Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) – Weekly Birding Report Sightings within a 50km radius of Parliament Hill - including eastern Ontario and western Quebec *Compiled by Al Caughey at sightings@ofnc.ca <sightings@ofnc.ca>* Update for the week ending on 2026.11.13 (season 1; episode 42) Before starting the update, this is an early reminder that we're rapidly approaching the Christmas Bird Count window (Dec 14 - Jan 5) and more volunteers are always appreciated. See https://www.birdscanada.org/programs/christmas-bird-count for information about how to get involved or send a message to sightings@ofnc.ca and I'll put you in touch with the sector leader. In this update, the number of notable birds in the 50-km circle bounced up from 21 to 31, while the total number of species increased by 4 to 135. The number of eBird reports jumped from 1555 to 1659 (with most of the increase in the Ottawa region) - a bump that is likely explained by the appearance of Purple Sandpipers: first, 3 reported by Gilles Seutin on the Rapides Deschênes (Nov 9) and then another one on the Britannia Pier (found by Charles Pianosi on Nov 12). The late staying Pied-billed Grebe and very photogenic Long-tailed Duck at Andrew Haydon Park also produced a number of eBird reports in the Ottawa Region. Ben Di Labio found a White-eyed Vireo at Parc des Rapides Deschênes and a number of late Warblers passed through the region in the past week. The Canvasbacks continue at the mouth of Constance Creek but the nearby Tufted Titmouse seems to have departed. The Harlequin Duck on the Rapides Deschênes also has not been reported recently. There are 12 new (or re-appearing) species on the list this week - including: Black-bellied Plover🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 11), Gatineau (Nov 07), Renfrew (Nov 06)], Wilson's Snipe [Gatineau (Nov 10), Pontiac (Nov 11)], Purple Sandpiper🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 12), Gatineau (Nov 09)], Iceland Gull [Ottawa (Nov 09), Gatineau (Nov 11), Prescott and Russell (Nov 12), Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (Nov 09)], Yellow-bellied Sapsucker🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 07)], White-eyed Vireo🔥 [Gatineau (Nov 12)], Northern House Wren🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 10)], Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)🔥 [Gatineau (Nov 08)], Northern Yellow Warbler🔥 [Gatineau (Nov 11)], Black-throated Blue Warbler🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 12)], Black-throated Green Warbler🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 08)], Indigo Bunting🔥 [Gatineau (Nov 06)] Four species from the last update are now being seen as non-notable (or perhaps were reported in regions with different rarity filters): - Barrow's Goldeneye → last notable report on Nov 04 in Ottawa with 9 recent non-notable reports in Ottawa - Red-shouldered Hawk → last notable report on Nov 05 in Ottawa with a single recent non-notable report in Gatineau - Red-bellied Woodpecker → last notable report on Nov 04 in Papineau with at least 3 recent non-notable reports at locations in Lanark [1] & Ottawa [2] - Eastern Bluebird → last notable report on Nov 01 in Lanark with at least 8 recent non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [4], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [2], Papineau [1] & Gatineau [1] Fourteen species (including 10 notables) have not been reported since the last update: - Ross's Goose🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 01)], Blue-winged Teal🔥 [Prescott and Russell (Oct 30), Papineau (Nov 02), Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (Nov 01)], Yellow-billed Cuckoo🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 05)], Hudsonian Godwit🔥 [Lanark (Oct 30)], Dunlin🔥 [Papineau (Nov 01)], White-rumped Sandpiper [Prescott and Russell (Oct 30)], Black-crowned Night Heron🔥 [Ottawa (Oct 30)], Great Egret (American)🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 02)], Tufted Titmouse🔥[Ottawa (Nov 04)], Eastern Phoebe [Ottawa (Nov 04)], Field Sparrow [Ottawa (Oct 30)], Lincoln's Sparrow [Ottawa (Oct 30)], Nashville Warbler (Eastern)🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 02)], Bay-breasted Warbler🔥 [Ottawa (Nov 04)] The 5 most active hotspots within the circle: 1. Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] - 89 → primarily for the Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpiper and White-eyed Vireo 2. Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] - 48 → primarily for the late-staying Pied-billed Grebe and very photogenic Long-tailed Duck 3. Britannia Park (pier) [Ottawa] - 40 → entirely for the Purple Sandpiper 4. Filtration Plant/Point [Ottawa] - 36 → for the Purple Sandpipers and Harlequin Duck 5. Mud Lake [Ottawa] - 20 → also the sandpiper and Harlequin Plus other hotspots outside the circle: - Gananoque River behind Kinsmen Community Hall [Leeds and Grenville] - 24 In terms of the coming week: - Over the weekend, areas from North Bay up to James Bay are forecast to have sub-freezing overnight lows, snow showers, and steady N to NW winds which should force late-departing waterbirds southwards. - From Mon-Thurs, the winds across the entire corridor are expected to flip to the WSW/SW and produce warmer than seasonal temperatures that could stall southward migration throughout the 50 km circle. So, on the weekend, the best bets in our area will likely be along the Ottawa River and open agricultural fields. Then on Tues-Wed, look for stalled waterfowl on the river and lingering passerines in sheltered habitats. Fingers crossed, the southerly winds might push a late-season southern vagrant or two into the area... maybe cattle egret, purple gallinule, flycatchers or cave swallow??? Current Notable Birds: *Snow x Canada Goose (hybrid)*: 2 reports of 1 at Embrun Sewage Lagoons [Prescott and Russell] on Nov 8 *Trumpeter Swan*: a single report of 1 at Gatineau Parkway — P9 to Boucle Nord (Return) [Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais] on Nov 8; plus at least 6 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [5] & Leeds and Grenville [1] *Canvasback*: 7 reports of 1 at Constance Creek Mouth/Public Beach Access - Baillie Av (Constance Bay) [Ottawa] between Nov 8-10 *Harlequin Duck*: 17 reports of one on the Rapides Deschênes viewed from Filtration Plant/Point [Ottawa] (Nov 6-7) and Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (on Nov 6) *Black-bellied Plover*🆕: 3 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (twice on Nov 7); 1 at Baie Simard [Gatineau] (on Nov 7); plus 8 non-notable reports in Ottawa *Killdeer*: 2 reports of 1 at Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] on Nov 6 *Greater Yellowlegs*: 5 reports of 4 at Hwy 7 Storm Pond [Lanark] between Nov 6-8; plus at least 18 non-notable reports at locations in Prescott and Russell [1], Ottawa [15], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [1] & Gatineau [1] *Purple Sandpiper*🆕: 74 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Britannia Park (pier) [Ottawa] (34 times on Nov 12); as many as 3 on the Rapides Deschênes viewed from Filtration Plant/Point [Ottawa] (20 times on Nov 9) and Parc des Rapides Deschênes (16 times on Nov 9) *Pectoral Sandpiper*: 6 reports at 2 locations - as many as 4 at Hwy 7 Storm Pond [Lanark] (5 times between Nov 6-8); 1 at Tête de la Baie [Papineau] (on Nov 7); plus at least 9 non-notable reports at locations in Gatineau [3], Ottawa [5] & Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [1] *Bonaparte's Gull*: 7 reports at 4 locations - 1 at Rapides Deschenes [Gatineau] (on Nov 11); 1 at Parc Brébeuf [Gatineau] (on Nov 11); as many as 2 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (4 times