A PUBLICATION CONCERNED WITH
NATURAL HISTORY AND CONSERVATION

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE Vol.ll No.l p.1-36 Ottawa, Jan.- Feb. 1977

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE

Editors: Anne Hanes

18 Briarcliffe Drive,
Ottawa, Ont. KIJ 6E4
Sharon Godkin
Joyce Reddoch

Production Staff:
Marjorie Bond
Leone Brown
Dorothy Greene
Rosemary Wallbank

Business and Production Manager:

Harry A. Thomson

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB
- Founded 1879 -

President: Dr. Ewen C.D. Todd, 1818 Paisley Ave., Ottawa

Corr. Secretary: P.J. Narraway, Box 3264 Stn. C, Ottawa

Objectives of the Club : To promote the appreciation
preservation and conservation of Canada’s natural
heritage; to encourage investigation and publish the
results of research in all fields of natural history
and to diffuse information on these fields as widely
as possible; to support and co-operate with organiz¬
ations engaged in preserving, maintaining or restoring
environments of high quality for living things.

Club Publications : THE CANAVIAN EJELV-hlATURALlST,
devoted to publishing research in natural history.

TRAIL S LANVSCAPE, a non-technical publication of
general interest to local naturalists.

Field Trips , Lectures and other natural history
activities are arranged for local members.

See inside back cover.

Membership Fees :

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $7.00

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $9.00

SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $25.00

LIFE MEMBERSHIP: (one payment) $200.00

Libraries and other institutions may subscribe to
Trail & Landscape at the rate of $7.00 per year (Vol.)

Apply for Membership to :

THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE,

Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club,
Box 3264, Postal Station "C",
Ottawa, Canada KlY 4J5

Second Class Mail - Registration #2777

Vol 11 No 1

©

Published by

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB
Box 3264 Postal Station C,
Ottawa, Ontario
KlY 4J5

On the Path to the Present - - - _ 2

A. Pawley

OTTAWA-CARLETON REGIONAL FOREST

Introduction J. Reddoch - - - - 6

The Richmond Wetlands I. Bayly - - 9

One Naturalist’s Discovery A. Hanes 13
Prairie White Fringed-Orchid J. Reddoch 16

Birds A.J. Erskine ----- 20

Rare Plant Survey D.J. White - - 22

Winter Camping part two - - - - 26

S. Hamill

How to See 200 Species of Birds in the

Ottawa Area This Year ----- 29

P. Matthews, R. Poulin

Autumn Birds 1976 ------ 32

J.A. Murray

Coming Events - _ - inside back cover

1

Sally Pawley

We present-day naturalists follow a primrose
path compared to our predecessors. Naturalists today
need only reach to the bookshelf for a field guide
to almost any branch of natural history chosen to
investigate. There are complete vegetation, climatic,
soil and topographical maps, air photos, and lists of
species belonging to the various divisions of natural
history for each geographical area. We can thank the
earliest OFNC members for a great deal of our present-
day knowledge. It was the organized field work started
in the late 1800’s that cleared the trail for OFNC
members of today.

The first lists of shells and flora in the Ottawa
district were published during the first year of the
Club’s existence. Bird lists appeared the following
year; fishes, insects and mosses appearing soon after.
The efforts that went into these inventories are
impressive.

In 1881, its third year, the Club organized itself
into groups to take charge of five different branches
of natural science: geology, botany, entomology,
ornithology and o8logy, and conchology. A general
zoology group was formed the following year. Each
division had a leader. Working parties were formed
in each group for the assistance of beginners and
”for the fuller development of the area”. The groups
helped to serve as an inducement to members to take up
study in one or more branches. Under this system began
the valuable work from which we benefit today.

2

Work being conducted by each branch was reported
to council once a year and prizes were awarded for
collections made. Prizes were also offered by the
president to members making the largest additions to
the lists of species. One can imagine the fun of
competition that enveloped those early activities.

The Club’s success was due to membership
participation coupled with good organization and the
enthusiastic dedication of the leaders, whose attention
to the Club’s development propelled it through the in¬
fant years. ”I’m surprised more members haven’t turned
their eye to the study of ornithology”. James Fletcher
once observed in an address to the Club — a surprising
remark in view of the number of ’birders’ in the Club
today. ”The number of entomologists in our Club is
very small, I am sorry to say”, he remarked on another
occasion (1880). (Fletcher himself became Honorary
Entomologist for the Department of Agriculture several
years later.)

