The First Spring Arrivals - Ottawa West with Tony Beck

March 19, 2013  8:00 am

With the wintry weather and fresh snow falling, it did not bode well for spring arrivals.  However, there was a good turnout, considering: Tony, Nina, Roger, Josh, Antonia, Pavel and me.

At the Coliseum meeting place, we got our first spring bird - a Ring-billed Gull!  With the poor driving conditions, Tony decided to stay close, and we headed for Mud Lake.  We saw some birds, but the steadily falling snow kept the cameras away.

We looked for the Great-horned Owl, but it was not in the usual place.  Tony found it a few trees over, looking pretty much the same as always.  We checked the ridge, then headed for Hilda Road via Tim Horton's.

At Hilda, we got Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles in addition to the winter species.

We went to March Valley Road where we saw a Great Gray Owl perched on the fence and in a tree.  Out came the cameras!

Bird List

1. Ring-billed Gull
2. American Crow
3. Mallard
4. American Black Duck
5. Northern Cardinal
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Great-horned Owl
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Canada Goose
10. Common Goldeneye
11. Brown Creeper (Nina)
12. American Robin (Tony)
13. Downy Woodpecker
14. Hairy Woodpecker
15. Red-winged Blackbird
16. Common Grackle
17. Blue Jay
18. American Tree Sparrow
19. Common Redpoll
20. Hoary Redpoll
21. Great Gray Owl