Manor Park - Wildlife Sightings

I've been trying to determine what makes good Bobolink habitat. When I attended Mathis Natvik's presentation "Bringing Ontario’s Ecosystems To The Built Environment - Ecological landscaping for gardens large and small" at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden a couple of years ago, he was proposing urban meadows that would make good habitat for many open-field/rural birds.

 I'd ask people if they had seen bobolinks close to Ottawa - perhaps in the Agriculture Farm? - and discuss the habitat - why specifically hay? would any meadow do? - with others. I wondered if the open areas along the Parkways in Ottawa - especially around Manor Park, the Aviation Museum and the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre - would make good habitat. And today I have my answer by doing a bit of google searching. I tell you the internet is an amazing tool! 

Bird Sightings for July 1/06 to July 20/06 

Welcome nature lovers. Its been an extremely hot and humid two weeks. reports of sightings have been sent in. Favourite locations, eastern and rockliffe parkways have resulted in the following species of birds, been seen. Many yellow warblers, american redstarts, common yellowthroat, blue jays, killdeers, eastern meadowlark, kingbirds, bobolinks, savannah sparrows and cardinals. The pair of indigo buntings have not been seen for over a week but we are hopeful that they are still in the area. A Great Creasted Flycatcher was the highlite for this report. Also there are many wildflowers in full bloom and they are a delight to see. Butterflies are in abundance, notibles being the Monarch and Swallowtails. Watch for them they are amazing and extremely colourful. Further reports will follow. Bye for now.

From Manor Park Online 
by Dave Collyer (naturesencounters at rogers dot com)

Image from: Lees Birds dot com (©ramendan)


More about Urban Bobolink Habitat:

Ontario Bobolink Legislation (2012)

The Quest to Find an Urban Bobolink