Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Al Caughey at [email protected]
Update for 2026.03.19 (season 1; episode 7) Welcome to the first day of spring (even if it is accompanied by an unwelcome snowfall). On the weather front, last Monday's surprising high of 16°C and winds from the south pushed a number of early migrants (Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and Turkey Vultures) into the region but later in the week, the cold temperatures and strong winds from north and east, likely caused many species to hold in place further to the south. The forecast for the coming week (cooler temps and several snowy days) suggests that it'll be a quiet week at the binoculars but there are still a number of good birds to see. The number of `notable` species remained at about 30 and the total number of species in the 50km circle rose by one to 106. Probably the most exciting appearance this past week was a drake Canvasback that was a one-day wonder at Brewer Park in Ottawa (there was another one with a Redhead just outside the 50km circle in Merrickville a few days later). The Tufted Titmouse in Ottawa was not seen again this week (but there was one reported in Kemptville) and for the first time in several months, there were no reports of the Western Meadowlark. Notable Birds: Snow Goose: 2 reports at 2 locations - Water St, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 18); Almonte Fairgrounds [Lanark] (Mar 17) Greater White-fronted Goose: 37 many reports at several locations - Riverfront Trail [Lanark] (Mar 20); Almonte Fairgrounds [Lanark] (Mar 17); Milton Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Dunning Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Dilworth Rd, [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Dunning Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 15); ; Frank Kenny Rd [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 14) Cackling Goose: 4 reports at 3 locations - Appleton Bay Park and Boat Launch [Lanark] (Mar 18); Storm Pond, Carleton Place, ON [Lanark] (Mar 16); Wilson St, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 13) Snow x Canada Goose (hybrid): 6 reports at 3 locations - Emerald Meadows storm water ponds [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 18); Dunning Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Cobb Lake Creek flood plain [Prescott and Russell] (Mar 16) Trumpeter Swan: 8 reports at several locations - Dilworth Rd [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 16); John Shaw Rd [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 15); Greenland Rd Hawkwatch [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Richmond ON [Ottawa] (Mar 14); Carp ON [Ottawa] (Mar 13) Tundra Swan: 3 reports at 2 locations - Boileau Rd, Curran ON [Prescott and Russell] (Mar 16); Cobb Lake Creek flood plain [Prescott and Russell] (Mar 16) Green-winged Teal: 4 reports on Dilworth Rd [Ottawa] (most recently Mar 12) Canvasback: 42 reports at Brewer Park [Ottawa] (Mar 12) plus another one-day wonder at the Merrickville Library in Leeds and Grenville (outside the 50km circle) on Mar 16 Greater Scaup: 9 reports at 5 locations - Riverain Park [Ottawa] (Mar 20); Stanley Park [Ottawa] (Mar 19); Strathcona Park [Ottawa] (Mar 18); Bate Island [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Britannia CA (general location) [Ottawa] (Mar 16) Barrow's Goldeneye: 17 reports at at several locations along the Rideau River in Ottawa (multiple dates; most recently Mar 20) - Riverain Park, Stanley Park, Rideau River Eastern/Western Pathways, Adàwe Crossing, Strathcona Park; Rideau Tennis Club Red-breasted Merganser: 2 reports at Britannia Yacht Club [Ottawa]; most recently on Mar 19 Sandhill Crane: 5 reports at 5 locations - Appleton Side Rd, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 19); Old Almonte Rd [Lanark] (Mar 18); Riverfront Trail [Lanark] (Mar 15); Ramsay Concession 12, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 15); Ramsay Con. 7B Farm field [Lanark] (Mar 13) Killdeer: 11 reports at Brewer Park [Ottawa]; most recently on Mar 12. Plus several more sightings in Ottawa and near Carleton Place Lesser Black-backed Gull: 6 reports on the Ottawa River at Parc Moussette [Gatineau] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 19) and Rapides Deschênes (incluant Parc) [Gatineau] (Mar 16) Pied-billed Grebe: 3 reports at Mississippi Riverwalk Trail [Lanark]; most recently on Mar 19 Horned Grebe: 26 reports at 8 locations - Remic Rapids Lookout [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 20); along the Rideau River at Adàwe Crossing, Strathcona Park, Riverain Park, Rideau Tennis Club [Ottawa] (Mar 19); Parc Moussette [Gatineau] (Mar 17); Britannia CA (general location) [Ottawa] (Mar 16) Double-crested Cormorant: 8 reports at 3 locations - Britannia CA (general location) [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 18); Clifford Allen Island [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 16); Lemieux Island [Ottawa] (Mar 15) Great Blue Heron: 2 reports at Stanley Park [Ottawa]; most recently on Mar 13 Golden Eagle: 10 reports at 9 locations - Rifle Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 18); Diamondview Rd, Kinburn ON [Ottawa] (Mar 17); Woods off of Derreen Ave [Ottawa] (Mar 17); Callendor Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Dilworth Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Magladry Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Cobb Lake Creek flood plain [Prescott and Russell] (Mar 15); Dunning Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Dolman Ridge Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 15) Red-shouldered Hawk: 4 reports at 3 locations - Ramsay Con 8, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 19); Klondike Rd [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 15); Stony Swamp NCC Trail 24 [Ottawa] (Mar 13) Red-bellied Woodpecker: reports at several locations - Rue de l'Alouette [Gatineau] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 16); Rue de Roberval [Gatineau] (Mar 13); plus several more in Ottawa and Lanark Northern Flicker: 3 reports at 2 locations - Britannia Ridge [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 15); Carleton Golf [Ottawa] (Mar 13) Eastern Phoebe: 4 reports at Mississippi Riverwalk Trail [Lanark]; most recently on Mar 19 Eastern Bluebird: 4 reports at 3 locations - Torbolton Ridge Rd and surrounding area. [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Klondike Rd area [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 13); Drummond Rd, Mississippi Mills ON [Lanark] (Mar 12) Hermit Thrush: 3 reports at 3 locations - Mississippi Riverwalk, east of McNeely Ave [Lanark] (Mar 19); Klondike Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Thresher Ave, Stittsville ON [Ottawa] (Mar 13) Pine Grosbeak: 9 reports at 8 locations - Cyrus Court [Ottawa] (Mar 19); Beacon Hill North-general area [Ottawa] (Mar 18); Singal St, Kanata, ON [Ottawa] (Mar 17); Mohrs Rd [Ottawa] (Mar 16); Watts Creek Pathway [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Mohrs Rd, Arnprior ON [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Britannia CA (general location) [Ottawa] (Mar 15); Torbolton Ridge Rd and surrounding area. [Ottawa] (Mar 15) Fox Sparrow: 5 reports at Stony Swamp (Sarsaparilla Trail) [Ottawa]; most recently on Mar 19 White-crowned Sparrow: 9 reports at 2 locations - Fernbank Rd [Ottawa] (multiple dates; most recently Mar 19); Riverside South stormwater ponds [Ottawa] (Mar 19) Eastern Meadowlark: a single report at the solar farm on Hwy 29 near Carleton Place [Lanark] on Mar 14 Good birding! Al -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at [email protected]. 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