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 2026.09.10 (season 1; episode 32) This update comes to you (severely jetlagged) from Düsseldorf Germany. Along with me, it looks like the Hudsonian Godwit and Greater White-fronted Goose have finally left the area. The Buff-breasted Sandpiper also has not been refound since Sep 4. There are still at least a dozen species of sandpiper (including new notable Sanderlings and a single non-notable Stilt Sandpiper) and about 20 species of warblers. The number of notable species in the 50km Circle increased from 17 last week to 19 in this update; and the total number of species seen jumped up from 178 to 185. There have been 8 arrivals since the last update (including 4 notables): - Short-billed Dowitcher [Prescott and Russell (Sep 09)], American Woodcock [Ottawa (Sep 04)], Sanderling🔥 [Ottawa (Sep 07), Renfrew (Sep 10)], Dunlin [Prescott and Russell (Sep 08)], White-rumped Sandpiper [Ottawa (Sep 09)], Grasshopper Sparrow🔥 [Ottawa (Sep 05)], Orange-crowned Warbler🔥 [Ottawa (Sep 10), Gatineau (Sep 10), Renfrew (Sep 10)], Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)🔥 [Gatineau (Sep 06)] 5 notable species from last update are now being seen as non-notable: - Trumpeter Swan → last notable report on Sep 02 in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais with at least 6 recent non-notable reports at locations in Lanark [3], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [1], Ottawa [2] - Bonaparte's Gull → last notable report on Aug 28 in Lanark with at least 9 recent non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [5], Gatineau [4] - Blue-headed Vireo → last notable report on Aug 30 in Prescott and Russell with at least 20 recent non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [11], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [6], Gatineau [2], Prescott and Russell [1] - American Pipit → last notable report on Sep 02 in Prescott and Russell with at least 17 recent non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [15], Gatineau [2] - Northern Parula → last notable report on Aug 31 in Leeds and Grenville with at least 56 recent non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [35], Gatineau [11], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [7], Lanark [1], Prescott and Russell [1], Papineau [1] 5 species have not been reported since the last update (including 1 notable): - Sora [Ottawa (Sep 02)], American Coot [Prescott and Russell (Aug 29)], Ruddy Turnstone🔥 [Ottawa (Aug 28), Renfrew (Aug 29)], Baird's Sandpiper [Ottawa (Aug 28)], Bank Swallow [Prescott and Russell (Aug 30)] The 5 most active hotspots within the circle (but, sorry, there's no easy way on my tablet to confirm what is causing the excitement at these sites): 1. Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] - 42 2. Almonte Lagoons [Lanark] - 31 3. Auto selected [Prescott and Russell] - 25 4. Sewage Lagoons [Prescott and Russell] - 24 5. Hwy 7 Storm Pond [Lanark] - 23 Plus other hotspots outside the circle: - Long Sault Parkway & Area [Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry] - 37 - Tay-Havelock Trail [Lanark] - 34 - Ch Sloan, PPJ, Vinton [Pontiac] - 26 - Lac Pemishangan, Gracefield [La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau] - 26 In terms of the coming week, it looks like the best birding days could be: - Monday (best overall day): Northwest tailwinds & cooler temperatures should encourage southbound movement of song & shore birds and clear skies for soaring raptors. - Tuesday & Wednesday (fallout potential): Light rains could cause migrants to drop into shoreline trees & thickets. Prime birding locations could include: - Champlain Lookout & Gatineau Park Escarpment looking for Broad-winged Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks & falcons utilizing ridge lift. - Shoreline thickets and mudflats (e.g., Britannia Conservation Area & Shirleys Bay) during/after rainy stretches (forecasted for Sept 13 & 15–16) for grounded warblers, vireos & shorebirds. Current Notable Birds: *Greater White-fronted Goose*: a single report of 1 at Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] on Sep 5; and not a single report since then, I guess it has headed south *Lesser Scaup*: a single report of 1 at Piste cyc. Sentier des Voyageurs [Gatineau] on Sep 7; plus 3 non-notable reports in Ottawa *Common Goldeneye*: 18 reports of 6 at Almonte Lagoons [Lanark] between Sep 3-9; plus at least 3 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [1], Prescott and Russell [2] *Hudsonian Godwit*: 6 reports of 1 at Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] on Sep 3; and none since then... looks like it's headed south *Long-billed Dowitcher*: 19 reports of 1 between Sep 3-9 at, or close to, Central Park Blvd/Russell Stormwater Pond [Prescott and Russel] *Red-necked Phalarope*: a single report of 1 Casselman Sewage Lagoons [Prescott and Russell] on Sep 6 *Buff-breasted Sandpiper*: 4 reports of 1 at Dunning Rd [Ottawa] on Sep 4; and no sightings since then *Franklin's Gull*: 12 reports continuing at 4 locations - 1 at Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] (6 times between Sep 3-10); 1 at Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (twice between Sep 4-6); 1 at Andrew Haydon Park east [Ottawa] (twice between Sep 3-5); 1 at Mud Lake [Ottawa] (twice on Sep 3) *Red-necked Grebe*: 6 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Storm Pond, Carleton Place, ON/Hwy 7 Storm Pond [Lanark] (5 times between Sep 3-6); 1 at Andrew Haydon Park [Ottawa] (on Sep 5); plus a single non-notable report in Prescott and Russell *Least Bittern*: a single report of 1 at Casselman Sewage Lagoons [Prescott and Russell] on Sep 7 *Alder Flycatcher*: a single report of 1 at Baie Noire [Papineau] on Sep 4; plus 2 non-notable reports in Ottawa *Yellow-throated Vireo*: a single report of 1 at Mud Lake [Ottawa] on Sep 7 *Carolina Wren*: 5 reports of 1 at Lac McGregor sud est [Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais] between Sep 3-10; plus at least 7 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [3], Gatineau [4] *Grasshopper Sparrow*🆕: a single report of 1 at Burnt Lands Provincial Park [Ottawa] on Sep 5 *Dark-eyed Junco*: 2 reports at 2 locations - 1 at Hearst Way [Ottawa] (on Sep 4); 3 at Beaverbrook Park [Ottawa] (on Sep 4); plus at least 8 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [6], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [2] *Baltimore Oriole*: a single report of 1 at Russell Stormwater Pond, Russell ON [Prescott and Russell] on Sep 6; plus at least 12 non-notable reports at locations in Ottawa [8], Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais [1], Gatineau [1], Papineau [1], Lanark [1] *Orange-crowned Warbler*🆕: 4 reports at 4 locations - 1 at Britannia CA [Ottawa] (on Sep 10); 1 at Pleasant Park-Kilborn Gardens Corridor [Ottawa] (on Sep 7); 1 at Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] (on Sep 5); 1 at Stanley Park [Ottawa] (on Sep 4) *Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)*🆕: a single report of 19 at Rapides Deschênes [Gatineau] on Sep 6 As always, send questions, comments or photos to sightings@ofnc.ca. Your feedback is appreciated. Good birding, Al