Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca Greater White-fronted Goose (1) Mar 19, PN de Plaisance--Tête de la Baie, Papineau Trumpeter Swan (2) Mar 17, Shirley's Bay (boat launch), Ottawa. Mar 18, Milton Road, Ottawa. Mar 17, Baie Cornu, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. (5) Mar 17, Greenland Road Hawkwatch, Ottawa. (2) Mar 17, Constance Creek Drive, Dunrobin, Ottawa. Tundra Swan (10) Mar 17, Cobb Lake Creek flood plain, Prescott and Russell. (1) Mar 18, Moodie Drive Quarry, Ottawa. (14) Milton Road, Ottawa. (18) Mar 17, Moodie Drive Ponds, Ottawa. (2) Mar 16, Marais des Laîches, Gatineau. (3) Mar 10, Vances Side Rd, Ottawa. (3) Mar 15, Rideau River-long reach, Ottawa. Northern Shoveler (2) Mar 19, Avalon (stormwater pond), Ottawa. (2) Mar 16, Milton Road, Ottawa. Greater Scaup (2) Mar 17, Shirley's Bay, Ottawa. Lots of small flocks of Lesser Scaup scattered around the region. Gadwall (6) Moodie Drive Quarry, Ottawa. Canvasback (1) Baie Noire, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. Redhead (2-4) Moodie Drive Quarry, Ottawa. Male & female. Barrow's Goldeneye (1) Mar 17, Shirley's Bay, Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Strathcona Park, Ottawa. Double-crested Cormorant - many early birds in small flocks. Golden Eagle (1) Mar 19, Cumberland Ridge Drive Dog Walk Loop, Ottawa. (1) Mar 18, Shirley's Bay (boat launch), Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Trail Road Landfill, Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Greenland Road Hawkwatch, Ottawa. (1) Mar 15, Mer Bleue Bog at Anderson Road, Ottawa. Belted Kingfisher (1) Mar 16, Rideau River - Black Rapids - Long Island lock, Ottawa. Red-bellied Woodpecker (1) 3rd Line Road South, Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Ch. Steele, Pontiac CA-QC, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais (1) Mar 17, Shirley's Bay (boat launch), Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Heart's Desire Park, Ottawa. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1) Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa. Winter Wren (1) Mar 17, Stony Swamp (Chipmunk Trail), Ottawa. (1) Mar 16, Escarpment Cres, Kanata, Ottawa. Chipping Sparrow (1) Connaught, Gatineau. Fox Sparrow (1) Birchgove Rd, Sarsfield, Ottawa. White-crowned Sparrow (1) Rue de la Loire, Gatineau. (1) Mar 14, Crystal beach, Ottawa. Western Tanager - Continuing, McCarthy Woods, Ottawa. V Atlas note: Pine Siskins and their “insistent wheezy twitters” are seemingly everywhere: they are nomads in search of coniferous seed crops. Atlas II notes that “Pine Siskin breeds between mid-February and late August. Early breeding and highest densities are associated with large crops of conifer seeds, particularly on White Spruce, White Cedar, and Eastern Hemlock…. Courtship flights begin in mid-February, with courtship feeding, copulation, and nest building occurring from late February and early March.” Here in Eastern Ontario, the winter was mild and spring has come early: not surprisingly, we are seeing solid reports of Pine Siskins carrying nesting material west of Ottawa on the “Near Shield.” So if you are looking for some Atlassing opportunities at this time of year because you have already found all the Red Crossbills, have a look for Pine Siskins. Participation in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is straight-forward and easy. Your reports are valuable and will provide essential information for Canadian researchers, scientists, government officials and conservation professionals that will guide environmental policies and conservation strategies across Ontario for years to come. For more information, visit https://www.birdsontario.org/or contact the Ottawa Region Atlas Coordinator at Ottawa@birdsontario.org