Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca Despite (or because of) the wet mild weather, listers are off to a great start, with many long-staying rarities still here. A very brief and unseasonal Laughing Gull meant 6 species of gull (plus Thayer's). Trumpeter Swan (2) Jan 04-05, Carp River watershed at March Road, Ottawa. Wood Duck - Rideau River between Adàwe Crossing and Billings Bridge, Ottawa. Lesser Scaup (4) Jan 03, Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. Harlequin Duck - Continuing to Jan 01, Bate Island, Ottawa. Reported Jan 02 from Britannia CA, Ottawa. Adult male plumage is slowly emerging. Barrow's Goldeneye - Continuing Rapides Deschênes (incluant Parc), Bate Island, and Adàwe Crossing, Ottawa. American Coot - Jan 03-05, Half Moon Bay Park, Ottawa. Wilson's Snipe - Dec 27, Klondike Rd, Ottawa. Laughing Gull - Jan 01, Moodie Drive Quarry, Ottawa. First winter record for Ottawa. Lesser Black-backed Gull (2) Dec 30, Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. Great Blue Heron - Jan 03, Richmond - town SW, Ottawa. Dec 30, Park Champlain Neighborhood, Gatineau. Northern Harrier - Jan 03-04, Terry Fox/Fernbank farm fields, Ottawa. Trail road landfill. Jan 04, Richmond CA (formerly Richmond Sewage Lagoons), Ottawa. Belted Kingfisher - Jan 01- 04, Kizell Pond, Ottawa. Red-bellied Woodpecker - Continuing Dewberry Trail Parking Feeder, Ottawa. Jan 04, Twin Elm Road, Ottawa. Jan 02, Richmond CA (formerly Richmond Sewage Lagoons), Ottawa. Dec 29, Pine Ridge, Wakefield, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. Dec 29, Dunvegan Rd, Ottawa. American Three-toed Woodpecker - Oct 16 to Jan 05, "Greenbelt Pathway (East/West of Conroy)" is the eBird hotspot, the bird is seen east of Conroy, Ottawa. Dec 18-Jan 02, Stony Swamp (Jack Pine Trail), Ottawa. Black-backed Woodpecker - Jan 03, Pine Grove (South), Ottawa. Northern Flicker - Jan 04, Abingdon Drive, Ottawa. Visiting feeders around Leskie Park and Briargreen. Jan 01 Richland Dr, Ottawa. Boreal Chickadee - Continuing Dec 01-Jan 05, Birchgrove and Magladry Road, Ottawa. Carolina Wren - Frank Ryn & Elmhurst Parks, Ottawa. Hermit Thrush - Jan 02, Cantley, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais, Brown-headed Cowbird - Flock continues Trail Road Landfill, Ottawa. Jan 05, Birchgrove and Magladry Road, Ottawa. Red-winged Blackbird - Jan 02, Trail Road Landfill, Ottawa. Jan 01, Emerald Meadows x Eagleson storm water ponds, Ottawa. Common Grackle - Continuing to Dec 29, Dewberry Trail Parking Feeder, Ottawa. Tufted Titmouse (2) Dec 01 - Jan 05 Fairmile Rd, Ottawa. Eastern Towhee - Jan 02, Voyageur Dr, Ottawa. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dec-27 to Jan 05, Solva Drive, Ottawa. On trail behind Solva. eBird tip: While for much of the year Ring-billed is the commonest gull in the Ottawa area, this is not the case from mid December to mid February when Herring out numbers them by a ratio of at least 100:1. In some years Ring-billed is completely absent for about a month in mid-winter.