Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, Region 24 (Ottawa)
Region 24 (Ottawa) Report for 2002
by Christine Hanrahan
Note: 2001 summary report still available
Introduction
If year one was a time for atlassers to acquaint themselves with the atlas process and become familiar with their territory (squares), year two has clearly been a time of serious data gathering. Almost every square reported big increases in numbers of species recorded. Many more point counts were done and some atlassers participated in the Atlas Nocturnal Owl Survey.
Most of you are familiar with the details of Region 24 but for the new folk, here is a quick overview. Our region, which contains 86 10 km X 10 km squares, extends roughly from Casselman in the east to Westmeath, in the west, south to Flower Station, Winchester and Finch, with the Ottawa River as our northern boundary. Along with the City of Ottawa, the area encompasses the towns of Arnprior, Renfrew, Pakenham, Almonte, Russell and Chesterville. Also included: the Larose and Marlborough Forests, White Lake and Richmond Fens, Gillies Grove, the Burnt Lands Alvar, Winchester and Moose Creek Bogs, Mud Lake and Mud Pond, the Innis Point Banding Station, Shirleys Bay… the list goes on. And let’s not forget the famous cornbelts in the east!
Of the 86 squares in our region, only one has not yet received any coverage, 18VR14, a sliver of land along the Ottawa River near Dunrobin. However, it now has a volunteer ready to go for next year.
Several of last year’s atlassers moved on to new ventures. We wish them well and thank them for their significant contributions to the atlas. At the same time we welcome all the new volunteers who have now brought the number of participants to 95 (up from 81 last year). We still have two natural history clubs taking part, the MacNamara Field Naturalists of Arnprior and the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists of Carleton Place.
Forward to 2003!
Confirmations: The Atlas has set a goal of a 50% confirmation rate per square, a goal we’re trying hard to achieve. As many know, finding evidence of confirmed breeding is not always easy, but those atlassers who spent time in the field through July and early August generally had higher confirmation rates than others who stopped atlassing in June. However, birding at the right time is only part of the story, the other half is learning how to find solid breeding evidence, and of course plain old good luck plays a big part too! Watch for some tips on the local atlas web pages. In July we’ll hold a field workshop to provide some hands-on experience.
Night birds: Owls and crepuscular species are difficult to census, and in the next three years we plan to try varied approaches to help us attain a good level of coverage for this group of birds. Watch for nocturnal square bashes and possibly more owl prowls.
Breeding vs. migration dates: Please check out the Migration and Nest Dates posted on our local atlas web pages and become familiar with who does what when. You’ll be better able to determine whether the bird you just saw is still in migratory mode – or not. This is especially important for the uncommon to scarce breeders in our region. Warblers in particular can be problematical because they generally come through in mid-to-late May when many other species are on territory or have begun nesting and the tendency is to record species within this group as possible breeders if observed in late May. It is best to check the range of nesting and migration dates for each species and use that data along with your observations of what the bird is doing and then make a decision based on your best judgement. A Black-and-white Warbler, for example, carrying nesting material is certainly on territory, but the same species found in a mixed flock of warblers obviously feeding on the wing, so the speak, is best not recorded as a possible breeder. If in doubt, please contact me. If I can’t answer your question, I’ll put it to one of the other committee members.
New stuff: This year the folk at Atlas Central organized a couple of interesting projects. First was the Atlas Nocturnal Owl Survey (ongoing to 2005) complete with instruction manual and CD or cassettes, and second was a compilation of bird photos and bird songs (the Bluebird CD-ROM) which was made available free to any atlasser who wanted one. An update of the Bluebird CD-ROM may be in the works for 2003.
Watch for a more complete report in the OFNC publication, Trail & Landscape, in the new year.
Results for 2002
Breeding evidence has now been found for 177 species, with confirmed breeding for 139 species.
