanor left us at this point, too long a drive as she had plans for the evening, she would not be able to stay very long, not worth the drive. Ken asked if we should carpool. Where should we leave his car, we decided on the arena in Navan, Guess what, it was Navan's first day of their fall fair and they were charging for parking. So not going to park there. We decided to park at the United Church, I called my brother to see if it was okay, sure don't park in the handicap or minister's spot. We left Ken's vehicle and headed to Crysler.

We parked and walked to the bridge, a Great Blue Heron on a rock, but really no shorebirds. Disappointment. Bill came along with his scope and said there are Spotted Sandpipers. Some flew toward the bridge and we all got a better look. I wanted shorebirds, shorebirds not shorebird...

We drove down to the dam and we saw lots of shorebirds, Bill parked and when we got out, the darn birds flew, darn, darn, darn. Oh one stayed, a Solitary Sandpiper, okay now we have two shorebirds. Barbara drew Bill's attention to some land birds, then the shorebirds flew in. Bill, Bill, they are back - Lesser Yellowlegs (about 12) and then one Greater Yellowlegs, then another Greater Yellowlegs flew in and more Spotted Sandpipers (12) We were about to leave when another shorebird flew in a small brown one with a black bill and black legs. - Semipalmated Sandpiper. In other reports I have indicated photos don't lie, when Bill took a look at his photos, he found that those black legs were really dirty yellow legs, making it a Least Sandpiper.

Time was ticking, so off we went to the lagoon close to Crylser, where we found just Wood Ducks in the far corner. Ken went off to check out the second cell, when Bill noticed Ken beckoning to us and pointing and shouting the line. We could not see anything on the line. I went off to see what Ken was checking out - 2 Kestrels, always a good find. In the second cell, lots of Wood Ducks with babies, one Pied-billed Grebe and one Common Gallinule.

At this point it started spitting, time to get to the vehicle and head home.