Ottawa/Gatineau: recent sightings to June 27, 2024 Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca Take advantage of the quiet to catch up on atlasing or rest up for fall migration which starts … next week with the first returning shorebirds? Trumpeter Swan (1) Jun 25, Marais Pierre-Ménard, Gatineau. (5) Jun 25, Dunrobin (Constance Creek), Ottawa. (2) Jun 25, Moodie Drive Quarry, Ottawa. Southwest corner. (1) Marlborough Forest, Ottawa. Red-breasted Merganser (1) Jun27, Richmond--Fox Run storm water ponds, Ottawa. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1) Jun 25-27, Sheila McKee Park, Ottawa. Caspian Tern (2) Anywhere along the Ottawa River from Petrie Island to Constance Creek and anywhere in between, plus the Moodie Drive Quarry. Yellow-throated Vireo (2) Sheila McKee Park, Ottawa. One still singing a Blue-headed Vireo song. Brewster's Warbler (F1 hybrid) (1) Jun 22, Extrémité Ch. de l'Hôtel de Ville, Luskville, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. Pine Siskin (1) Jun 25, Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa. (1) Jun 22, Quigley Hill Rd, Ottawa. Tennessee Warbler (1) Jun 27, Sheila McKee Park, Ottawa. eBird tip: Fledgling American Crows are now everywhere, sometimes sounding so much like Fish Crows that they fool Merlin. Atlas note: Peak bird breeding period in Southern Ontario continues until 10 July. If you are out and about, remember that almost every bird you encounter can be added to the Third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas: a once in a generation province-wide community-science effort to provide data that will help shape conservation efforts for years to come. Every observation is welcome and valued: whether a bird seen or heard in appropriate habitat (possible breeding) through to a bird carrying nesting material or food (confirmed breeding). Many observers have now switched their bird reporting from the eBird app to the Nature Counts atlassing app. It is a simple and efficient way to add your sightings to the Atlas project and it can be configured to automatically and seamlessly share your Atlas observations with your eBird account. For more information on the Atlas, please visit www.birdsontario.org or contact the Ottawa Regional Coordinator at Ottawa@birdsontario.org