Dr. H.B. Small, Club president from 1883 to 1885,
often urged members to not satisfy themselves just with
fact-collecting and observing. Proper records, he in¬
sisted, were a necessity if future generations were
going to benefit. Such remarks, recorded in the min¬
utes and Transactions, reveal the attentiveness given
to the Club’s future by those leaders.

A series of elementary lectures in botany was
given by Fletcher during the winter of 1881. A success¬
ful effort, lectures became an important club activity
for the next few years. Not only members but also the
public received instruction in the various branches of
natural science. This indicated, as H.B. Small proudly
pointed out, that the Club was becoming more and more
recognized as both willing and able to impart instruction
in the natural sciences. The instructional lectures were
quite separate from the regular soirees which continued
during winter evenings. Papers read at the soirees, if
on a member’s original research or if dealing with the
natural history of the Ottawa district, continued to be
published in the ’Transactions’.

3

In addition to regular summer outings, sub-excur¬
sions were started, and they too became a valuable club
activity. These were half-day events organized by the
various branches for the specific purpose of studies in
each branch. The sub-excursions, though most success¬
ful, did not detract from the major club outings as had
at first been feared. Rather, they involved members in
good field work projects. In the meantime, pleasant
summer outings continued. A memorable one found the
naturalists roaming the grounds and museum of L.J.
Papineau’s residence. This was a joint excursion with
the Montreal Natural History Society to Montebello,
where the hospitality "increased materially the enjoy¬
ment of the day". Another outing sent the group to
Black Rapids, then "15 miles outside the city", in
Dr. Wickstead’s steam yacht.

With soirees, lectures, outings and sub-excursions
one would believe the Club’s slate to be full, but
there were other irons in the fire.

In order to help carry on the work, council decided
to apply for a grant from the Ontario Government. To
do this, and "to improve its standing", the Club became
incorporated in 1884. At this change in status the
Club rules were modified to allow more "satisfactory"
management of the organization, but it was several
years before a grant was received.

A dream of building up a national museum began to
crystallize when the Royal Society of Canada was formed
in 1882. The Society aimed to "cultivate and encourage
all branches of intellectual culture" in Canada, and
it was a great honour for the Ottawa Field-Naturalists
to be invited to send a representative to the Society’s
annual meeting. H.B. Small, representing the Club in
1883, reported back to his colleagues: "When the reports
were read I was proud of the Club I represented, as no
other showed such practical work and usefulness as
our own."

There were other honours, too. At the 1884
Dominion Exhibition the OFNC received a silver medal
and a diploma for its exhibits of collections in various
branches. Individual members also won prizes: Dr. Small
for his collection of reptiles, Henry H. Ami for his

4

geological specimens, F.R. Latchford for his collection
of land and freshwater shells, W.L. Scott for his col¬
lection of eggs, Mrs. Chamberlin for her paintings of
fungi, H.B. Brunell for minerals, James Fletcher for
insects, and R.B. Whyte for botanical specimens.

With the opening of the Canada Atlantic Railway in
1883 new districts came under the eager scrutiny of the
naturalists. Perhaps the broadening of territory also
broadened H.B. Small’s visions for the Club’s future:

"Could our example but start similar clubs in
other districts, their work when added to ours
would complete a system... There are naturalists
in every district, to start whose energies some
central force only is required. Could our na¬
tional centre of natural history but see its
way clear to assume this duty, the most favour¬
able results would inevitably follow."

Certainly as a result of the vision and energy within
the Ottawa club the most favourable results did follow.
The Club not only has contributed a great deal to local
natural history, but also to naturalists’ activities
across the country.

RIDEAU TRAIL

BOUNDARY

' / ” '*» t/» ^ •. /•/' I

REGIONAL FOREST

OTTAWA - CARLETON

^0/ies^

INTRODUCTION

We naturalists only really discovered the Regional
Forest last summer, and what an exciting place it is
turning out to be I I guess it is because the mixture
of habitats is new to us - wetlands and woodlands over
limestone. The wetlands include not only cattail
marshes, but also meadows, wooded swamps of several
kinds, and both open and wooded bogs. Isabel Bayly des¬
cribes the area in the first of five articles we have
put together to give you our impressions of this varied
and extensive Conservation Area. Tony Erskine writes
of the birds he noticed during a Club excursion there
in early June. You will read about the plants: discovery
of ginseng by Anne Hanes; an orchid new to the Ottawa
area, reported by Joyce Reddoch; plants new and rare in
the Ottawa area, by David White.

