April 26 2026 (Sunday) Nephton

Leader: Dave Milsom, Cathy Douglas, Brian Wales, Leo Weiskittel.

16 participants joined us from both OFO and the Peterborough Field Naturalists for our annual spring outing to Nephton Ridge on Sunday, April 26th. Though a light breeze from the northeast did not present ideal hawkwatch conditions, clear skies and a warm sun lifted expectations as we patrolled the ridgeline for early migrants, shepherded through the mine site in a school bus provided by Covia Corp. Around the tailing ponds we located a small flock of Hooded Mergansers, five Sandhill Cranes, a drumming Ruffed Grouse, at least three Pileated Woodpeckers, and several singing Savannah Sparrows. Our first vantage point, a rocky outcrop overlooking the Peterborough Crown Game Preserve, yielded the first raptors of the day: large kettles of Turkey Vultures, three Sharp-shinned Hawks, two Broad-winged Hawks, and some local Red-tails. The highlight here was a relatively late-migrating immature Rough-legged Hawk soaring well to the northwest. Participants who elected to explore the surrounding mixed woodlands were rewarded with a few newly arrived passerines, including Brown Thrashers, Blue-headed Vireos, Pine and Myrtle Warblers, and an Eastern Towhee. Also of interest were a trio of lekking Wild Turkeys. The second vantage point, overlooking more of the game preserve to the west and Kasshabog Lake to the east, provided distant waterbirds such as Buffleheads, Common Mergansers, and cormorants, along with a pair of locally uncommon Cooper?s Hawks performing aerial displays in the distance. Our final species tally was 61: https://ebird.org/checklist/S328060059

April 26 2026 (Sunday) Prince Edward County

Leader: Mike Burrell.

Twenty OFO members and guests joined together to look for birds at the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird and Biodiveristy Area on one of the nicest weather days so far.

We began the day in Picton and then headed straight for Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. Despite our efforts to go straight there, we couldn't resist a stop along Long Point Rd to scan the perfectly calm waters for ducks and grebes and were rewarded with several Horned Grebes and a chorus of Long-tailed Ducks.

Upon arriving at the bird observatory, new arrivals announced their presence with House Wrens singing, Cliff Swallows investigating nesting structures and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher hopping around the edge of the woods. The staff gave us an excellent demonstration of banding including a Nashville Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler to offer the group great looks.

We then walked to the lighthouse where we continued adding to our list of birds with highlights being many signing Eastern Towhees and Field Sparrow, a drumming Ruffed Grouse and several other forest birds.

From here we travelled back up the road to the Traverse Woods where we had a few raptors overhead including a relatively late Rough-legged Hawk and another chance to look for ducks on the lake. In the large flocks of White-winged Scoters we picked out a couple of distant Surf Scoters.

Further inland we added Eastern Meadowlarks and American Kestrels along Babylon Rd and then headed for the flooded fields of Wesley Acres Rd just west of Picton where we were treated to a large number of geese and dabbling ducks. Mixed in with ten species of ducks was a single Greater White-fronted Goose that eventually provided excellent views to the group and a small number of Greater Yellowlegs working the edge. The marsh on the opposite side of the road also held a singing Sora that most of the group eventually heard well.

We wrapped up the day back in Picton having observed over 80 species on a fabulous spring day. Thanks to all the participants for making it a fun day and to the staff at Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory for being so accommodating.

April 18 2026 (Saturday) Point Pelee

Leader: Jeremy Hatt.

Despite periods of rain between the constant loom of rain, the April outing to Point Pelee National Park and surrounding area went very well. We had an amazing group of dedicated birders that stuck it out through a wet day to observe 70 species that included some great highlights. We originally planned to start in Point Pelee but an early morning report of the Baikal Teal still being seen at Hillman Marsh led to us to the Shorebird Cell where we spent a couple hours sorting through hundreds of ducks, shorebirds, and gulls. The highlight of the morning was the Baikal Teal, a bird that has garnered a lot of discussion around its provenance, but a beautiful duck to observe regardless. It was a bit like finding a needle in a haystack amongst hundreds of Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, and Green-winged Teal, among others. Before the rain hit in the mid-morning, we tallied several shorebirds including Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, and the stars of the show, two Marbled Godwits that offered amazing views. Two Little Gulls mixed in with a large group of Bonaparte?s Gull was another major highlight.
We then drove to Point Pelee in the rain but were lucky that it stopped for the time we spent birding on Tilden Trail. Here we heard a possible Louisiana Waterthrush but it stopped singing too soon to confirm. Spring migrants included a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a singing Northern House Wren, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Eastern Towhee, and Field Sparrow. After lunch, we took a peaceful walk through Kopegaron Woods enjoying early spring wildflowers like Yellow Trout Lilly, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Red and White Trilliums, Mayapple, and Wild Geranium. We finished the outing at Wheatley Harbour where we added a few diving ducks, Great Black-backed Gull, Forster?s Tern, and close looks at feeding Northern Rough-winged Swallows. Unfortunately, a Laughing Gull reported the day before was no longer present. For a rainy day, we had an enjoyable outing with several highlights. Thanks to everyone who attended and for being such a friendly and helpful group. Jeremy Hatt and Cameron Chevalier; Leaders

April 11 2026 (Saturday) Minesing

Leader: Elaine Gosnell, Henrique Pacheco.

