Ottawa Area Birding: Fishing Lake Road with JC Birding

May 21, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

Bill, Barbara and Guy drove in one vehicle and Richard and Jane in another. We were off shortly before 7:00. We stopped along Franktown Road, hoping to see Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark or Upland Sandpiper. Well we did see the Meadowlarks.

Once on Fishing Lake Road, we got down to birding. We heard both Red-eyed and Warbling Vireo, we did not bother to try and look for them. The Ovenbirds were singing loudly, Bill and I heard both the Golden-winged and Blue-Winged Warbler. Bill suggested we should go to the end of the road and focus on getting the Prairie Warbler. When we got there we focused and focused, we did not hear or see the Prairie Warbler. Let's move on. Not far from that spot, Richard had moved off the road and into a rocky area. What are you seeing -- Indigo Bunting Bunting. The Bunting flew in and around us a number of times, but then we heard a Black-billed Cuckoo calling. We played it and it came in and kind of stayed around us, flying here, there and everywhere where I could not get a decent photo, but we all saw it and saw it well. Such a good bird. We played Prairie Warbler in the same place nope, no response.

Along the way we saw Scarlet Tanagers a number of times, they are such pretty birds, we only saw males, maybe the females are on the nest. We also saw the Baltimore Orioles several times, another very pretty bird. Time to have lunch. Bill went off birding by himself, since he and Barbara and Richard had driven to the lunch spot while Guy and I walked. Bill asked me if I wanted to bird this road more or go to Opinion Road, Bill, let's bird down the hill and then go to Opinicon Road. Walking down the hill we saw the "usual" American Redstart, Northern Yellow Warbler, Nashville. We headed out and Richard stopped and reversed his vehicle and took out his binoculars and looked toward some evergreen trees. He said 'Grouse" my response where?, bottom of the tree on the right. We texted and tried to phone Bill, but there was no service. We took photos, my photos are great because of all the undergrowth. Bill had reversed his vehicle and unfortunately for them the bird decided to walk away at the time they arrived. Great eyes Richard!!!

We never did see Blue-winged Warbler or Golden-winged Warbler. Maybe next week.

Off we went, a Brown Thrasher flew by. We stopped at this house with a wonderful birding station. We were taking photos when the lady of the house came over and chatted with us, we asked if we could go on her property for photos. Yes was the response. Well, she had a good set up -- Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Field Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue Jay, Baltimore Oriole, Brown-headed Cowbird and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Wow what a lucky lady. Richard and Barbara were back at the vehicles when Richard mentioned there was an Eastern Bluebird around and he pointed to it. Wow again such a lucky lady to have all these wonderful birds at her place.

Driving Opinicon Road, Richard and I followed Bill's vehicle. Another lucky moment, a Broadwing hawk flew just behind Bill's vehicle and then perched on a tree at eye level, photo op and then flew to another tree at eye level. Lucky us. Bill returned but unfortunately for the first car's occupants the bird had flown away. We passed some lakes where we saw Map Turtles -- this area has a well-documented healthy population of them. We saw them sunning themselves at two different places. In the distance at one place we saw a Mute Swan. We stopped again for another hawk, again a Broadwing, no photos, but this time everyone saw it. We stopped again for Cerulean Warbler, dipped on that. Bill asked, "Do you want to bird or do you want to get an ice cream cone?" Ice cream won out. While enjoying the ice cream yet another Broadwing Hawk flew over and then a few minutes later did a second fly over for us. Who knows if it was the same Broadwinged Hawk flying around or if it was two or three hawks.

Bill and Barbara wanted to get home to pick up their grandson so off they went with Guy.

Richard and I took the road that parallel the highway to see if we could find the Northern House Wren - we just heard it. We checked the fields for Bobolinks and yes we got them, making Richard a happy fellow. On the highway, we did not stop at the swampy area, time was ticking. On the way home we saw an Osprey flying, we did not stop. But we did stop for a Kestrel on the hydro line and then it flew to the ground and then up and over to another hydro pole where it disappeared. Richard found where it had flown into a hole in the pole, guess that its nest, we did not see it fly out. On Franktown road we saw Barn Swallows and just before Richmond we stopped for our final bird -- Killdeer -- or at least that is what we thought -- at the storm water ponds we saw Common Mergansers.

Home may be late for Richard by 5:30. Richard let me know he found a tick on himself. That man must be a tick magnet, he got one last week.

While writing this report, I received a note from Guy saying he photographed a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker yesterday, making the total seen equal 57. Best day ever this season.