The Ottawa-Carleton Regional Forest is designated
as a Forest Management and Recreational Area in the Offi¬
cial Plan of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton.
(See T&L 9(1) 17;1975). The Forest covers 46,300 acres
in area, of which 8,300 acres are owned by the Region.

At present about half of the Region’s land is managed
by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. An addi¬
tional 480 acres of the Forest belong to the Ministry.

The rest is still privately owned.

The Regional Forest is not terribly scenic. In
fact, it is not really a forest. It is a very flat
land, drained by three wandering, shallow creeks,and
the Jock River. And it is, for the most part, either
very wet or very dry. In addition to its plants and
birds, the Forest is home to many different mammals:
deer, beaver, coyote, snowshoe hare, muskrat, mink,
raccoon, skunk, and weasel. There is even evidence of
lynx.

Why not see what you can find there yourself this
summer? Or try it out for skiing and snowshoeing. The
Rideau Trail runs right down the middle. J.R.

7

A tamarack swamp along the Klondyke Road, Regional Forest.

The railway runs through the middle of the Richmond Marsh
(Bog) providing access to this vast area of cattail marsh,
meadow, willows, and shrubby bog, surrounded by tamarack
swamp, cedar swamp, and ash-elm swamp. (J & A Reddoch)

8

Natural History in the Regional Forest

THE RICHMOND WETLANDS
Isabel Bayly

Between Richmond on the north and the Rideau River
on the south, and encompassing at least 6000 acres, lies
an area of wetland variously known as "Richmond Swamp"
or "Richmond Bog". As the names imply, there are both
bog and swamp components in the area, together with a
much larger component which might best be called fresh¬
water wetlands. The area is not continuous wetland,
but is subdivided by dry ridges into many pockets, large
and small, where water collects, and where the water-
oriented flora and fauna abound. From the point of view
of individuals whose interests lie in the aquatic and
semi-aquatic organisms, these areas provide a rich and
varied terrain, where there is indeed "something for
everyone".

Present management of the area is divided among a
number of agencies. Some of the areas are Provincial
Crown Land, while others belong to the Regional Munici¬
pality of Ottawa-Carleton. The Canadian National Rail¬
way has a right-of-way through one of the major marsh
areas. The Regional Municipality has given over the
management of most of their lands to the Ontario Minis¬
try of Natural Resources (Forestry and Wildlife), and a
management proposal exists which considers mainly the
use of timber resources and the trapping of muskrats.

The use of the area by wildlife, with the exception of
the muskrat, has yet to be considered.

In the wetlands there exists a number of distinct
and diverse community types, each with its own distinc¬
tive flora and fauna. Many of the cedar swamp and
beaver meadow communities have obviously enjoyed their
high water levels by virtue of beaver activity, and
beaver are still very active. In some places, dirt
roads have become flooded and passage is difficult if
not impossible. The swampy areas, rich with Mountain
Holly (Nemopanthus ), Buckthorn (Rhamnus ) and Marsh Fern
(Thelypteris palustris ), support significant populations
of deer and grouse. The beaver meadows, with their

9

Combinations of open water, cover and food sources make por¬
tions of the Richmond wetlands ideal habitat for waterfowl.

Old beaver meadows offer excellent food sources plus a range
of diverse habitats for many species of birds. (G.C. Bayly)

10

forests of bare drowned trees, rich stands of Manna
Grass ( Glyceria borealis ) and sedges ( Carex spp.)> plus
the many pools of shallow fresh water, support resident
broods of waterfowl, together with a good population of
Great Blue Herons. Some places are a bird-watcher’s
paradise, where Rose-breasted Grosbeaks pursue their
nesting activities and the daily round of food-gathering
as though observers were quite invisible. On pockets of
ground which are slightly above water level following
the spring melt period, one can find superb colonies of
the now fairly rare Fringed Gentian ( Gentiana crinita ),
and in the shallow waters Mermaid-weed ( Proserpinaca)
can be found. Most of the common (and very beautiful)
minor components of freshwater wetlands are readily
observable. Low-grading willows are common in the area,
as are vast colonies of cattails, and these tend to en¬
croach and restrict access of the waterfowl to this
potentially rich area. Despite this, waterfowl are
common, even abundant, not only in periods of migration
but in the summer months as well.

