- Poor weather conditions often produce the most interesting birds & wildlife. Therefore, trips will proceed rain or shine. Listen to weather forecasts and dress accordingly. Only the most severe weather conditions will postpone trips.
- Note that customers of Always an Adventure Inc. are responsible for making their own arrangements for accommodation, transportation and payments for such arrangements is at their own expense.
- Transportation will be by personal vehicle (make sure the gas tank is full). Some carpooling might be possible. Contact us if you need a ride
- Some hiking should be expected in areas with active trail networks. Comfortable footwear is recommended.
- Participants should bring their own binoculars and refreshments. Please let us know if you need binoculars. High-quality VORTEX optics can be loaned.
- All transportation cost, ferry cost, park fees, food, accommodation and refreshments are not included in the price.
- During times of hot weather, insect repellent and water comes in handy.
- The trip itinerary is subject to change depending on weather patterns, current local bird activity, scouting results or any unforeseen factors.
- Please register by email
- Payment is by e-Transfer and should be paid within 48hrs of the outing/session. Also accepted are PayPal, cheques & cash. Contact us for more info.
- Always An Adventure Inc. expects all participants to follow local Covid guidelines to all times
- Always An Adventure Inc. is not to be held liable for any unforeseen circumstances that might arise during outings.
- All participants of Always An Adventure Inc. must sign a Release of Liability Form.
- Always An Adventure Inc. is using eBird and participants will receive the day-list per e:mail at the end of the excursion.
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Birding Program
2025 BIRDWATCHING EXCURSIONS
Relaxed, Fun, Exciting & Educational Excursions in the Greater Ottawa Area ~ From Beginner to Expert – Great For All Levels
We offer anything from an hour to full days and overnights. Normal half-day birding: $85.00 – Extended morning: $170.00 – Full day birding: $220.00 HST included. A morning outing normally lasts between 4-6 hours, extended morning 7-9 hrs and a full day birding is 9-12+ hrs depending on bird activity.
Want a private outing? Contact us with your wishes and targets and we will create a customised outing for you.
Spring Birding Program
1. Sunday, Apr 13: Early Spring Arrivals – Ottawa West
2. Saturday, Apr 19: Wild Goose Chase - Ottawa South
3. Wednesday, Apr 23: Waterfowl, Gulls & Assorted Songbirds - Ottawa West
4. Sunday, Apr 27: Scrubland & Wetland Birds - Ottawa West
5. Saturday, May 10: EXTENDED DAY - World Migratory Bird Day/Global BIG Day – Ottawa & St. Lawrence Lowland
6. Wednesday, May 14: The Second Wave of Spring Migration - Ottawa West
7. Sunday, May 18: Scrubland & Wetland Birds - Ottawa West
8. Saturday, May 24: EXTENDED DAY to Chaffeys Lock & Murphy’s Point – Carolinian Species & Late Spring Migration
9. Wednesday, May 28: EXTENDED DAY to Chaffeys Locks & Murphy’s Point – Carolinian Species & Late Spring Migration
Sunday, Apr 13: Early Spring Arrivals – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 am to noon – Meet at the Coliseum Theater Parking Lot, east side, 3090 Carling Ave., east of Bayshore – https://goo.gl/maps/xpSTaC22YFD1zdz4A – $85.00 per person HST incl.
Spring has sprung. Winter birds are slowly moving out as others take their place. Warmer temperatures and melting snow have inspired them to move, sing and establish breeding territories. Male songbirds will be displaying to interested females. American Robins and Song Sparrows will be singing their sweet spring melodies. Ring-billed Gulls, decked out in their immaculate breeding plumage should be ubiquitos. Although many birds will be migrating, there might still be a few winter birds lingering around like Bohemian Waxwing. Other birds we’ll likely see include various finches, woodpeckers and raptors. We should encounter flocks of puddle ducks and geese. If we have lots of open water, we’ll look for loons, grebes and diving ducks. If we’re really lucky, we’ll locate a few unusual species like Tundra Swan, Ross’s Goose or Greater White-fronted Goose. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Saturday, Apr 19: Wild Goose Chase – Ottawa South
Time: 7:30am to noon – Meet at the Hwy 416 & Bankfield Park-n-Ride – https://goo.gl/maps/2cPiYGvtgGP7TVRn9 – $85.00 per pers HST Incl.
During migration, open habitats of Eastern Ontario consistently attract thousands of geese. Sometimes, the huge numbers can be overwhelming. If we’re lucky enough to see them take to the air in a panic, the sensation is an experience beyond any words. All we need is a coyote or an eagle to spook them into flight. Every year, we find a few unusual species among the abundant Canadas and Snow Geese. We’ll study the flocks for things like Cackling Goose, Ross’s Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose and Tundra Swan. If we hit the jackpot, we might encounter something more unusual like a Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose or Tundra Bean Goose. Besides waterfowl, we should find several species of ducks, raptors and early spring songbirds. Eastern Meadow Larks, Killdeer, American Kestrel, and Eastern Bluebird should be present. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Wednesday, Apr 23: Waterfowl, Gulls & Assorted Songbirds – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 am to noon – Meet at the Coliseum Theater Parking Lot, east side, 3090 Carling Ave., east of Bayshore – https://goo.gl/maps/xpSTaC22YFD1zdz4A – $85.00 per person HST incl.
With the first wave of spring migration near its peak, we can expect to see many birds today. Watercourses like the Ottawa River, provide corridors for birds en-route to their northern nesting grounds. We’ll check the river for waterfowl and gulls, many of which are here only through migration. Suitable habitats along the water’s edge also provide food and shelter for migrating songbirds. Sparrows, and possibly kinglets should be fairly visible along wooded shorelines. Predators like Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin might also be present. As the morning progresses, some waterfowl and gulls will leave the river to feed in local farm fields. If time permits, we’ll follow these flocks to the open fields. As always… we’ll keep our eyes out for anything unusual. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Apr 27: Scrubland & Wetland Birds – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 am to noon – Meet at the Coliseum Theater Parking Lot, east side, 3090 Carling Ave., east of Bayshore – https://goo.gl/maps/xpSTaC22YFD1zdz4A – $85.00 per person HST incl.
