Nature Walk at Riverwood Park, Sunday, April 21, 2024
It was a bit cool and overcast but over 35 people showed up before 10 o’clock to explore the natural area at the corner of Riverside Rd and Hunt Club. Owen Clarkin, Chair of Conservation for the OFNC was leading the walk, in collaboration with Andrei Grushman from the Hunt Club Community Association. The most direct route from our meeting spot at Kimberwick and Chancellor was too muddy to use so the group went the long way around up to [...]
Introduction to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and the Ottawa Region: Overview and Data Entry
With peak breeding season a few weeks away, the fourth year of the Third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is about to kick into high gear. If you have registered as a participant but want to know more about the Atlas and how to share your observations, I hope you will participate in a virtual meeting on Zoom at 1930 on Monday 15 April 2024. The meeting will provide an Introduction to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas in the Ottawa Region, [...]
A Message from Atlas Headquarters
Attention Ottawa area Atlassers! Help us celebrate the start of Year 4 by joining us in Kemptville on April 21. You'll get a chance to learn more about the Atlas, practice atlassing, and meet other atlassers! April 21, 9:30am - 12:30pm: North Grenville Municipal Centre, Kemptville For more information and to register: https://www.birdsontario.org/year-4-kickoff-weekend/
Ottawa birders come together to support a rare visitor
Photo by Aaron Hywarren. The hardy male Western Tanager that was frequenting the West Hunt Club community of Ottawa since late November, perished as a result of a window strike early in the evening of Saturday 23 March 2024. This was the first time this species has ever been recorded in Ottawa, and the Ontario Field Ornithologists was pleased to be able to create the conditions necessary to accommodate both the privacy concerns of the local residents, and [...]
Your gateway to the latest in Canada’s natural history
By Jessica Sims, Book Review Editor for The Canadian Field-Naturalist Did you know that as part of your membership with the OFNC you receive a free online subscription to The Canadian Field-Naturalist? (See below for the steps to create an account.) Cover of CFN 137(1-2) The Canadian Field-Naturalist (CFN) has been published since 1880. In its pages, you'll find articles by the superstar Canadian naturalists of today, building on past contributors like Percy Taverner and Louise de Kiriline [...]
How To Find 250 Bird Species in the OFNC Study Area in a Single Year
March is coming to an end. Some early migrants have already arrived. The next few months bring the excitement of waves of migrants heading to their breeding grounds and others establishing their territories locally. If you started a year list, or just want to learn where and what you might see in the OFNC study area, here's a reminder of an excellent reference prepared by Greg Zbitnew. Check it out at Finding 250 Species - Part 2
Solar Eclipse Resources and Presentation
On Monday March 4, astronomer and repeat presenter Howard Simkover delivered a special presentation to the OFNC via Zoom on solar eclipses. This is particularly timely as a total solar eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024, across a swath of North America. Locations not too far from Ottawa in Southeastern Ontario will find themselves in the zone of totality. Howard's presentations are consistently excellent, and his reputation preceded him - so much so that the Zoom presentation was full, [...]
Annotated checklists of All Birds and Rare Birds in the OFNC study area are updated and now available
Thanks to the continuing efforts by Greg Zbitnew, excellent study documents were updated and are now available on the website. The first is an annotated checklist of all birds in the OFNC study area and the second is an annotated checklist of rare birds in the same area. Given the rarities that have been appearing in the past year, these are especially interesting documents. They are available at Ottawa Annotated Checklist of All Birds -December 2023 and Ottawa Annotated Checklist [...]
The Results of the Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count are In
The 105th Ottawa-Gatineau CBC was held December 17, 2023. Temperatures ranged from minus 1.5 to plus 4.5 degrees Celsius, with cloudy skies throughout the day. Except for one cold snap, temperatures were mild leading up to the count; however, with the rivers being so open, water birds weren’t all forced into the count circle area as is the case in most years. 161 field observers plus 32 feeder watchers found 77 species and a record high 54,598 individual birds. Highlights [...]