Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca Another mild week means many of last week's birds continue. Red Crossbills are all over Lanark and Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais, and as expected, are beginning to show up in Ottawa and Prescott-Russel. Trumpeter Swan - Feb 06, Ottawa River, Ottawa. Green-winged Teal - Feb 04, Kennedy-Craig Forest, Ottawa. Canvasback - Feb 02, Rapides Deschênes (incluant Parc), Gatineau. Ring-necked Duck (2) Pont Champlain, Gatineau. Also viewable from Bate Island. Lesser Scaup (4) Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. Feb 08, Kennedy-Craig Forest, Ottawa. Barrow's Goldeneye - Rideau River between Strathcona park and the 417, Ottawa. Male & female. Pont Champlain, Gatineau. Gray Partridge - McFadden Road, Ottawa. Lesser Black-backed Gull - Feb 04, Cambrian Rd W, Ottawa. Great Blue Heron - Feb 05, Autoroute de l'Outaouais, ), Gatineau. Feb 04, Beaverbrook, Ottawa. Feb 04, Sawmill Creek Community Centre and Pool, Ottawa. Turkey Vulture - Feb 02, McCarthy Woods, Ottawa. Belted Kingfisher - Fairpark Dr pond, Ottawa. Feb 04, Chapman Mills CA, Ottawa. Red-bellied Woodpecker - Feb 04, Refuge Keogan, Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais. Boreal Chickadee - reported Feb 04, Wilbrod, Ottawa. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa. Brown Thrasher - Continuing Hilson Ave and neighbourhood, Ottawa. Winter Wren - Britannia CA, Ottawa. Continuing at the outflow from Mud lake. Eastern Bluebird (4) Berry Side Road, Dunrobin, Ontario, CA, Ottawa. (2) Feb 05, Carleton Place, Quarry Rd., Lanark. Hermit Thrush - Britannia CA (general location), Ottawa. Parc du Lac-Leamy, Gatineau. Chipping Sparrow - Continuing Florizel Park, Ottawa. Rue Connaught, Gatineau. White-crowned Sparrow - Feb 04, Rue de la Loire, Gatineau. Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Bouvier Road, Prescott and Russell. See discord for rules and address. Last reported Feb. 04. White-crowned Sparrow - Rue de la Loire, Gatineau. Eastern Towhee - Continuing, Stony Swamp (Sarsaparilla Trail), Ottawa. Rusty Blackbird - Feb 03, Lac Leamy (Gatineau), Gatineau. Common Grackle- Feb 03, Wilbrod, Ottawa. Western Tanager - Continuing, McCarthy Woods, Ottawa. The Western Tanager continues and is doing quite well with the relatively mild winter and food donations. If you have enjoyed seeing this unique visitor, please consider providing some seed or suet. Atlas note: Of late, Red Crossbills have been reported to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas in significant numbers across the Ottawa Atlas Region: an area that covers approximately 7500 km2 across most of Ottawa and parts of several adjoining counties including Prescott-Russell, Lanark, and Renfrew. If you are encountering some “late-winter birding doldrums” and are looking for an interesting way to contribute to the Atlas before peak-breeding season starts in May, then searching for crossbills is for you. Look for sizable woodlots with cone-bearing conifers – particularly white pines – and have a listen for their unmistakable “kip-kip-kip” calls. They can also be found on roadways enjoying grit. The Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas welcomes your observations of Red Crossbills anywhere in Ontario, even if they are simply seen or even just heard. Be sure to take a few minutes to watch their behaviour: pairs have already been formed across our Region, and you may even be fortunate to come across nest building behaviour… a great way to enhance the breeding evidence. 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. Participation in the Atlas is straight-forward and as easy as simply noting the presence of a bird. For more information, visit https://www.birdsontario.org/ or contact the Ottawa Region Atlas Coordinator at mailto:Ottawa@birdsontario.org