Numbers of species per square
In Table 2, you will find the total number of species recorded in each square. Based on our knowledge of the region and results from the last atlas, the local atlas committee has set a goal of at least 80 species per square east of Ottawa and at least 90 species west of the city. Quite obviously this is not a hard and fast rule, simply a general guideline. For example, some squares east of Ottawa have a significant diversity of birds and finding a 100 species or more is very probable while in others, getting 70 species will present a challenge. Furthermore, some squares have less than 50% of their land mass in Ontario; expectations for these 13 squares will be somewhat different.
Of the 85 squares that have so far been atlassed, 13 have recorded more than 100 species; the highest number recorded is 124 species in 18UR80. Twenty-four (24) squares have recorded between 80-99 species.
We’re aiming to have breeding confirmed for 50% of the birds found in each square. To date, only ten squares have reported 45 or more species with breeding confirmed. The highest total thus far is 72 species in 18VR30, followed closely by 70 species in 18VR52.
Highlights this year included several species not reported for the last atlas in this region: Black-crowned Night-heron (1 square), Black-backed Woodpecker (1 square), Tennessee Warbler (3 squares), and Le Conte’s Sparrow (1 square).
Found on the previous atlas but not reported during this atlas until 2002 were Least Bittern (four squares), Philadelphia Vireo (2 squares), Northern Parula Warbler (1 square), and Lincoln’s Sparrow (2 squares).
While Cape May Warblers were not recorded on the last atlas, they were found on 2 squares last year and on 5 more this year, although none were confirmed as breeding. Both the Tennessee and Cape May Warblers are essentially birds of northern coniferous forests. However, the last atlas saw scattered records for both species south of Algonquin Park and local Ottawa birders have generally anticipated a more southerly range expansion for them as nesting birds. It will be interesting to see what happens with these species in Region 24 over the next three years.
Other: Black-billed cuckoos were noticeably widespread ths year, recorded on 33 squares (44 squares cumulatively – 2001-02) although there were only a few with breeding confirmed. To anyone who noted the abundance of tent caterpillars, the ‘outbreak’ of black-billed cuckoos was no surprise, since the one follows the other, the caterpillars being a favoured food source which are fed in great quantities to young birds.
Evening Grosbeaks were also recorded widely in 2002 compared to the previous year. Like the crossbills, this is another species of irregular occurrence, found sporadically in some years, relatively common in others. This species was recorded on 33 squares, but only 6 had confirmed breeding records, all of these involving fledged young.
Acknowledgments
Thank You to every one who participated in the Breeding Bird Atlas this year. Thank you for spending so much time and effort surveying your squares, contributing casual observations, helping out fellow atlassers, doing point counts, taking part in owl surveys, sharing your sightings and your enthusiasm. Without your help we simply wouldn’t have an atlas.
As always heartfelt thanks to the local Atlas Committee: Mark Gawn, Paul Jones, and new member, Mick Panesar. They’re always ready with comments, suggestions, thoughts, plans for helping ensure that our region runs smoothly. Mark organizes our workshops (this year at Jack Pine Trail), and Paul is our front man, talking to other local natural history groups about the atlas.
