Ottawa Area Birding

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Flowers, Fish, Warblers, Water Birds & Eagles at the Lake

July 4-5, 2026

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

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.

Species Noted

European Starling
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Yellow Warbler
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Savannah Sparrow
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Kingbird
Baltimore Oriole
Black-capped Chickadee
Common Grackle
Warbling Vireo
Northern House Wren
Wilson's Snipe
Gray Catbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Tree Swallow
Blue Jay
Great-crested Flycatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Canada Goose
Pileated Woodpecker
Alder Flycatcher
Swamp Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Chipping Sparrow
Rock Pigeon
Upland Sandpiper
Magnolia Warbler
Turkey Vulture
Common Raven
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
White-breasted Nuthatch
Grasshopper Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Flicker
House Sparrow
Killdeer
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Vesper Sparrow
Ovenbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee
American Redstart
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Pine Warbler
Belted Kingfisher
Veery
Black & White Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Ring-billed Gull
Broad-wing Hawk
Wild Turkey

Critters Noted

White-tail Deer
Tree Frog
Groundhog

Saturday, June 13, 2026

First Loon Count

June 13, 2026

With our big boat ready at last, we made an early morning Loon Count. We found 4 potential pairs and one solo for a total of 9. This was a slight improvement from last year. One was on the nest at Seagull Rocks. We also saw a flyover of an adult bald Eagle carrying food. There were about 30 Commo Terns also vying for nest spots on Seagull Rocks.

A Common Merganser visited our dock.

We checked out the Jack-in-the-Pulpits that the boys had discovered last week by the creek.

Thursday, June 11, 2026

Marais aux Grenouillettes etc with JC Birding

June 11, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

We picked up Guy shortly after 7 and proceeded to des Laiches E. As we were driving down to the marsh the fields on both sides of the road were alive with the sounds of Bobolink and we got to see some as well. About half way down there were 4 Turkey Vultures perched on an old fence. Tree Swallows were hawking for insects. We parked and the first thing in order was to put on our rubber boots, it was quite damp. The wet grass came up to my waist and yes our trousers got wet.

I think we saw 4 American Bitterns, at least that many Black-crowned Night-herons. In fact we had a very cooperative Night-heron perch on a dead tree while we all took its photograph. We heard Sandhill Cranes, I looked and looked through my scope, Bill looked and looked but we did not see them, But Bill and Barbara saw them fly by, Guy and I did not. We saw a Pied-billed Grebe far away, they were singing but deep in the reeds. We heard Common Gallinule as well, but I guess they were shy birds, they did not make an appearance. Guy and I walked quite a distance on the path, or what we will call a path. The 'path' is riddled with ruts and one had to watch where they walked and of course this interferes with birding. Looking down at your feet, never gets you birds. We heard a Belted Kingfisher and saw two Gray Catbirds. Of course there were many, many Song Sparrows. Of course I should not mention this, but it was Guy's turn to fall because of the ruts. Walking back to the vehicle, we had a flyby of a Great Egret and a Double-crested Cormorant.

We spent about an hour and half there. The weather wasn't too bad, overcast but not raining.

Next up was des Grenouilletres (I call it froggy marsh). Driving down the road to the marsh, there were no Bobolinks to be heard, not far from the first place, but the habitat was a bit different. Our rubber boots were definitely needed here. Bill went to check the river, nothing. Guy and I were a bit ahead and we saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. About half way the path turned muddy and lots of puddles, very slippery, but this time no one fell. Hand holding was necessary. Finally got to the viewing place, oh our big find a Mallard, but after some looking we found two Common Gallinules. We walked to the Ottawa River. Bill and Guy saw two Painted Turtles. What we all observed was the lack of frogs, yes we saw some Leopard Frogs, but when I first went there may be 15 or 20 years ago, there were so many frogs all over the place. I of course goggled it - the frog decline seen at this marsh is the same reason driving the global amphibian crisis, habitat destruction, agricultural pollution, climate change and infectious diseases. But pollution and pesticides could be a cause since amphibians have highly permeable skin, they readily absorb agricultural runoff, toxic chemicals, and industrial pollutants from the water. As well there is a deadly aquatic pathogen that is the primary driver of the mass frog extinctions worldwide. Enough said. So sad.

Coming back to the vehicle I think we were several inches tall, given all the mud and guck on our boots. We all took time to semi clean them off and we changed into our other shoes.

Next stop was the Water treatment plant at Masson. Wow has that area changed, so much industrialization, we drove up to the lagoons, absolutely no birds. The only thing there was a very pungent odour!!!!!

As we were turning onto the highway, a Pileated Woodpecker flew by.

Onto Parc Plaisance. Lunch was in order. It was getting very hot and muggy. The park office was closed so we all saved the $10.00 entrance fee. Trust me we gave at least $10.00 worth of sweat coming back. We walked the path, hearing warbling vireo and red eyed vireo. We did see a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches. We very clearly heard a Baltimore Oriole, but finding it was, well we never did find it. We walked to the viewstand, up we went, to find Canada Geese with teenage babies, a single Great Blue Heron, who was obviously very hot (it held its wings in a very odd way) and a single very far away Wood Duck.

Walking back, I think we all felt like we were melting, the steps came slowly, the heat was draining. We all heard an Alder Flycatcher - its song is free beer, I am sure some of us thought that a Free Beer was a good idea. I tried calling the Alder in, yes two small birds came in right away, but they picked a tree that we could hardly see the little birdies.

Back at the car, I asked about where Barbara was . She was off cleaning the mud off her shoes. I decided to go help, wow there was lots and lots of mud in the sink and on her shoes. We both worked at it and they were much cleaner (but not clean) when we stopped. The sink was cleaned (I learned in Girl Guides to leave the place the way we found it) and off we went home. No ice cream today.

It was pretty hot -- 31 degrees and I don't know what it was with the humidex. Birders are hardy souls, we had a wonderful day despite the heat.