Ottawa Area Birding: Eastern Fields with JC Birding

March 25, 2025

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We met up with Eleanor at Elmvale Acres and as we were driving out of the shopping centre I received a call from Ann G wondering where we were. We met up with Ann G and Guy at Anderson and Russell Road. She had her scope up and announced 2 Greater White-fronted Geese. I love it when I get to a birding spot and the work is done for me. Eleanor put up her scope to check out the area and she found a 3rd GWFG. Beauty. Meanwhile I went to text Alan and Carole, who were waiting for us on Milton Rd, about the GWFG. I returned and they had also found Mallard, Northern Pintail, Wood Duck and our 1st shorebird of the season Killdeer. Eleanor, will you report the GWFG, her response was you have DISCORD, so I ended up reporting on DISCORD while Eleanor reported on ebird.

We drove to Milton Road where of course we saw thousands of Canada Geese, and Alan and Carole had located 4 Tundra Swan. While we were driving off, I saw a large bird with flat wings - Bald Eagle - as it flew over the Canada Geese, they all flew skyward.

We drove down Pereault in hopes of seeing Eastern Meadowlark. Nope we did not see them. But while we were stopped the 3 Belgian horses came over to see what we were doing. Ann, Guy and Barbara went over to say hello and to pet them. We heard bird sounds but decided the song was coming from European Starling..

At Giroux pond, we were not impressed with what they have done with the pond there. I am not at all sure if they are filling it in or just what. Where there used to be a spit where we would see shorebirds and waterfowl, is just no more. Progress, NOT. Further down the road we saw a good sized flock of Wild Turkeys.

On Dunning we saw a male Northern Harrier, then we saw another one shortly thereafter. Ann and Guy did not see either of them but they saw a female Northern Harrier later.

We saw a medium sized flock of Snow Geese, a lifer for Guy. We made our way to Cobb Creek where we saw a flock of about 8000 Snow Geese. I just love it when they raise us and churn about and then light again. This is what I enjoy so much and it is a truly amazing sight to see. So for a lifer for Guy he saw at least 9000 Snow Geese, not bad. Along with the Snow Geese there were Ring-necked Ducks and Northern Pintails.

We decided we would go to St Isidore, on the way we stopped to see our first Eastern Meadowlark of the season. Spotting a Meadowlark is easy, if it is flying, watch for white outer tail feathers and listen to their beautiful song -- spring of the yeeear. While approaching the lagoon more Snow Geese were seen in the sky. There was really nothing at the lagoon.

On the way to Lafleche Road we saw Turkey Vultures and some Horned Larks. There is a sod farm there, but today it looked like it was a peat moss farm. Disturbing. At this point Ann and Guy left us. We proceeded to the Moose Creek Lagoon for lunch. The lagoon was still frozen but there were many Canada Geese flying in, After lunch we decided to head home, nothing at Crysler and at the Embrun Lagoons just Canada Geese.

Last bird to be seen was a Black-capped Chickadee at the feeder at my place.

The weather was cold. I had checked the forecast and it indicated the temperature would be 1 degree with the windchill factor -3, clearly wrong, it was much colder. Like we were back to a cold day in the winter. I am still shivering and I got home 3 hours ago. But we did see 28 species. Snow Geese, Killdeer, Great White-fronted Geese, Meadowlark, Northern Harrier -- life is good.

We saw no critters today.