Table 1: Cumulative results for 2001 and 2002
Species in boldface are new for 2002 |
# of squares recording each species (# in brackets includes spp. recorded as observed only: ‘X’) |
# of squares recording confirmed breeding |
Common Loon |
23 (26) |
3 |
Pied-billed Grebe |
14 (16) |
6 |
Double-crested Cormorant |
5 (14) |
0 |
American Bittern |
37 |
4 |
Least Bittern |
4 |
1 |
Great Blue Heron |
29 (69) |
10 |
Green Heron |
30 (35) |
8 |
Black-crowned Night-heron |
1 (4) |
1 |
Turkey Vulture |
39 (60) |
2 |
Canada Goose |
47 (59) |
25 |
Wood Duck |
53 |
37 |
Gadwall |
4 |
0 |
American Wigeon |
5 |
1 |
American Black Duck |
22 (24) |
9 |
Mallard |
69 (70) |
35 |
Blue-winged Teal |
20 |
7 |
Northern Shoveler |
6 (7) |
2 |
Northern Pintail |
2(3) |
0 |
American Green-winged Teal |
8 |
0 |
Ring-necked Duck |
6 (7) |
0 |
Lesser Scaup |
2 (3) |
0 |
Hooded Merganser |
19 (21) |
5 |
Common Merganser |
9 (13) |
1 |
Ruddy Duck |
5 |
2 |
Osprey |
21 (27) |
10 |
Bald Eagle |
1 (2) |
1 |
Northern Harrier |
50 (52) |
11 |
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
26 (27) |
7 |
Cooper’s Hawk |
12 (14) |
3 |
Northern Goshawk |
11 |
4 |
Red-shouldered Hawk |
17 (18) |
5 |
Broad-winged Hawk |
27 (29) |
5 |
Red-tailed Hawk |
56 (59) |
17 |
American Kestrel |
60 |
22 |
Merlin |
16 (20) |
5 |
Peregrine Falcon |
1 |
1 |
Gray Partridge |
14 |
6 |
Ring-necked Pheasant |
1 |
0 |
Ruffed Grouse |
60 |
23 |
Wild Turkey |
18 (20) |
3 |
Virginia Rail |
24 |
10 |
Sora |
22 |
4 |
Common Moorhen |
5 |
1 |
American Coot |
4 |
1 |
Sandhill Crane |
2 (4) |
0 |
Killdeer |
75 (77) |
40 |
Spotted Sandpiper |
52 (54) |
14 |
Upland Sandpiper |
34 |
3 |
Common Snipe |
57 |
5 |
American Woodcock |
41 (43) |
4 |
Wilson’s Phalarope |
3 |
1 |
Ring-billed Gull |
10 (64) |
3 |
Herring Gull |
4 (20) |
0 |
Common Tern |
4 (10) |
1 |
Black Tern |
3 (8) |
2 |
Rock Dove |
72 |
31 |
Mourning Dove |
83 |
31 |
Black-billed Cuckoo |
43 |
4 |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo |
1 |
0 |
Eastern Screech-Owl |
12 |
1 |
Great Horned Owl |
27 |
9 |
Northern Hawk-Owl |
1 |
1 |
Barred Owl |
22 (23) |
3 |
Long-eared Owl |
6 |
0 |
Short-eared Owl |
6 |
1 |
Northern Saw-whet Owl |
18 |
0 |
Common Nighthawk |
8 (10) |
0 |
Whip-poor-will |
13 |
0 |
Chimney Swift |
13 (15) |
2 |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
61 |
7 |
Belted Kingfisher |
63 (65) |
19 |
Red-headed Woodpecker |
5 (6) |
2 |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
62 (64) |
28 |
Downy Woodpecker |
68 (69) |
27 |
Hairy Woodpecker |
69 |
21 |
Black-backed Woodpecker |
1 |
0 |
Northern Flicker |
79 |
21 |
Pileated Woodpecker |
55 |
9 |
Olive-sided Flycatcher |
6 |
0 |
Eastern Wood-Pewee |
73 |
8 |
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
4 |
0 |
Alder Flycatcher |
60 |
5 |
Willow Flycatcher |
22 |
1 |
Least Flycatcher |
62 (63) |
6 |
Eastern Phoebe |
74 |
43 |
Great Crested Flycatcher |
75 |
18 |
Eastern Kingbird |
79 |
36 |
Loggerhead Shrike |
1 |
0 |
