Hello Ontbirders As expected, my annual "Canada Day" quest for the first fall migrants has proved productive. At the Almonte Sewage Lagoons, among the many ducks, Killdeer and Spotted Sandpipers, we found three adult Least Sandpipers and one adult Solitary Sandpiper. The best lagoon can be viewed from the road. However, it's drying up quickly.
At the Burnside Pit, south of Trail Road, there were two adult Caspian Terns (mildly rare for Ottawa). Happy Fall...oops, I mean Summer. Tony Directions to Almonte Sewage Lagoons (in part, courtesy of Larry Neily): >From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 155 (March Road or Regional Road 49). Turn onto March Road and follow it for 16.0 km through Almonte. The lagoons are on the right side, just past the crossroads of Hwy 49/16/15/29. Directions to Burnside Pit (courtesy of Larry Neily): >From Highway 416 take exit 66 (Fallowfield Road). If southbound, a 0.4 km offramp dumps onto Fallowfield, where you will turn right or west. If northbound, the 0.4 km offramp brings you to Fallowfield, where you will turn left or west onto it and in 0.5 km join the southbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow Fallowfield Road west for an additional 0.4 km to reach Moodie Drive. Turn left or southeast onto Moodie Drive and go 5.3 km, passing Cambrian Road to reach the Burnside Pits (second gate on the left). Park along the side of the road without blocking the access. Warning: This site is private property and is an active quarry. The owners do not want birders to enter their property and interfer with operations. Trucks and machinery operate here on workdays. And please don't block the roads into the quarry. Birding can be accomplished from the roadside, which overlooks the pond, especially with a good scope.
