- 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
2024 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: $130.00 – Full day birding: $200.00 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 & October Birding Program
1. Sun, Sep. 8: Peak Fall Songbird Migration - Ottawa West
2. Wed, Sep. 11: Sparrows, Kinglets and the Last Warblers - Ottawa West
3. Sat, Sep. 14: Shorebirds & Wetlands - Ottawa West
4. Wed, Sep. 18: The Ottawa River Migratory Corridor - Ottawa West
5. More outings for Sep/Oct to be added - stay tuned...
6. Sat, Oct. 19: EXTENDED DAY - Westmeath – Open Country - Cranes & Raptors
7. Sun, Oct. 27: FULL DAY - Late Fall Migration - Lake Dore & Other Staging Areas West of Ottawa
Sunday, September 8: Peak Fall Songbird Migration – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 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 is NOW – Early September. With the breeding season over, and birds leaving their territories, signs of fall migration are everywhere. Forest edges should be filled with migrating warblers, vireos, 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 fortunate, we’ll experience something dramatic and exciting like a “warbler fallout” or a wandering vagrant from far away. Registration is to [email protected]
Wednesday, September 11: Sparrows, Kinglets and the Last Warblers – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 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.
By mid-September, the first stage of fall migration transitions into the second wave. We will see the last of the warblers, swallows, and flycatchers. By the end of the month, only a few remain in the region. However, as warbler sightings wane, we should see an increase in sparrows and kinglets. We’ll check wooded habitats along the Ottawa River for any sign of migratory songbirds. While Yellow-rumped Warblers should be common, we might find late warblers like Blackpoll, and Western Palm Warblers. Among the warblers, we might also find migratory White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. If we’re lucky, we might encounter something less common like Gray-cheeked Thrush or Lincoln’s Sparrow. If opportunity arises, we’ll check parts of the river for migratory waterbirds. This is an exciting time to be out. Registration is to [email protected]
Saturday, September 14: Shorebirds & Wetlands – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 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 sandpipers, there are excellent shorebird spots west of the city as well. Andrew Haydon Park, Richmond Conservation Area, and the Almonte Lagoons have had their fair share of rare birds over the last few decades. We’ll visit some of these, based mainly on which ones are accessible and have recent bird activity. We’ll undoubtedly find other great birds like herons, bitterns, rails, waterfowl, and songbirds. Mid-September is fairly consistent for fall bird migration, and it’s an exciting time to be searching for wildlife, especially rare or unusual migratory birds. Registration is to [email protected]
Wednesday, September 18: The Ottawa River Migratory Corridor – Ottawa West
Time: 7:30 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.
During this most active part of fall migration, we’ll check staging hot spots along the Ottawa River – an important migratory route for birds traveling south from Canada’s Arctic to the Atlantic seaboard. Likely stops include Andrew Hayden Park, Grandview Drive, Shirley’s Bay, and possibly Constance Bay. We’ll look for the last of the migrating warblers, especially in the trees along shorelines. We’ll also look for migratory gulls, waterfowl, and shorebirds, especially 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 exciting reports of rare birds. We might even discover some rarities to report. Registration is to [email protected]
More outings to come for Sep/Oct!
Stay tuned…
Saturday, October 19: Westmeath – Open Country – Cranes & Raptors – EXTENDED DAY
Time: 6:00am to 3:00 pm – meet at the Carp Park-n-Ride – https://goo.gl/maps/JTHMpnqkS2m6GrZ26 – $130.00 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 Golden Eagle or Northern Goshawk. In some of the extensive wetlands, we might find lingering Common Gallinule or Virginia Rail. 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 dancing, flying, and calling. 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 when almost anything can show up including a rare flycatcher or something equally as exciting. Registration is to [email protected]
Sunday, October 27: Late Fall Migration – Lake Dore & Other Staging Areas West of Ottawa – FULL DAY
Time: 6:00am to 6:00pm – meet at the Carp Park-n-Ride – https://goo.gl/maps/JTHMpnqkS2m6GrZ26 – $200.00 per person HST incl.
Lake Dore is a large body of freshwater that has consistently produced unusual species of waterbirds, especially in autumn. The Lake provides a good food supply for surface-feeding birds like gulls, as well as diving birds like loons, grebes and ducks. Late fall can sometimes produce large numbers of these birds. The list of exciting rarities recorded here is fairly long including gems like Thick-billed Murre and Ivory Gull. We occasionally find Tundra or Trumpeter Swans, sometimes together for comparison. We’ll also check the fields near Cobden for staging Sandhill Cranes. If time permits, we’ll take a drive up to the Barron Canyon of Algonquin Park (Park Fee) where past trips have produced Golden Eagle, Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay and Northern Goshawk. We hope to make several exciting discoveries on this full-day outing into open-country and boreal habitats. Registration is to [email protected]
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