- 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.
November & December Birding Excursions
1. Sunday, Nov. 23: Late Fall/Early Winter Birding - Ottawa West
2. Sunday, Nov. 30: Winter Water Birds - Ottawa West
3. Sunday, Dec. 7: Raptor Search - Ottawa West
4. Saturday, Dec. 20: Raptor Search - Ottawa West
5. Sunday, Dec. 28: Winter Specialties - Ottawa West
Sunday, Nov. 23: Late Fall/Early Winter Birding – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 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.
Late November is when fall migration slows down and the first over-wintering birds appear. Today, we’ll start by checking the river for hardy waterfowl. After that, we’ll visit open fields and forest edges west of the city. Here we hope to find more waterfowl and various raptors. Many predators hunt over the flat terrain that makes up these fields. Red-tailed Hawks regularly occur here all year. Although November is still a bit early, most winters have a few Snowy Owls in the area. With luck, we may see other interesting animals like Coyote, Red Fox, Gray Partridge, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Short-eared Owl or Lapland Longspur. With extreme luck, we might encounter a Gyrfalcon, or an exotic species from far away. If time permits, we’ll check woodland edges and suburban areas for finches or any unusual over-wintering songbirds. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Nov. 30: Winter Water Birds – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 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.
Every winter, regardless of temperature, our local rivers remain open where waters run fast. Tolerant of extreme cold, many hardy waterfowl enjoy our rivers simply because they’ve adapted to finding food in these extremes. They wouldn’t survive otherwise. Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Mallard and even a few Black Ducks should be visible. We hope to find a few uncommon species mixed among them like Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Northern Pintail, Long-tailed Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye or Harlequin Duck. We’ll also scan the ice edges for overwintering “white-winged” gulls like Glaucous, Iceland and Thayer’s. The open waters are also patrolled by hunters like Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle or Cooper’s Hawk. With extreme luck, we might catch a glimpse of a Gyrfalcon, one of the most sought-after birds of prey. This is a good time for unusual species in the Greater Ottawa area. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Dec. 7: Raptor Search – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 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.
Habitats west of Ottawa provide good hunting grounds for various raptors, especially during winter. While a few birds might just have arrived for the season, others have established predictable winter routines. We’ll check several local habitats including open country, forest edges and the trail road landfill site. Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles should be present. However, anything could appear including Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, Short-eared Owl or even Gyrfalcon. We’ll also pay attention to reports from local birding networks. While our main targets today will be raptors, we’ll get excited with any of our northern specialties. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Saturday, Dec. 20: Raptor Search – Ottawa West
Time: 8:00 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.
Today, we focus our attention on observing birds of prey west of the city. As winter progresses, some raptors form predictable routines while others wander around in search of productive feeding grounds. We’ll drive together down backroads through the vast open farm fields west of the city – one of the most consistent places to see over-wintering raptors. We’ll also pay attention to reports from local birding networks. If convenient, we’ll follow up on any reports of unusual sightings. Some of our targets today include Snowy Owl, Northern Goshawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon, Merlin, American Kestrel, Northern Shrike, Gray Partridge, Lapland Longspur, northern finches or anything unusual. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Sunday, Dec. 28: Winter Specialties – Ottawa West
Time: 8 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.
Ottawa’s Winter, and all the over-wintering birds that visit from the north, are what set our region apart from the rest of the avian world. Each year, Ottawa attracts birds like Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, Hoary Redpoll, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pine Grosbeak, Bohemian Waxwing, Snowy Owl or Northern Hawk Owl. Birders from across the globe come here to see these gems. Today, we’ll mostly search Ottawa’s west end for these special birds. Other possibilities include Gyrfalcon, Great Gray Owl, Boreal Owl, Canada Jay or Boreal Chickadee. If any of these are around, we’ll make special effort to find them. Otherwise, we’ll embark on a search to make new observations. Registration is to TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@Gmail.com
Private birding & photography outings available upon request
Contact us at TonysAlwaysAnAdventure@gmail.com
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