Ottawa Area Birding: Eastern Fields to the St Lawrence with JC Birding

March 18, 2026

Birding Report by Jane Burgess

I got out of my vehicle to close the garage door and all I could hear was bird song - a large flock of European Starling singing. What a beautiful way to start the morning. I drove to the Bowman's place and once there I heard a Common Raven, then saw it fly over, calling all the while. I glanced over at his neighbours and saw an American Robin and a Northern Cardinal.

We met Barb C and Ken at Elmvale Acres shopping centre, they carpooled. Driving out of the shopping centre we saw a large flock of Rock Pigeons. Flying amongst them were 3 Ring-billed Gulls. There was an American Crow perched on a light standard.

Which way are we going to go to Milton, straight down Russell Road or via Ridge Road, Bill indicated Russell Road, but decided at the last minute to go via Ridge Road, no birds anywhere. As we turned onto Russell Road, we stopped to look at the Red-tailed Hawk in a tree. Always the optimist, I suggested seeing the hawk so early might be a good omen for the day. I had let Alan and Carol know we would meet them somewhere on Milton Road, wherever there was room to park. We stopped to check out the fields, yeah no open water, no birds. Further up we noticed the ditch water was flowing, but no birds. We drove past a silo looking for Common Raven nesting, nope. Later when we met up with Carol and Alan, they told us there was a Common Raven on the top of the silo not on the nest.

We met up with Carole and Alan at the bridge on Frank Kenny, there were lots of Canada Geese, no ducks with them. We checked out several flocks of Canada Geese, looking for the Greater White-fronted Goose that had been seen, nope did not see it. We drove over to Dunning and parked in front of the Commando Paintball establishment. There was lots of space to set up all the scopes, we checked and checked, Canada Geese only. I got a little bit bored so I started checking the trees, in the far distance we saw two Bald Eagles high in the trees.

Ken suggested with all these frozen fields perhaps we should drive south, for open water. We decided that would be the plan, however Carol and Alan did not want to make a full day of it, so they opted out. Bill suggested we check out Cobb Creek first. Off we went, Bill took Russell Road while Ken decided on a parallel road. We got to Cobb Creek first, to find a very small flock of Canada Geese. A call to Barb C found they were 20 minutes out, so we decided to meet them at Farren Park (We never got there).

Well we found lots of open water, but no birds. Finally after an hour + driving we ended up just in front of the Long Sault Parkway. Bill let's go there, it's usually pretty good. Well that was an understatement. On one side of the bridge nothing but Canada Geese, but on the other side, we hit pay dirt. Two close up Long-tail Ducks, such beautiful birds in breeding plumage. Lots of Common Goldeneye and Ring-neck Ducks. The Hooded Merganser males were in full breeding plumage. We watched 4 or 5 male Hooded Mergansers do their full courtship ritual for one female while she paid absolutely no attention to them. They would swim up close to her and extend their necks and somehow blow up their throats, shake their heads and open their beaks, sing and bob up and down. There were lots of Common Mergansers and I think only one Red-breasted Merganser. It was good seeing Redheads. Strangely I think we saw only one pair of Mallard, usually there are so many. There was a large flock of Canada Geese there as well, all of a sudden with a lot of noise, another flock of Canadas joined the swimming Geese. Directly in front of us a little Black-capped Chickadee was busy going from branch to branch singing Chick a dee dee dee. Love nature.

A man came over and spoke to us, he was a photographer from Metcalfe. We spoke for a while (I was doing the Barb C thing chatting him up). I called Barb and Ken to tell them where we were and what species we were seeing. They said they would be there in 20 minutes. As I spoke to the gentleman, a car pulled up and asked what we were seeing, I listed all the species for him. The woman in the passenger seat said there are Snow Geese at Glen Walter, they just landed there. Oh thank you we will go there. What goes around comes around.

Barb and Ken drove up and they too were so happy seeing all the ducks. We all had smiles on our faces, not sure there were smiles before that though at just seeing water and no birds.

We all had lunch and decided we would go to Glen Walter, wherever that was - the woman said it was east of Cornwall. Thank goods for GPS. Bill took the 401 while Ken took highway #2. We arrived at Glen Walter, drove past it, no Snow Geese, then all of a sudden Oh My Goodness, so many Snow Geese, what a wonderful sight, must have been between 4 and 5000 of them. The gentleman that we were talking to was also there. As I went back to the vehicle feeling one with the world.

Asked Bill what next, he made a suggestion. I went back to Ken and Barb's vehicle and told them. Barb handed me three wrapped candies, I gave one to the gentleman thanking him and the other two went to Barbara and Ken.

Our day finished on a very high note, seeing a Great Horned Owl on the nest.