- 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
2026 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.
September Birdwatching Excursions
1. Friday, Sep 11: The Ottawa River Migratory Corridor - Ottawa West
2. Sunday, Sep 13: Peak Fall Songbird Migration - Ottawa West
3. Friday, Sep 18: Fall Migration in Ottawa’s West End
4. Sunday, Sep 20: Shorebirds and Wetlands - Ottawa West
5. Friday, Sep 25: Ottawa’s Greenbelt – Forest & Wetland - Ottawa West
6. Sunday, Sep 27: Westmeath Area – Open Country - Cranes & Raptors
Friday, Sep 11: The Ottawa River Migratory Corridor – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 am 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.
Today, we will check staging hot-spots along the Ottawa River. This is an important migratory route for birds traveling south from Canada’s Arctic to the Atlantic seaboard, especially during the first week of September. We’ll start at Ottawa Beach (Andrew Haydon Park), working our way slowly to places like Grandview Drive, or Shirley’s Bay. We’ll search for migrating warblers in the trees along the shoreline. We’ll also check for migratory gulls, waterfowl and shorebirds in the river’s shallows. Since anything is possible at this time of year, we will pay close attention to recent postings on local birding networks and track down any reports of rare birds. Ideally, we will discover our own rarities to alert the birding community. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Sep 13: Peak Fall Songbird Migration – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 am 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.
Over all other times of year, the greatest diversity of birds in the Ottawa area occurs in early September. With the breeding season over, and birds leaving their territories, signs of fall migration are everywhere. Forest edges in particular should be filled with migrating warblers, vireos, thrushes and flycatchers. A few of the first sparrows and kinglets may also show up. Besides the many expected migrants, there is always a chance for something unusual or unexpected. We’ll start by checking for waterfowl, herons, shorebirds, terns and gulls resting in the shallows and pools along the Ottawa River. After that, we’ll search nearby vegetation for migrating songbirds, including blackbirds, tanagers, swallows and many others. If we’re really lucky, we’ll experience something dramatic and exciting like a “warbler fallout”. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Friday, Sep 18: Fall Migration in Ottawa’s West End
Time: 8:00 am 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.
With most of the warblers and swallows gone, we begin to experience a second wave of bird migration. We’ll check several hot spots in Ottawa’s West End looking for new arrivals of the season. There should still be a few late warblers and vireos around. Yellow-rumped Warblers should be plenty. However, there should be more ducks, geese and sparrows than previous months. The Ottawa River will likely be active, especially the shoreline. If water levels are low, we might have many shorebirds, gulls, and ducks. In deeper water, we might have several diving ducks, loons and grebes. Something rare often turns up in the Ottawa area at this time of year. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Sep 20: Shorebirds and Wetlands – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 am 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.
Although the staging areas east of Ottawa are renowned for migrating shorebirds, there are excellent staging areas west of the city as well. Ottawa Beach, Richmond, Carleton Place, or Almonte have had their fair share of rare birds. We’ll visit some of these, based on which ones are accessible, and which ones have good bird activity. No doubt, we’ll find other great birds like herons, bitterns, rails, waterfowl and songbirds. The end of September is fairly consistent for unusual species to show up during migration, and it’s an exciting time to be searching for wildlife. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Friday, Sep 25: Ottawa’s Greenbelt – Forest & Wetland – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00am – meet at Jack Pine Trail Parking Lot, Moodie Drive. (South of Hunt Club Road) – https://goo.gl/maps/RqHuNFYLey4M1wa18 – $85.00 per person HST incl.
One of our favourite local trails, the Jack Pine Trail, forms part of the Stony Swamp Greenbelt trail network. This delightful, diverse, and easy-walking trail always delivers. Besides viewing the start of fall colours, we can expect to see various songbirds, woodpeckers, raptors, as well as other wildlife. Resident and migrating birds find refuge along its many natural habitats. We’ll detect them by their call notes since they’ve lost their need to maintain their breeding territory. A sprinkling of warblers, kinglets, sparrows, and vireos might still be present. They’ll likely provide us with identification challenges as we sort through their drab fall colours. If the water levels are low, the marshes might reveal migrating shorebirds, waterfowl and herons. If time permits, we’ll visit other nearby forests, wetlands and open fields. Right now, anything could show up in Ottawa’s West End. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Sep 27: Westmeath Area – Open Country – Cranes & Raptors
Time: 8:00 am to noon – Meet at the Renfrew Park-n-Ride. From the intersection of Hwy 60 and Hwy 17, turn right onto Hwy 60 toward Renfrew. Shortly after the traffic circle, across the road from the Walmart, look for the Park-n-Ride lot with a bright yellow “CP Rail Caboose”, and the red tourist info building – link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jje4NyDJMdTXJmjj6https://maps.app.goo.gl/jje4NyDJMdTXJmjj6 – $85.00 per person HST incl.
Habitats northwest of Ottawa have recently proven excellent staging areas for a variety of species, especially in fall. We plan to visit various wetlands and open country looking for flocks of Sandhill Crane and waterfowl. We should also find raptors like Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier and others. There’s a chance we may even find a early Rough-legged Hawks, Golden Eagle or even an American Goshawk. In some of the extensive wetlands, we might find lingering Common Gallinule, Virginia Rail or Sora. We’ll also check for American Coot, or any number of dabbling ducks like Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail or American Wigeon. The open fields of Westmeath have recently become a significant staging area for Sandhill Cranes. With luck, we might find hundreds of them. We’ll also check parts of the Ottawa River and Muskrat Lake for migratory waterbirds like loons and grebes. This is the time of year where almost anything can show up including a rare flycatcher or something equally as exotic. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
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