Yellow-throated Vireo |
3 |
0 |
Blue-headed Vireo |
12 |
0 |
Warbling Vireo |
68 |
7 |
Philadelphia Vireo |
2 |
0 |
Red-eyed Vireo |
82 |
14 |
Gray Jay |
1 |
0 |
Blue Jay |
82 |
28 |
American Crow |
83 |
46 |
Common Raven |
46 (50) |
11 |
Horned lark |
29 |
4 |
Purple Martin |
28 (30) |
14 |
Tree Swallow |
80 |
52 |
Northern Rough-winged Swallow |
22 |
12 |
Bank Swallow |
31 |
17 |
Cliff Swallow |
34 (35) |
20 |
Barn Swallow |
75 |
47 |
Black-capped Chickadee |
82 |
47 |
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
57 |
12 |
White-breasted Nuthatch |
65 |
20 |
Brown Creeper |
20 |
3 |
House Wren |
55 |
15 |
Winter Wren |
38 |
0 |
Sedge Wren |
6 |
0 |
Marsh Wren |
22 (23) |
2 |
Golden-crowned Kinglet |
18 |
2 |
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
9 |
0 |
Eastern Bluebird |
53 |
34 |
Veery |
75 |
7 |
Swainson’s Thrush |
3 |
1 |
Hermit Thrush |
41 |
2 |
Wood Thrush |
65 |
6 |
American Robin |
85 |
65 |
Gray Catbird |
67 |
20 |
Northern Mockingbird |
8 |
1 |
Brown Thrasher |
61 (62) |
16 |
European Starling |
79 |
64 |
Cedar Waxwing |
77 |
15 |
Golden-winged Warbler |
3 |
0 |
Tennessee Warbler |
3 (4) |
0 |
Nashville Warbler |
53 (54) |
7 |
Northern Parula |
1 (2) |
0 |
Yellow Warbler |
79 |
31 |
Chestnut-sided Warbler |
65 |
16 |
Magnolia Warbler |
36 |
2 |
Cape May Warbler |
7 (8) |
0 |
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
30 |
1 |
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
46 (47) |
6 |
Black-throated Green Warbler |
47 |
4 |
Blackburnian Warbler |
17 |
3 |
Pine Warbler |
31 (32) |
1 |
Bay-breasted Warbler |
2 |
0 |
Black-and-white Warbler |
70 |
11 |
American Redstart |
58 |
6 |
Ovenbird |
81 |
14 |
Northern Waterthrush |
41 |
6 |
Mourning Warbler |
37 |
0 |
Common Yellowthroat |
81 |
30 |
Canada Warbler |
14 |
0 |
Scarlet Tanager |
44 (47) |
3 |
Eastern Towhee |
9 |
1 |
Chipping Sparrow |
80 |
42 |
Clay-coloured Sparrow |
13 |
0 |
Field Sparrow |
32 |
8 |
Vesper Sparrow |
30 |
6 |
Savannah Sparrow |
71 |
22 |
Grasshopper Sparrow |
7 |
1 |
Le Conte’s Sparrow |
1 |
0 |
Song Sparrow |
83 |
55 |
Lincoln’s Sparrow |
2 (3) |
1 |
Swamp Sparrow |
68 |
18 |
White-throated Sparrow |
76 |
14 |
Dark-eyed Junco |
10 (16) |
0 |
Northern Cardinal |
54 |
14 |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
74 |
24 |
Indigo Bunting |
56 (58) |
9 |
Bobolink |
75 |
25 |
Red-winged Blackbird |
83 |
57 |
Eastern Meadowlark |
74 |
21 |
Common Grackle |
82 |
61 |
Brown-headed Cowbird |
75 |
21 |
Baltimore Oriole |
74 |
32 |
Purple Finch |
52 |
7 |
House Finch |
43 |
14 |
Red Crossbill |
2 (5) |
1 |
White-winged Crossbill |
13 |
0 |
Pine Siskin |
21 (25) |
0 |
American Goldfinch |
84 |
12 |
Evening Grosbeak |
33 (38) |
6 |
House Sparrow |
66 |
38 |
Species in Region 24 observed only (X)
*Note: these species were observed in suitable habitat in breeding season and may be elevated to breeding status in future. Species that were obviously migratory, such as northern-nesting shorebirds, are not included.