The CN railway line, which runs through a major
part of the marsh, plays an important role for the
resident fauna. Ballast along the right-of-way is used
extensively by the turtle populations for egg-laying,
incubation and sunning, and these activities in turn
are monitored by the raccoons, which enthusiastically
dig for turtle eggs in the dry ballast. The line also
offers a good look at the marsh, and certainly many en¬
thusiastic observers have walked those long straight
tracks armed with binoculars!

Open moving waters are rather limited, but of
course these support a strong population of lotic
species, such as Potamogeton epihydrus , certainly not
rare, but indicative of diversity of the marsh. The
lentic waters support many species as well, particularly
Bladderwort ( Utricularia vulgaris ) and some Frog’s-bit
( Hydrocharis morsus-ranae ). Of course the many minor
species are also present, and reward the keen observer.

Wetlands are important places. Not only do they
function for man as a perennial water source in times
of drought, a welcome reservoir in a dry land, but
they serve as staging and nesting areas for the water-
fowl, one of our important Canadian natural heritages.

11

The fact that the Richmond wetlands are so close to
urbanized centres, and are thus endangered in many ways
by the possibility of unplanned development and land-
filling, suggests that a sound conservation programme
should be undertaken now to preserve them. They are
important places, beautiful places too, and they defi¬
nitely deserve to be maintained and conserved.

To increase the value of wetlands in the Richmond
area for wildlife populations, some form of management
might be considered. Important prerequisites for
waterfowl utilization are adequate open water, coupled
with good cover and food sources. Both cover and food
sources are certainly available, but there are sections
of the marsh which might be opened up to increase the
open water surfaces. Such pondings would encourage even
more waterfowl to visit and nest. There is no need to
institute practices such as controlled water levels
which might easily flood the railroad right-of-way,
and in any event a high water level is neither needed
nor desired, since present water levels are entirely
adequate. With very little work, the area could
support many more waterfowl. The benefits to local
wildlife would increase enormously by this simple
(and minimal) form of wetland management.

To the casual observer, or to those who think
neither one way nor the other regarding natural habi¬
tats, marshes usually represent a wasteland — empty,
wet and uninviting. To those who are willing to learn
or who are already knowledgeable, a wetland teems with
life, often rare and beautiful. Whether rare or common,
that life is capable of existence only within the sanc¬
tuary of the wetlands themselves. The Richmond wetlands
are one such sanctuary, close to man and yet a place
apart, still mysterious, still challenging. Let us
learn to value and conserve these important areas, so
that man and nature may mutually benefit from their
continuing presence.

12

Natural History in the Regional Forest

ONE NATURALIST’S DISCOVERY
Anne Hanes

It was billed as a "working but fun" excursion
of the OFNC to investigate bird life in an area little
explored by naturalists, the Ottawa-Carleton Regional
Forest — and I nearly passed it up. One had to be up
and alert at an ungodly hour to arrive on site when the
birds could best be counted. If my crystal ball had
shown beforehand the birds I would find that day, I
might well have stayed in bed, letting the dozen other
naturalists do the counting. However, morning dawned
magnificently with a full moon glowing softly, and in
a pink haze at 5:45 a.m. we began our walk. Although
our group made no outstanding discoveries birdwise, a
bluebird family was an unexpected delight, and a novelty
to most of us to find them nesting in a natural cavity
rather than a man-made box. But Fate had an ace of a
different suit up her sleeve, so to speak. My surprise
that day was a botanical one, and I wouldn’t have missed
my very own discovery of the fabulous ginseng for all
the Yellow Rails in Richmond Marsh. Freezing hands and
sopping feet were forgotten when the magic spot was
reached and the treasure revealed.

My fellow birders must be forgiven for not leaping
in wild excitement over my find. Ginseng is nothing
special to look at, but one aware of
its curious history and present
rarity couldn’t fail to be ( \

fascinated. Local bo tan-

ists have been guarded
in admitting they know
places where it grows,
and I have been sworn
to secrecy regarding
certain stands —
with good reason,
as you will see.