between Nov 8-10); 2 at Ch. Thérien, Luskville [Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais] (on Nov 7); plus a single non-notable report in Ottawa *Lesser Black-backed Gull*: 18 reports at 3 locations - as many as 17 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (15 times between Nov 6-12); as many as 16 at Rapides Deschenes [Gatineau] (twice between Nov 7-11); 1 at Cabane Beige [Gatineau] (on Nov 10); plus at least 10 non-notable reports at locations in Prescott and Russell [2] & Ottawa [8] *Pied-billed Grebe*: 49 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Andrew Haydon Park/Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] (48 times between Nov 6-12); 1 at Nepean Sailing Club [Ottawa] (on Nov 11); plus another non-notable report in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [1] *Great Egret*: 8 reports at 3 locations - 1 at Petrie Island (Causeway) [Ottawa] (twice between Nov 7-10); 1 at Dow's Lake/Rideau Canal Western Pathway [Ottawa] (5 times on Nov 7); 1 at Ottawa—Dominion Arboretum [Ottawa] (on Nov 7) *Turkey Vulture*: a single report of 1 at Parliament Hill [Ottawa] on Nov 11 *Yellow-bellied Sapsucker*🆕: a single report of 1 at Fletcher Wildlife Garden [Ottawa] on Nov 7 *White-eyed Vireo*🆕: 13 reports of 1 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes/Rue Martel/Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] on Nov 12 *Blue-headed Vireo*: a single report of 1 at Tauvette St [Ottawa] on Nov 7 *Ruby-crowned Kinglet*: 9 reports at 5 locations - as many as 3 at Britannia Ridge [Ottawa] (twice between Nov 11-12); 1 at Mud Lake [Ottawa] (twice between Nov 11-12); 1 at Rockcliffe parkway between Ogilvie and Green's creek [Ottawa] (on Nov 12); 1 at stakeout Great Gray Owl, Rockcliffe Parkway at Green's Creek, Ottawa (2012-2013) [Ottawa] (on Nov 11); 1 at Greenbelt Pathway West [Ottawa] (on Nov 11); plus at least 8 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [6], Gatineau [1] & Papineau [1] *Northern House Wren*🆕: a single report of 1 at Greenbelt Trail 51 [Ottawa] on Nov 10 *Winter Wren*: a single report of 1 at South Island Park Dr [Ottawa] on Nov 12; plus a single non-notable report in Ottawa *Gray Catbird*: 2 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Ottawa River Pathway (view of Britannia Bay) [Ottawa] (on Nov 6); 1 at Britannia CA [Ottawa] (on Nov 6); plus a single non-notable report in Ottawa *Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)*🆕: a single report of 1 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] on Nov 8 *Swamp Sparrow*: 3 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Quartier Lakeview-Terrasse [Gatineau] (on Nov 11); 1 at Stony Swamp (Sarsaparilla Trail) [Ottawa] (twice on Nov 8); plus a single non-notable report in Ottawa *Common Grackle*: a single report of 2 at Fine Estate [Ottawa] on Nov 12; plus at least 9 non-notable reports at locations in Gatineau [1], Ottawa [7] & Leeds and Grenville [1] *Northern Parula*: 9 reports at 2 locations - as many as 2 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (7 times between Nov 10-12); as many as 2 at Remic Rapids Lookout [Ottawa] (twice between Nov 7-8) *Northern Yellow Warbler*🆕: 2 reports of 1 at Parc des Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] between Nov 10-11 *Black-throated Blue Warbler*🆕: 4 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Britannia Ridge/Britannia CA [Ottawa] (3 times on Nov 12); 1 at Mud Lake [Ottawa] (on Nov 12) *Yellow-rumped Warbler*: a single report of 2 at Rideau Tennis Club [Ottawa] on Nov 9; plus 4 non-notable reports in Ottawa *Black-throated Green Warbler*🆕: 2 reports of 1 at Remic Rapids Lookout [Ottawa] between Nov 7-8 *Indigo Bunting*🆕: a single report of 1 at HULL (19 CONNAUGHT) [Gatineau] on Nov 6 As always, send questions, comments or photos to sightings@ofnc.ca. Your feedback is appreciated. Good birding, Al