Ottawa Area Birding: 3rd Shrike Survey + Cedar Hill with JC Birding

June 16, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

Barb C, Eleanor, Bill and I carpooled with Bill driving. No Barbara B today, we missed her. Driving to the first stop, Bill spotted a Brown Thrasher on the road and there was a Savannah Sparrow on the line. Once at the designated stop, Bill set up his equipment and gave us his instructions, listening and watching for all birds on whatever side of the road he indicated. Eleanor and Barb took one way and I took the other. But before we even started, we heard Wilson's Snipe, it sang the whole time we were there. But we never did see it. We walked 200 feet each way for a 20 minute duration, coming back to the car, I reported what I saw to Eleanor. They reported what they saw to me. Bill was only interested in certain birds, while I was interested in keeping a trip list for all birds on both sides of the road. Once done we moved on to the next sight and repeated the process. Lots of singing Meadowlarks, who not only sang their happy song "spring of the year' but another one completely different. Bobolinks were singing as well.

I did not hear any Brown Thrashers singing, I just saw them usually with a mouthful of food, so I guess tending to nestlings were their priority. Walking back to the vehicle on the first spot, I yelled to Bill, high in the sky on the other side of the road -- Broadwing hawk carrying a stick, yes Bill got the shot.

On one of the sights I watched an Eastern Bluebird feed one of its young. We had a few Field Sparrows, but not even close to the numbers we heard and saw the first time we were doing the survey - perhaps they were passing through. At two spots we heard Grasshopper Sparrow, but did not see them. As for Sparrows, we had a decent number --Song, Savannah, Swamp, Field, Chipping, Grasshopper, Vesper and House.

Between spots, we stopped at the Upland Sandpiper spot and Bill spotted one right away, we all got to see it despite the fact that the field had been sewn with corn, sometimes it was between rows running away from us, a fast moving little bird. As we got to the next spot, I spotted a yellow bird high in the tree a good distance away -- Magnolia Warbler. For me this was the best bird of the day, because it was totally unexpected, the rest of the group thought the Upland Sandpiper was, first seeing it this year for Eleanor.

At one of the spots Barb reported seeing a Bald Eagle, while walking back to the vehicle, I again called Bill, Great Blue Heron in the sky, yes he captured it.

Once we completed all the spots, we went down a road that we had previously seen Sandhill Crane and Vesper Sparrow. No Sandhill Crane but Vesper Sparrow. Now I got Eleanor's permission to tell you about the Vesper Sparrow. It was time for a health break for some of us, and Eleanor said she was going to use the trail and to keep our eyes forward. When she caught up to us, yeah she had heard the Vesper Sparrow, we bird all the time even during health breaks!!! Very focused.

We had lunch at Blakeney Park, a pretty little park on the Mississippi, complete with walking trails and outhouse. There we saw a beautiful butterfly - Baltimore Checkerspot and we had a Baltimore Oriole as well.

Off to Cedar Hill. We heard a very loud Ovenbird, in fact we heard several. Once parked we got out and looked for the Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers we always see there. Nope none. We walked the road, Eleanor played the mobbing tape, I saw a Yellow-throated Vireo very briefly but enough to identify the bird. Then a Scarlet Tanager flew in, such a beauty. Then a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, another beauty. We heard Eastern Wood-Pewee. Walking further and playing the mobbing tape again, we had a Black & White Warbler come in. We walked as far as a hunting camp, Bill walked over to the water -- he had his tick clothes on, the ladies did not, so we stayed on the gravelled area. Bill came back and said he had seen the Belted Kingfisher (we had heard it) and a Blue-headed Vireo briefly. Eleanor heard a Pine Warbler. We heard Veery, at first just part of the song, but after we played Veery, it answered with a complete song, but flew further away from us.

Walking back we saw a very big dog and his owners. We stopped to talk, and it turned out they owned 100 acres on either side of the road. Barb asked if the dog had his own room, no but he has his own chesterfield. Eleanor asked about the shoe tree. The lady told us it was a memorial for her brother who died of cancer 20 years ago, and she pointed to her brother's shoes. She said in the winter, the shoes often get filled with empty beer bottles. She pretty well knew who the shoes had belonged to. We asked about the Yellow bellied Sapsuckers, no they did not return this year -- too bad. She also said there was a very young deer still with 'polka dots' on him close to her house in the field of flowers. When we left we slowed down and watched but did not see the fawn.

We stopped for ice cream -- delicious. There were two older gents, enjoying their ice cream cones and when done, left on their very expensive motorcycles. The five span bridge was closed so we took Richie Side road to Dwyerhill then to the 417 home. Another good day of birding and Bill got his survey work done with 3 helpers.