8:00- 10:00am (approx.)
Leader: Janet McCullough
Location: Andrew Haydon Park West (west of the pond)
Meeting: Please join Janet McCullough for some mid Fall bird migration along the Ottawa River at Andrew Haydon Park. We are hoping for some continued shorebird migration as well as waterfowl. A lifelong birder and member of the OFNC Bird Committee, Janet has lead a number of bird outings and given presentations for local organizations, sharing her knowledge, enthusiasm, and deep love of birds.
Bring binoculars, camera, spotting scope if you have one.
Please no dogs.
Maximum 20 participants. Email membership@ofnc.ca to register.
Location: There is plenty of parking at 3685 Wilhaven Drive and 3640 Ottawa Regional Road #174. https://maps.app.goo.gl/
Visitors with strollers or wheelchairs can enter through the Forest Edge Field Centre at 3640 Ottawa Regional Road #174. https://maps.app.goo.gl/
Take a hike through the trails and discover the biodiversity of this unique site, which is part of the Environment & Climate Change Canada’s Beckett Creek Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Bring your binoculars, camera, magnifying lenses and your curiosity! Normally this 425-acre classroom is only open to the public to explore once a year. But this school year being MacSkimming’s 60th Anniversary, there will be another Open Trails Day on Saturday May 8th, 2027.
Visitor information:
-
Visitors are welcome to bring a lunch or picnic.
-
Campfires are available if you’d like to bring marshmallows for roasting.
-
Leashed dogs are welcome to join your adventure!
-
We encourage all visitors to wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, socks and proper outdoor shoes to allow you to be active and protect yourself from mosquitoes and ticks. Sunscreen and bug spray are also recommended.
Leader: Paul Calvert and/or Brett Stevens
Meet: MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre, Forest Edge Field Centre, 3640 Ottawa Regional Road #174. This is the northern entrance to MacSkimming, not the southern entrance. We will meet at the Outdoor Classroom, which is a log pavilion a short walk down the trail from the parking lot.
Description: After a short introductory talk, we will explore along the trails to find mushrooms and other fungi. Participants are encouraged to photograph what they see, and post their observations to the MacSkimming Centre’s iNaturalist Biodiversity project: MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre · iNaturalist.
Later in the morning, we will return to the Outdoor Classroom to observe the diversity of fungi that participants found. If you collect specimens for the group to see, you will need a basket and small paper bags (not plastic) to carry what you collect. A field guide, camera, magnifier/hand lens and protection from mosquitoes and ticks might be helpful. Privies are available. Bring water and dress for the weather. If you bring a lunch, you might want to stay for the day. MacSkimming’s Open Trails Day goes from 9am – 3pm.
South Nation Conservation is hosting a tree planting event at the Findlay Creek boardwalk. There are a few spots available for volunteers to register and help plant trees. TD Tree Days has launched registration on their website here: Findlay Creek Boardwalk, Leitrim Wetland | TD Tree Days . All the details are on the webpage.
Location: Zoom. All OFNC members are welcome. Please first register by following this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/2FptAN37ROqFJjA7DX8cSw
The Book: Is a River Alive? A Journey with Water (2025) by Robert Macfarlane
Description from the publisher: “At the heart of Is a River Alive? is a single, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use, but living beings, who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Macfarlane takes the reader on a mind-expanding global journey into the history, futures, people and places of the ancient, urgent concept.
Is A River Alive? is at once a literary work of art, a rallying cry and a catalyst for change. It is a book that will open hearts, spark debates and challenge perspectives. A clarion call to re-centre rivers in our stories, law and politics, it invites us to radically re-imagine not only rivers but life itself. At the heart of this vital, beautiful book is the recognition that our fate flows with that of rivers—and always has.”
Is a River Alive? is the OFNC Book Club Pick for September and October. It will be the focus of the book club’s meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
If you’d like to be added to the book club’s mailing list (which allows you to vote for future books), please email ofncbookclub@gmail.com with your name and email address.
All Events
The OFNC’s Events Committee plans an extensive program of monthly meetings, workshops, day trips, and longer excursions for the education and interest of our members.
The OFNC website calendar contains the most up-to-date information on events. Please check it regularly for additions or changes to events. Some weather- and year-dependent events can only be announced at the last minute, via the website and by email to members.
Many events require participants to register. Please consult the details in the event description.
Please read
Guidelines for participants on field trips
Field Trips
Field trips to natural areas in our region and beyond take place all year round. OFNC events are for members only. Prospective members with interest in attending should contact the trip leader in advance. For some events, participation is limited and members will be given priority. All participants will be asked to sign a waiver. Times given for events are departure times. Please arrive earlier, as leaders start promptly. If you need a ride, please contact the leader.
