American Wigeon at Mud Lake

December 26, 2015

It was another fairly mild day with no snow on the ground and the lake mostly open.  We knew that the wigeon were in the corner from an ebird posting.  But they was not in sight when we looked from the filtration plant side  So, after looking in vain for the Northern Mockingbird, we made our way around back of the lake and out to the first trail that leads to the water.  No luck there.  So we backtracked on a path we had never taken before as far as we could go towards the corner.  We got a glimpse, but realized we would have to get much closer for a photo op.  So we bushwhacked on several faint trails, but were always stymied by the ponds.  Finally we made our way back to the filtration plant side and they they were.  Had we waited them out, we could have saved a lot of trouble.  But it was fun exploring new paths.

Andrew Haydon Park

December 19, 2015

Not a rarity this time ,but still a nice bird, especially so close.  The Greater White-fronted Goose was in the west pond at Andrew Haydon Park, right at the shore.

The only other bird of note was a Greater Snow Goose swimming out in the middle with the Canada Geese.

Mountain Bluebird

December 13, 2015

Yes, another rarity for the Ottawa area, this one just east of Richmond.  We went out and saw a number of birders already there.  Before even parking, we saw the bird fly across and land on the fence along Century Road,  It did not allow close approach, but did not see overly bothered by our presence. 

It flew back and forth for a while stopping to catch a caterpillar.  Then it flew off.  We relocated it a half km down Goodstown Road.

Bullock's Oriole in Packenham

December 7, 2015

This is yet another rarity in the Ottawa area this year.  This one, from the west, stuck for several days in the unusual mild weather, giving us time to get out there for a look.

When we arrived, other birders told us it had just left and would certainly return in an hour or two.  So we waited...

The best vantage point is an apple tree close to the road.  But we went across the old railway bed and located it very briefly in an apple tree  over there.  It only stayed a few seconds, then bolted so the roadside tree.  Of course, it did not perch out in plain sight, but buried among the apples and branches.

Cackling Goose at Andrew Haydon Park

November 20, 2015

We stopped in to see if any water fowl were on the ponds.  There was not much, just a bunch of geese.  But wait, a kind gentleman pointed out a Cackling Goose to us.  There was no doubt.  The goose of the right is a Cackling.

Snow Geese at Winchester

Nov 15, 2015

There were good reports on OntBirds and it is an area we have never visited.  So off we went.  We found a few thousand by the lagoons, which is not bad.  Some were even close to the road, but when we stopped, they quickly moved off.