Hi there, did you read Doug's estimated number of Buntings, WOW! If Jean was one of the group there should be some nice pictrues.

Today most ducks were in large rafts at the mouth of Presqu'ile Bay and offshore from Chatterton Pt and the staffhouse. 186 Mute Swan 48 Canada Goose 4 Gadwall 1 American Wigeon 126 Canvasback 322 Redhead 11,000 Greater Scaup - big increase from a few days ago (just for the record, the number is an actual estimate) 3 W-w Scoter 2470 Long-t Duck 92 Bufflehead

There were an estimated 2,000+ ducks on Dalrymple Lake (mainly Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks and Common Mergansers). Wood Ducks and both Blue and Green-winged Teal were seen elsewhere. There were a couple of Greater Yellowlegs in casual water. Most of the birds were seen on Wylie Road, but the rails and owl were seen on Prospect Road.

Although it is difficult to estimate counts the combined total was certainly well in excess of the large flock we saw near Metz. Our impression would be of two to three thousand individuals. Directions to the Snowy Owl: From Highway 401 take Highway 8 north to Highway 85.

We estimated a few hundred Black Bellied Plover, ~50 Dunlin, ~20 Ruddy Turnstones and approximately 10 Semipalmated Plover. These fields are extremely large and the haze and the winds made it very difficult to get any kind of accurate count. Birds were also seen on the east side of the Merlin Road, approximately 2 km north of #3.

Unfortunately it was flushed by a passing truck and flew off to the southwest, but I would estimate that it numbered 800 to 1,000 birds - by far the largest flock I've seen in the Ottawa area (and Ontario for that matter). All that I could see as they flew were white phase.

They were successful in finding the sharp-tails and estimate that maybe 10 or 12 were in the marshy area to the north and west of the dike on the KFN property. The only new passerine of note this week was Pine Siskin; a couple of reports indicate that the migration reported elsewhere in the province is also occurring locally.

I conservatively estimated a total of about 200 robins at the extreme tip when we left. We then went to the Visitor Centre and were surprised to find upwards of another 100 robins in the vicinity. Later, there were some found near the entrance to the DeLaurier Trail. I've never seen so many robins at one site in the winter.

I use the term "heavy concentration", as I have no way of estimating the numbers, likely in the 10's of thousands. On the way back home to Ottawa we saw several hundred snow geese in a good number of skeins flying north in the area of Apple Hill. Jim Robertson Ottawa Directions (courtesy of Brian Morin) Take Hwy 401 to Lancaster (exit 814).

The Red-necks are now in the hundreds with a very rough estimate of 500+ birds, most of which were off the west in the bay and further out on the lake towards Marie Curtis. I wonder what the numbers are like off of areas like the Toronto Islands, Rattray's Marsh and Bronte Harbour? Anyone?