Open habitats and forest edges west of the city can provide excellent opportunities to observe some of Canada’s shyest birds. We will explore areas around the towns of Richmond and Munster where we should find a variety of species, some just arriving on territory. Our efforts might produce Swamp Sparrow, Marsh Wren, Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern, Wilson’s Snipe, Common Gallinule, Sora and Virginia Rail. If we’re lucky, we might find a bonded pair of Trumpeter Swans. Nearby open fields might produce Eastern Meadowlark, House Wren, Brown Thrasher or Upland Sandpiper. Overhead, we’ll watch for raptors like Osprey, Bald Eagle or Broad-winged Hawk. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Saturday, May 10: EXTENDED DAY – World Migratory Bird Day/Global BIG Day – Ottawa & St. Lawrence Lowland
Time: 6 am to 3 pm – Meet at the Coliseum Theater Parking Lot, east side, 3090 Carling Ave., east of Bayshore – https://goo.gl/maps/xpSTaC22YFD1zdz4A – $170.00 per person HST incl.
Today is an International “Global Big Day” #globalbigday of Birding. To celebrate, we plan an extended day exploring the many habitats of Eastern Ontario. We start fairly early in Ottawa’s west end. We plan on covering a lot of territory to maximize our success. Throughout the day, we should encounter many species including herons, waterfowl, gulls, raptors and several species of songbirds. Overhead we might see Osprey and Bald Eagle. In our local woodlands, we should encounter sparrows, kinglets, warblers, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers. From here, we‘ll head into the open fields to explore grasslands, wetlands, and lagoons. If we’re lucky, we might find Trumpeter Swan, shorebirds, grebes, or something rare. If we’re lucky, we might find Ross’s Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Geese, or something even more exotic. By late afternoon, we will have checked several habitats including scrubland, forest trails, lagoons, rivers, urban and suburban local regions. We can expect a lot of wildlife today. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Wednesday, May 14: The Second Wave of Spring Migration – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30am to noon – Meet at Andrew Haydon Park West Parking Lot, off Carling Ave., and Acres Road – https://goo.gl/maps/vx4XAy6CcQ3Pqa9F9 – $85.00 per pers HST Incl.
We expect a new wave of spring migrants to arrive by mid May. We should start seeing warblers tanagers and flycatchers in with other songbirds. Some have travelled from the neotropics where they’ve spent the winter feeding on an abundance of insects, their preferred food. The forest, scrublands and fields will hide some of these shy creatures. However, male warblers, some adorned in bold colours & patterns, will betray their presence by emphatically chanting their courtship song. We’ll look and listen for these new arrivals, sifting through the common species hoping to find something unusual. Besides warblers, we should find kinglets, sparrows, finches and other new arrivals. Much excitement awaits us in the leafy habitats of Spring. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, May 18: Scrubland & Wetland Birds – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30am to noon – Meet at Andrew Haydon Park West Parking Lot, off Carling Ave., and Acres Road – https://goo.gl/maps/vx4XAy6CcQ3Pqa9F9 – $85.00 per person HST incl.
In mid-May, many birds have already passed through our region. Some have stayed to breed. We’ll check open habitats and forest edges west of the city looking for species adapted to our abundant scrublands. We will explore areas around the towns of Dunrobin and Constance Bay where we should find a variety of species. Our efforts might produce Swamp Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Marsh Wren, American Bittern, Wilson’s Snipe, Northern Harrier, Sora and Virginia Rail. With luck, we might find some uncommon species like Sedge Wren or Least Bittern. Above us, we might see hawks, falcons or eagles. There’s always a chance to see Trumpeter Swans or some unusual late-migrating goose. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Saturday, May 24: EXTENDED DAY to Chaffeys Lock & Murphy’s Point – Carolinian Species & Late Spring Migration
Time: 6 am to 3 pm – meet at The Carp Park-n-Ride – https://goo.gl/maps/JTHMpnqkS2m6GrZ26 – $170.00 per person HST incl.
The Chaffey’s Locks area is the best location near Ottawa to find Carolinian species. Birds like Yellow-throated Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Wood Thrush, Veery, and Scarlet Tanager are relatively common nesters. Among our target species, we hope to find Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barred Owl, Eastern Towhee, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Red-shouldered Hawk. More elusive species include Blue-winged Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. If time permits, we’ll check open country for birds like Eastern Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark and Upland Sandpiper. This extended day can be very entertaining and productive. Since morning is the best time to locate many of these birds, it’s best that we start very early. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Wednesday, May 28: EXTENDED DAY to Chaffeys Locks & Murphy’s Point – Carolinian Species & Late Spring Migration
Time: 6 am to 3 pm – meet at The Carp Park-n-Ride – https://goo.gl/maps/JTHMpnqkS2m6GrZ26 – $170.00 per person HST incl.
Back by popular demand… This is the weekday version of our Chaffey’s Locks excursion. This is the best location near Ottawa to find Carolinian species. Birds like Yellow-throated Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Wood Thrush, Veery, and Scarlet Tanager are relatively common nesters. Among our target species, we hope to find Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barred Owl, Eastern Towhee, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Red-shouldered Hawk. More elusive species include Blue-winged Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. If time permits, we’ll check open country for birds like Eastern Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark and Upland Sandpiper. This extended day can be very entertaining and productive. Since morning is the best time to locate many of these birds, it’s best that we start very early. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
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