13

Used as a medicine for many centuries in China
and Japan, the root of ginseng (Panax schinseng ) has
made old men young and prevented all manner of ills.
Manchurian ginseng was considered most effective, and
at one time became so scarce that an imperial edict
prohibited its collection there; it is recently reported
to sell for $3000 a pound. Other sources were Korea and
Chinese Turkestan. The demand for ginseng continued
down the ages, and in 1716 someone with a sharp eye and
a knowledge of Chinese custom made a startling connec¬
tion in the eastern woodlands of the New World: we had
ginseng too, and in great quantity. American ginseng
(Panax quinquefolius ) grew in huge patches in deciduous
woods from southern Ontario and Quebec to Georgia and
Oklahoma, and the market was waiting, across the Pacific.
The discovery, wrote Marie^-Victorin in Flore Laurentienne,
produced at that time as much excitement and cupidity
as the news, much later, of gold in California. "The
farmers, finding more profit in seeking Ginseng than in
sowing wheat, abandoned their lands to roam the woods.
Unfortunately, instead of letting the roots dry slowly
in the loft, they put them in the oven to dry more
quickly. This was the cause of the depreciation of
Canadian Ginseng, and soon, of this great traffic there
remained only the popular saying *C*est tombe comme le
Ginseng’ — its gone the way of the Ginseng."

The excitement was certainly over by 1834 in the
Peterborough area of Ontario. In that year Catherine
Parr Traill, describing her life as a pioneer in The
Backwoods of Canada, tells of various wild plants re¬
appearing after clearing of land. "I have been obliged
this spring to root out with remorseless hand hundreds
of sarsaparilla plants, and also the celebrated ginseng,
which grows abundantly in our woods: it used formerly
to be an article of export to China from the States,
the root being held in high estimation by the Chinese."
Ginseng, a weed, yeti

However, export from Canada continued, and by the
late 1800’s ginseng must have been nearly extirpated
around Ottawa. The settlers, bless their progressive
pioneering hearts, had nearly wiped out the resource.

In spite of active botanists from our Club’s beginnings
to the present, very few local specimens of ginseng are
in the National Herbariums. In fact, only one seems to

14

have been collected within 40 miles of Ottawa on the
Ontario side - from "Gloucester, Ont." dated 1879.

(There are 8 or 9 sites in Quebec nearby.) Let’s hope
the Regional Forest discovery indicates a revival of
ginseng wherever its habitat is maintained - another
reason to urge protection of this rich and varied area.

With the great ginseng hunt about over, cultivation
of ginseng began, especially in Ontario in the 1920’s.
Today you can buy stratified ginseng seed to grow in
your own woods (real or simulated) and sell the roots
in four to seven years. The average return for the
dried root is $40 a pound for cultivated ginseng. One
source states that the cultivated root is worth about
60% of the price paid for wild roots. With interest
increasing in folk remedies, natural cures and herbal
medicine, the market isn’t about to disappear.

Is ginseng really a wonder drug? The Encyclopaedia
Britannica (1963) dismisses the Chinese belief tersely,
"There is no evidence... to indicate that ginseng has
any value, either as a drug or as an aphrodisiac."

Surely all those Chinese can’t be wrong. Nor is it only
Orientals who rely on ginseng to put them back in shape.
Johnny Rodgers, the "ordinary superstar" of the Montreal
Alouettes, credits to ginseng his speedy recovery from
a knee injury last fall. "The doctors told me I’d be
out six to eight weeks with this leg and I made it back
in half that time. It was ginseng that did it."

(Ottawa Citizen, Oct 12/76).

Now, all this emphasis on health and youth might
tempt an unscrupulous middle-aged botanist to experiment
with a loss to the Regional Forest of a few dozen plants
However, I take to heart the words of the Ontario
Naturalist on ginseng (Lindsay & Cruise, June 1975),

"... its survival in Ontario is now precarious. Because
of its rarity, nothing justifies the removal of the wild
plant." I did, however, liberate a few of the handsome
scarlet fruits on an August visit to the site, hoping
to re-establish a colony in a safe and suitable habitat
close to home. If, some day about eight years hence,
you notice that my wrinkles have gone and I bounce with
vim and vigour, you’ll know my experiment has succeeded.
Never underestimate the possibilities of an OFNC
excursion’.

15

PRAIRIE WHITE FRINGED-ORCHIDS IN THE RICHMOND MARSH.

The plants varied in height from 81 cm down to 33 cm.
The average height of the 40 plants at this station
was 63 cm. The photographs were taken on July 11, 1976
by the author.