Minesing Swamp ? Saturday April 11, 2026

Leaders: Elaine Gosnell and Henrique Pacheco

We were pleased to have a beautiful sunny but cold day to explore the edges of the vast Minesing Swamp, near Angus. A full group of 30 birders met Elaine and Henrique at the Tim Hortons to fuel up and arrange carpooling. We based the trip plan on Dave Milsom?s 2003 OFO article as well as Henrique?s familiarity and passion for this beautiful and immense natural area. We started off with a slow drive and walk up McKinnon Road, scanning the flooded fields and swamps for the variety of waterfowl including numerous northern pintail, green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, northern shoveler, mallards and tundra swans with a scattering of bufflehead, trumpeter swan, American wigeon and gadwall. Driving along Sunnidale Concession Road 2 we were treated to more northern pintail, many common grackles, red-winged blackbirds and tricky rusty blackbirds. We had lovely views of ruby-crowned and golden crowned kinglets as well as yellow-bellied sapsucker, downy and red-bellied woodpecker. Two bald eagles soared over our heads. Swinging along Strongville Road we had a short stop to view more waterfowl in the flooded fields at the bend, and being mindful of the local residents, we continued on to a lunch break at the Canco gas station in Minesing.

A nice walk along the rail trail at Mayer?s marsh showed off more of the lovely silver maple deciduous swamp that the Minesing swamp is known for. Belted kingfisher, eastern phoebe, hooded mergansers were seen as well as a nice chance to see a flock (or a siege) of about 30 sandhill cranes feeding in the adjacent pasture.

The meadow and jack pine trees of the hydro corridor on Pinegrove Road resulted in American kestrels, field sparrow, glorious yellow eastern meadowlark (first of the year for many!) and red breasted nuthatch. Three pileated woodpeckers were clamouring over a particularly good foraging tree on Sunnidale Road and a raven with nest was spotted on a communications tower. We finished the tour with driving another dead-end road; Baldwick Lane and walking on the trail into the dark and cool white cedar swamp. We had a red-tailed hawk, brown creeper, fox sparrow, song sparrows and loads of American robins as well as startling an American woodcock.

It was fun to see porcupine and the well gnawed tree it had wintered in as well as other mammals throughout the day; muskrat, coyote, eastern cottontail, grey squirrel, deer (tracks) and raccoon. Many thanks to all participants for an enjoyable day.

April 4 2026 (Saturday) Ottawa Spring Waterfowl Trip

Leader: Bernie Ladouceur.

Spring Waterfowl East of Ottawa field trip, Saturday, April 4, 2026.

It was close to a full house again for this trip with at least 22 participants. We met at 8 a.m at the Petrie Island causeway. The marsh was still frozen over so there weren?t any highlight; except one observer had a flyby Osprey before people started to arrive. The plan was to focus on two areas: the Bear Brook flood plain in Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa) and the Cobb?s Lake flood plain, east of Bourget (Prescott-Russell county).

By the time we arrived at the Bear Brook flood plain, the winds had picked up considerably, augmenting the discomfort of below zero temperatures. There were about 5,000 Canada Geese with a few other waterfowl species interspersed among them. Highlights included 2 adult Bald Eagles and 2 Northern Harriers.

The Cobb?s Lake flood plain was much more productive. Highlights included 16 Tundra Swans, 25 Sandhill Cranes, over 500 Snow Geese, a Cackling Goose, and at least 65 Northern Pintail.

In all, we found 32 species, although a few of the species were only observed by single parties, en route.

I would like to thank the participants for being such hardy souls on an unseasonably cold day, and thank you to Bill Bowman for providing the photographs for this report. A species list follows.

Bernie Ladouceur, OFO trip leader

Snow Goose 513 Cackling Goose 1 Canada Goose 7,000 Tundra Swan 16 Wood Duck 4 American Wigeon 5 Mallard 16 American Black Duck 27 Northern Pintail 111 Green-winged Teal 14 Ring-necked Duck 1 Wild Turkey, en route Ruffed Grouse 1, en route Rock Pigeon 4 Mourning Dove 2, en route Sandhill Crane 25 Killdeer 1 Ring-billed Gull 45 Turkey Vulture 3 Osprey 1 Northern Harrier 3 Bald Eagle 2 Red-tailed Hawk 1, en route American Crow, en route Common Raven 9 Horned Lark 1 Tree Swallow 2 European Starling, en route American Robin 2, more en route Song Sparrow 6 Common Grackle 20; and more en route Northern Cardinal 1, en route

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