Please bring a lunch on full-day trips and dress according to the weather forecast and activity. Please always wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Binoculars and/or spotting scopes are essential on all birding trips. Unless otherwise stated, transportation will be by carpool.
Trip Waiver
There can be risks associated with any recreational pursuit. Before you participate in nature walks and similar outdoor activities, we will ask you to read and sign a statement in which you assume the risk of the activity and release the OFNC from liability for any loss, damage or injury, however caused and whether or not contributed to by the OFNC’s negligence. This assumption of risk and release includes any minors accompanying you.
Monthly Meetings
Our monthly meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month except July and August. You can attend in-person or virtually on Zoom. Doors open at 7 pm; presentation begins at 7:30 pm. The venue is City View Church, 6 Epworth Avenue (off Merivale near Meadowlands). Zoom registration links are posted in each monthly meeting’s event notice above.
Watch past OFNC presentations on YouTube.
Events oriented to all ages
Kids are welcome on all of our trips. We highlight particular hikes as “oriented to all ages” or “especially kid-friendly” as these are most likely to be enjoyed by typical children. Depending on your child(ren)’s interests and stamina, please feel free to bring them along on any events. For events tailored to kids, check out the Macoun Field Club.
Guidelines for participants on field trips
The following guidelines were prepared by the Events Committee. They reflect common sense and experience and make field trips more enjoyable for all.
- READ the excursion announcement and register if required. Make notes of the meeting place and be on time.
- BE PREPARED. If the trip notice calls for binoculars, insect repellent, lunch, etc., bring them. Preparation against insects and ticks is essential if you want to enjoy the trip, especially in May and June. A hat, long sleeves, gloves and a turned-up collar may help. If you depend on insect repellent, we recommend one containing DEET (in various concentrations). However, if you do apply insect repellant, please refrain from touching any insects or amphibians. Especially sensitive persons may find a head net or ‘bug jacket” useful.
- DRESS APPROPRIATELY. Always dress for comfort. Traditional sources of discomfort for beginners are unsuitable footwear and clothes that are too good for mud, snags and grass stains. Bush wear and comfortable hiking boots or shoes are best for nature rambles. For cold weather Spring and Fall trips, wear wool socks (with a spare pair) and hiking boots or water-proof winter boots. If the trip calls for wading in cold water, use rubber boots with insoles and wool socks. For Summer exploration of wetlands, wear canvas running shoes and bring a change of footwear for the trip home.
- COOPERATE with your leader(s). On a trail, stay behind the leader and let him/her set the pace and direction. Do not expect special treatment for you or your children; the leader is not a babysitter. Please INFORM THE LEADER if you wish to leave the group for any reason.
- DO NOT TRAMPLE THE VEGETATION; it may not recover until the next season, if then.
- AVOID COLLECTING, PICKING AND DIGGING. Removing natural objects from the trail leaves it poorer for others. If your leader says that it is okay to collect specimens, move off the trail to take them but always ask permission if you are on private land. Collecting on NCC property, including the Greenbelt and Gatineau Park, is illegal without a permit.
- SAVE YOUR GARBAGE and dispose of it later. Apple cores are biodegradable but they make a trail unsightly, and habituate wildlife to humans as a food source.
- BE A RESPONSIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER. Be aware of the damage you may cause by altering the physical environment to improve your picture. Do not take pictures at the expense of the wildlife.
- DO NOT BROADCAST the location of rare or valuable flora and fauna.
- RESPECT ACCESS to private property; it may have been specially arranged for the trip. Do not assume that you have a right to go back without permission.
- DO NOT BRING PETS; they are neither appropriate nor welcome on field trips.
- DOUBLE UP IN CARS if possible usually at the meeting place. This saves fuel and makes it easier for the leader to keep track of people. Observe the normal etiquette for driving and parking if the “cavalcade” stops for an observation.
- USE COMMON SENSE. The trip could be spoiled for everyone if you are lost or injured.
- IS THIS OUTING REALLY FOR YOU? Don’t go if you have doubts about your physical capacity to undertake the trip – it is unfair to others. Persons with a disability should bring a responsible companion if required. Inform the leader of your limitations before the trip starts.
- REFUND of a fee for a trip, if applicable, will be made only in exceptional circumstances.
CHILDREN are welcome on field trips and are subject to the same rules as anyone else and should be with a responsible adult. Any special restrictions on activities should be explained to children before the trip begins. Children too young or too active to be reasonably quiet on a bird walk should be taken on other kinds of trips.