Ottawa/Gatineau: recent sightings to Jan 23, 2025 Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca An elusive Boreal chickadee and a tough Eastern Phoebe. Northern Shoveler (1) Nepean Creek Trail, Ottawa (immature male). Red-breasted Merganser (1) Jan 18, Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa Great Blue Heron (1) Jan 22, Navan (Giroux Road Ponds), Ottawa. Northern Harrier (1) Jan 18, 417 at Ramsyville, Ottawa. (1) Jan 17, Fernbank Road at Terry Fox, Ottawa. Belted Kingfisher (1) Stittsville--Hickstead Storm Pond, Ottawa. (1) Jan 17, Richmond (Jock River), Ottawa. Red-bellied Woodpecker (1) Stony Swamp (Jack Pine Trail), Ottawa. (1) Fine Estate, Ottawa. (1) Chemin Steele, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. (1) Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. (1) Jan 19, Mohrs Rd, Ottawa. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1) Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa. Red-headed Woodpecker (1) Constance Bay, Ottawa. Northern Flicker (1) Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. (1) Falcon Brook Rd, Ottawa. (1) Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa. (1) Jan 18, Forêt Boucher, Gatineau, Eastern Phoebe (1) Jan 17, Carleton University, Ottawa Boreal Chickadee (1) Jan 23, Old Almonte Rd, Ottawa. Gray Catbird (1) Bel Air fields, Ottawa, Ottawa. (1) Jan 17, Hurdman Wood, Ottawa. Winter Wren (1) Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. (1) Jan 19, Fine Estate, Ottawa. Hermit Thrush (1) Britannia CA, Ottawa. (1) Jan 22, Piste cyc. Sentier des Voyageurs--Parc Brébeuf<-->Pont Champlain, Gatineau. (1) Jan 19, Greenbelt Pathway East, Ottawa Pine Grosbeak (1) Jan 18, Fine Estate, Ottawa. Chipping Sparrow (1) Richland Dr, Ottawa. Red-winged Blackbird (2) Jan 21, Pleasant Park-Kilborn Gardens Corridor, Ottawa. Atlas notes: New Year, New Birding Goals! Kick off 2025 by making a difference for bird conservation with our January Challenge! Whether you’ve got a backlog of Atlas data to submit or have been collecting bird data via eBird or other sources but haven’t registered or submitted it yet, this challenge is for YOU! How It Works: During January, simply submit any checklist (old or new) with breeding evidence and you’ll earn entries into a draw for a pair of Vortex binoculars! Whether you’re catching up on old data or new to the Atlas and migrating your checklists from eBird or other records, your contributions help shape our understanding of bird populations. And of course, you’ll have a chance to win an exciting prize along the way! Your data are crucial! We can’t wait to see all that you’ve observed. Don’t wait—this is your last chance to participate before the final field season of Atlas-3! For more information on how to register and/or submit data, visit https://www.birdsontario.org/quick-start/