West End Snowy Owls with Always and Adventure

Feb 25, 2014

Today there were Rick, Josh, me, Tony and Nina.

We began at the Sarsaparilla Trail where we only saw a few common species.  So we soon headed out towards Richmond to look for Snowy Owls.

We were not disappointed!  The first one was low in a tree close to the road.  Another was on a utility pole and a third was on a distant fence post.

We carried on to Munster Side Road, then returned via Trail Road Dump.  Finally we went to Hilda, where there were an incredible 4 Snowshoe Hares.

Bird List

1. Mourning Dove
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. Red-breasted Nuthatch
4. Northern Shrike
5. Snow Bunting
6. Wild Turkey
7. Horned Lark
8. Blue Jay
9. Common Raven
10. Red-tailed Hawk
11. European Starling
12. American Crow
13. Hairy Woodpecker
14. Downy Woodpecker
15. Dark-eyed Junco
16. White-breasted Nuthatch

East End Snowy Owls Take 2

Feb 23, 2014

The Venturers were in the Adirondacks, and we were returning by Cornwall - a perfect opportunity to check out the Snowy Owls.

We found one right away on a utility pole, but it took off before everyone got a good look.

Then Austin noticed several cars on a side road which could only mean one thing - another Snowy.  We drove down and were disappointed to see several photographers out in the field close to the owl in a low bush.  After a few minutes, the owl flew down to the ground a short distance away.  One of the photographers started to head back to the car, and the owl flew right up behind him looking for a handout.

We had seen enough, and it was time to go home anyway.

East End Snowy Owls

Feb 17, 2014

Even with hundreds in the Ottawa area, I had not seen many.  So I decided my best bet was the usual location in the east end near Casselman.

I saw a distant one in a field on the ground.  Then a second one on a snow bank.  Finally a third one on a utility pole.  Success!

The Gatineau Escarpment & The Steel Line with Always an Adventure

Thursday Feb 6

Just Josh and I braved the cold to ride with Tony & Nina today.  The number of birds seen was low, but 3 Golden Eagles and 2 Bald Eagles made for a great day in the field.  We also had a few Red-tailed Hawks and single Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Shrike.

Bird List

1. Wild Turkey
2. Red-tailed Hawk
3. House Sparrow
4. American Crow
5. Blue Jay
6. European Starling
7. Rock Pigeon
8. Snow Bunting
9. Golden Eagle
10. Common Raven
11. Bald Eagle
12. Purple Finch
13. American Goldfinch
14. Rough-legged Hawk
15. Northern Shrike
16. Bufflehead
17. Common Goldeneye
18. Common Merganser

OFO trip for Ottawa Winter Birds

Jan 19, 2014

This trip was led by Roy John with help from Bev McBride, Dave Moore and Bob Cermak.

(notes by Roy John)

"Thirty-eight resilient birders faced -5 C temperatures with a really nasty wind that made it seem much colder, and many snow flurries obscuring our view, to see 29 species of bird.  Ottawa has not been bird friendly this winter so the going was tough, with even common birds hard to find.  

That said we had a good day with the highlights being Barrow's Goldeneye (2 m 1 f), Snowy Owl (4), Glaucous Gull, Northern Shrike and a flock of 30 Cedar Waxwings in a "cedar"! (Juniperus sp., ornamental). This species is usually scarce in Ottawa in winter. We also saw two gatherings of wind-blown Snow Buntings, probably about 100 in total.

We started off at Bate Island where the Ottawa River is open, and continued along the river to the Hilda Ave. feeders near Shirley's Bay, then March

Valley Road and then south along Moodie Dr. to the Richmond area, visiting the Trail Rd. landfill site en route."

 

Snowy Owl Hunt

Jan 4, 2014

With so many reports out there, we decided to check the west end ourselves.   We went to Fallowfield, Richmond, Rushmore, Eagleson, Shea and Brownlee without seeing one.  We took Barnsdale back towards home when we spotted a birder with a scope at the corner of Twin Elm.  He confirmed that a Snowy Owl was just down Twin Elm.  Sure enough, it was perched on the roof of the rugby stadium.

 

 

 

 The next day we went snowshoeing in Kanata and saw a nice Red-tailed Hawk on March Valley Road.

Rideau Tennis Club

Dec 13, 2013

Just a quick stop on a frigid morning to see if a Barrow's Goldeneye could be seen.  No luck, but plenty of Common Goldeneye in good light.  I was surprised at the paucity of open water so early in the winter.