RedheadBoreal ChickadeeTable 2: Number of species found and confirmed, and number of hours spent atlassing per square — cumulative for 2001 and 2002
Note: NOT ATLASSED = Square not assigned or atlasser unable to atlas this year
2002 only = square first atlassed in 2002
2001 only = square atlassed in 2001 but not in 2002
Number in parentheses () includes species coded X , i.e., “observed only”
Square name & number |
Number of species |
Number confirmed |
Number of hours in square |
VR00 Almonte |
77 (79) |
21 |
10 (2002 only) |
VR01 Blakeney |
86 (93) |
19 |
37.5 |
VR02 Kinburn |
102 (104) |
19 |
29.5 (2001 only) |
VR03 Fitzroy Harbour |
108 (113) |
46 |
75.5 |
VR04 Quyon (5%) |
78 (84) |
21 |
19 |
VR10 Appleton |
103 (104) |
59 |
51.5 |
VR11 Corkery |
109 (113) |
21 |
45 (2002 only) |
VR12 Marathon/Carp |
89 (92) |
18 |
23.5 |
VR13 Constance Bay |
73 (75) |
14 |
12.5 (2002 only) |
VR14 Eardley (5%) |
NOT ATLASSED |
|
VR20 Munster |
105 (113) |
57 |
98 |
VR21 Kanata/Stittsville |
83 (90) |
36 |
51 |
VR22 S. March |
63 (74) |
25 |
42.5 |
VR23 Dunrobin |
107 (108) |
41 |
35 (2002 only) |
VR30 Richmond |
114 (123) |
72 |
92 |
VR31 Bells Corners |
88 (92) |
27 |
62 |
VR32 Britannia |
49 (54) |
19 |
3 (2001 only) |
VR40 Manotick |
74 (79) |
48 |
28.5 |
VR41 Uplands Airport |
103 (108) |
50 |
111 |
VR42 Ottawa Centre |
83 (85) |
45 |
17 |
VR43 Rockcliffe |
55 (60) |
23 |
10.5 |
VR50 West Osgoode |
81 (97) |
60 |
42 |
VR51 Greely |
85 (86) |
18 |
24.5 |
VR52 Ramsayville |
115 (120) |
70 |
192.5 |
VR53 Greens Creek |
64 (69) |
11 |
31 |
VR60 Vernon |
68 (70) |
9 |
16 |
VR61 Edwards |
70 (74) |
7 |
12 |
VR62 Carlsbad Springs |
70 (76) |
36 |
15 |
VR63 Martin’s Corners |
61 (62) |
10 |
10.5 |
VR64 Cumberland (5%) |
11 |
0 |
1 |
VR70 Morewood |
63 (66) |
27 |
19.5 |
VR71 Russell |
78 (88) |
32 |
24.5 |
VR72 Vars |
99 (105) |
36 |
100.5 |
VR73 Sarsfield |
86 (93) |
31 |
72.5 |
VR74 Rockland |
54 |
3 |
2.5 |
VR80 Crysler |
53 (54) |
21 |
2.5 (2001 only) |
VR81 Gagnon |
79 (82) |
14 |
14 (2001 only) |
VR82 Cheney |
84 (85) |
21 |
30.5 |
VR83 Bourget |
78 (83) |
13 |
26 |
VR84 Clarence |
78 (81) |
9 |
27 |
VR90 Berwick |
77 (78) |
22 |
5 |
VR91 Mayerville |
83 (84) |
25 |
11 |
VR92 Lemieux |
69 |
22 |
7.5 |
VR93 Pendleton |
23 (26) |
3 |
9 (2001 only) |
VR94 Jessups Falls |
49 (50) |
4 |
13 (2001 only) |
UR50 McCreary Mtn./Norcan Lake |
76 |
14 |
16 |
UR51 Ferguson’s Lake |
79 (84) |
12 |
10 |
UR52 Shamrock |
83 |
13 |
13 |
UR53 Balsam Hill |
48 |
3 |
2 (2002 only) |
UR54 Bromley |
50 |
6 |
2.5 (2002 only) |
UR55 Cobden |
64 (69) |
12 |
18.5 |
UR56 Beachburg |
54 (58) |
4 |
6 |
UR57 Westmeath |
78 (83) |
4 |
9 (2002 only) |
UR58 Flannagan Bay |
42 (43) |
4 |
5 |
UR60 Flower Station |
86 (88) |
9 |
