Report on the 26 January 2019 field trip along the Rideau River
by Gregory Zbitnew
Nine participants enjoyed a pleasantly bleak mid-winter morning near Hurdman, the Adawe Bridge, and Billings Bridge.
Conditions were actually almost pleasant, or at any rate only slightly uncomfortable, with average temperatures, little wind, and a bit of sun. We saw 15 species at the three stops. Unfortunately recent severe cold diminished the open water and may have been a factor in the absence of the BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, which had been seen daily until a few weeks ago. Five species of DUCK were seen, including the expected pair of WOOD DUCKS at Billings Bridge.
One mild surprise was a SONG SPARROW under the Queensway overpass, the same spot where one lingered last winter.
The stop at Billings Bridge was cut short and so we missed the AMERICAN WIGEON which was there. However, no one was sorry as the reason for this was that everyone wanted to rush to Britannia to see the GYRFALCON which was sighted just as we arrived at Billings. As far as I know everyone was able to get good looks at this bird before it flew off again.
Photo above: Wood Ducks photographed at Billings Bridge by Judith Gustafsson (10 January 2019)
Hi
i’m jcurious to know what other species were seen on this outing.
i’ve had the usual suspects at our backyard feeder i.e. white breasted nuthatch, slate colored juncos, downy & hairy woodpeckers, goldfinches and our perennials black capped
chickadees.
thanks for the posting.
Jeff
Jeff, we also had mallard, black duck, common merganser, some had a hooded merganser ( late news not in the post), rock pigeon, hairy and Downy woodpecker, crow, chickadee, white breasted nuthatch, goldfinch, common redpoll, cardinal.