Ottawa Area Birding: Mud Lake, Andrew Haydon and Remic Rapids with JC Birding

September 14, 2023

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

JC birding had a good sized group today, including the C of JC birding, yes Connie joined us. We were Barb C, Barb and Bill, Ken, Eleanor, Connie and me. We arrived at Mud Lake at 7:30 and close to us on the lake were Mallards, Canada Geese and Wood Ducks, much further out Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Pied-billed Grebe and a Green heron. We walked to the pines, really nothing, then we walked to the river, Mallards, one Red-breasted Merganser, Canada Geese and a fly by of two Belted Kingfishers doing their rattle call. Ken suggested going up to the ridge, Connie said she would check out the road and instructed us to send any warblers we see down to her!! The first half of the ridge was okay, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Tennessee. We spent 10 minutes looking at an Eastern Phoebe. At the west end, we hit pay dirt -- lots of warblers - Nashville, Redstart, Black-throated Green, Bay-breasted, Magnolia, Parula, Cape May as well as two Red-eyed Vireos flying about and we heard a Warbling Vireo. There were other birders and photographers there and speaking with them we found out about where a Screech Owl was located as well as a Great-horned Owl. Mike T. came along and of course he was the only one who saw the Orange-crowned Warbler. By the time we left Mud Lake we had 37 species on our list. Not bad for mid September.

Next we went to Ottawa Beach to look at the Screech Owls. We had our fingers crossed we would see them. Honestly one would have to be blind not to see it. We followed our instructions and really all we had to do was look for the people. We saw the red phase Screech Owl. There is a gray phase owl as well, but it did not make itself visible.

We drove to Andrew Haydon, we could have walked, but then we would have had to walk back to the cars.... Lots to be seen at the water, two Wilson Snipes were behind a log, one could see a set of feet on one of the birds and the other bird you could see the head. Then one moved and we could see the whole bird, it was seen beside a Lesser Yellowlegs. The big pull to the area was the Sanderling and it was feeding with Semipalmated Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers. As well there were Semipalmated Plovers and Killdeer. Connie was scanning the reeds and said oh Jane what is this, oh I said that chicken like bird with a small beak, Chris L. said Sora, Yes a Sora. Good find. We also had lots of ducks, many Wood Ducks and Mallards as well as 2 Shovelers, several Green-winged Teal and Blue-winged Teals and maybe 5 or 6 Widgeons. There was also a single Great Egret.

Time for lunch even though it was 11:30. We were all cold and maybe eating in a warm car would help raise our temperatures. I invited Connie and Eleanor to join me in Barb C's car. We chatted and Bill came over and asked about our plans. We told him and a few minutes later he left. We quickly made our way to our respective vehicles. Connie left us at this point. When we left Andrew Haydon Park we had added 14 more species.

We headed to Remic Rapids to see if we could find the Great Horned Owls. We looked in the woods focused on finding the owl, but then we started seeing song birds. First up was an Eastern Wood-pewee, then a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, White-breasted Nuthatch and American Goldfinch. Eleanor found a Brown Creeper. The best, best find was the Blue-headed Vireo. We had not checked out the pines near the kiosks, so we walked the beach area, and a Bald Eagle flew overhead. We dipped on the Great-horned Owl, but we found that the area was quite good birding wise. None of us had birded the area, Bill had come here to photograph an owl but that was it. We all decided it was time to stop birding and go home for something warm to drink, the time was about 1:45. We all left with big smiles on our faces.

All in all 60 species, a simply great day of birding. Yes the weather was cool and it was cooler when we were near the water. I was very cold when I got home, but did I ever consider going home because I was cold, I don't think so.