38 |
UR61 Calabogie |
84 (86) |
23 |
91 |
UR62 Ashdad |
104 (107) |
33 |
60 |
UR63 Renfrew |
69 (76) |
10 |
18 |
UR64 Haley Station |
70 (74) |
9 |
18 |
UR65 Queensline |
72 (78) |
24 |
17 |
UR66 Norman Rapids |
48 |
7 |
2.5 |
UR67 La Passe |
41 |
6 |
2 |
UR68 Davidson |
10 |
1 |
0.5 (2001 only) |
UR70 Darling Long Lake |
24 (26) |
2 |
13 |
UR71 Bagot Long Lake |
74 (79) |
17 |
18 |
UR72 Burnstown |
77 (79) |
20 |
36 |
UR73 Goshen |
74 (75) |
13 |
23 |
UR74 Castleford |
34 (38) |
5 |
7.5 |
UR80 Tatlock |
122 |
57 |
77 (2001 only) |
UR81 Lowney Lake |
92 (95) |
13 |
15 |
UR82 White Lake |
93 (99) |
30 |
71 |
UR83 Sand Point |
74 (77) |
4 |
15.5 |
UR84 Rhoddy’s Bay (5%) |
31 (33) |
3 |
4 (2002 only) |
UR90 Clayton |
93 (96) |
38 |
34 |
UR91 Cedar Hill |
81 (85) |
18 |
26.5 |
UR92 Pakenham |
90 (91) |
30 |
70 |
UR93 Arnprior |
108 (112) |
9 |
16 |
VQ19 Black’s Corners |
91 (94) |
48 |
35 |
VQ29 Dwyer Hill |
88 (92) |
38 |
60 |
VQ39 Malakoff |
113 (114) |
49 |
33.5 |
VQ49 North Gower |
58 (62) |
18 |
17.5 |
VQ59 Osgoode |
78 (88) |
57 |
22 |
VQ69 Winchester Bog |
60 (63) |
15 |
15.5 |
VQ79 Winchester |
82 (83) |
39 |
14 |
VQ89 Chesterville |
87 (89) |
42 |
15 |
VQ99 Finch |
89 (91) |
33 |
18.5 |
Atlas Volunteers 2002
Ken Allison
Ruth Allison
Robert Alvo
Ted Baldwin
Ron Bedford
Lisa Benedetti
Cliff Bennett
Lynda Bennett
Marg Benson
Peter Blancher
Celia Bodnar
Ludmilla Borshevsky
Brian Bowen
Colin and Pat Bowen
Rob Bowyer and Catherine Smith
Tracy Bridges
David Britton
Richard Brouillet
Peter Browne
Gerhard Bruins
Emily Burton
Janet Castle
Bob Cermak
Laurie Consaul
Daryl Coulson
Dave Critchlow
Dale Crook
Ron Curtis
Anthony and Gretchen Denton
Erica Dunn
Peter Fuller
Bill Fyfe
Marcel Gahbauer
Colin Gaskell
Jessica Gawn
Mark Gawn
Carol and Alan German
Jim Gillick
Al Graham
Marc Gravel
Anne Hackston
Christine Hanrahan
Mark Hovorka |
Terry Huzarski
Roy John
Paul Jones
Michael Kahn
Anthony Keith
Rick Killeen
Maryanne Koot
Bernie Ladouceur
Roland Lamarche
Sandy Lang
Mike and Judy Lascelles
Chris Lewis and Bob Bracken
Dick Mabee
MacNamara Field Naturalists
Paul and Michelle Martin
Barb Martinovic
Bev McBride
Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists
Dave Moore
Carolyn Murphy
Mick Panesar
Bev Peterkin
Remy Poulin
Eric Ridgen
Jack Romanow
Mary Rothfels
Linda Ryan
Paul Schoening
Bev Scott
Arnie Simpson
Dan and Chris Simpson
Langis Sirois
Jeff and Angela Skevington
Dave Smythe
Daniel St. Hilaire
Mark Stabb and Caroline Schultz
Blair Stevens
Austin Taverner
Eve Ticknor
Kathryn Warner and Mike Enright
Sloane Watters
Laurie L. Wood
Eleanor Zurbrigg |
Further contributions were made by Tony Beck, Kathy Bissett, Bruce Di Labio, Georgina Doe, Dan Brunton, Sandy Garland, and Jeff Mills. |