16

Natural History in the Regional Forest

PRAIRIE WHITE FRINGED ORCHID

A NEW ORCHID FOR THE OTTAWA AREA

Joyce Reddoch

For the first time Prairie White Fringed-Orchid
(Habenaria leucophaea) has been found in the Ottawa
areZ O^Tjuly 3, 1976, OFNC President Ewen Todd dis¬
covered several dozen plants, mostly still in bud, at
various places in the Richmond Marsh, A week later,
with Ewen now in Scotland, the author confirmed the
identity of the now fully—flowering plants . Three
weeks previously, David White had peeked into the tight
bud of a Habenaria" *" in the eastern part of the Marsh
and had seen a fringed lip - a hopeful sign for Prairie
White Fringed-Orchid in that particular habitat.

The distribution of Prairie White Fringed-Orchid
is centered about the lower Great Lakes and includes ^

the upper Mississippi valley. The species is extremely
rare in Ontario, Only two other stations have been dis¬
covered by the Native Orchid Location Survey, one sta¬
tion in eastern Ontario, the other in south—central On¬
tario. (See Ed Greenwood’s article in T&L 2(4), 110
(1968).) The late Canadian author of Our Wild Orchids ,
Frank Morris, had known two stations at the turn of the
century, one "on the margin of a mud lake near Smiths
Falls", and the other "in the moist heart of a tamarac
swamp near Port Hope". Both stations had disappeared
by the 1920’s, during which time he found an additional
station in the Murray Bog 40 miles from Peterborough.
There are a few other, mostly older, records from south¬
western Ontario. The Prairie White Fringed-Orchid often
grows in soil which is favorable for farming, so that
many suitable habitats have been drained and cultivated.
Other sites have been flooded out by beaver activity,
possibly including Morris’s station near Smiths Falls.

did not collect any of these plants; I have deposited
copies of some of the photographs accompanying this ar¬
ticle in the National Herbarium of Canada (CAN) and the
herbarium of the Department of Agriculture (DAO ).

'^This genus is called Dlatanthera by some authors.

17

A PRAIRIE WHITE FRINGED-ORCHID BEING MEASURED BY ALLAN
REDDOCH IN THE RICHMOND MARSH. The orchids were growing
in ankle-deep, standing water of pH 6.6, in an open,
grassy meadow surrounded by cattails. Marsh Fern (Thel-
ypteris palustris ) was common. Other species noted by
Anne Hanes and the author were Marsh Marigold (Caltha
palustris) , Buckbean ( Menyanthes trifoliata) , Swamp
Horsetail ( Equisetum fluviatile) , Swamp Milkweed ( Asclep-
ias incarnata ), Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed ( Eupatorium maculat-
um) , Common Skullcap ( Scutellaria galericulata) , Bugle-
weed ( Lycopus uniflorus ), Marsh Bedstraw ( Galium palus-
tre) , Royal Fern ( Osmunda regalis) , Swamp Rose ( Rosa
palustris) , and Wild Iris ( Iris versicolor) . No Pitcher
Plants nor Sphagnum mosses were observed; however, there
were some plants of these typical bog species further
east where Gary Hanes spotted several additional plants
of Prairie White Fringed-Orchid in a habitat which was
shrubbier than that just described.

right - PRAIRIE WHITE FRINGED-ORCHID has a raceme of ->

fragrant, cream-white flowers with a deeply fringed,
three-parted lip. Note the cleft in the central section
of the lip.

18

Natural History in the Regional Forest

BIRDS

Anthony J. Erskine

The Regional Forest is one of the largest tracts
of undeveloped land in the Ottawa area south of the
river. It is hardly virgin wilderness, as a railway
track and a major road cross it, and various old roads
and farmsteads are distributed through its northern
parts. Besides woodland and old fields and the edges
between them, it includes one of the largest marshes
(strictly a bog or fen rather than a marsh) in the en¬
tire Ottawa region, so the variety of habitats is such
as to be attractive to a variety of birds. However,
the more interesting areas are inside and away from
motor roads, which may explain why it was virtually
neglected by local birders until Yellow Rails were
reported in the bog last spring (T&L 10(4) 101). An
excursion by the Club on 13 June 1976 was the occasion
for observations by several parties in different parts
of the Forest.

The ’’Great Richmond Marsh” has been visited in re¬
cent years mainly as the site of a major concentration
of Short-billed Marsh Wrens, an uncommon bird elsewhere
in the region. But many other water birds may be seen
there from the railway - ducks rise quacking from the
wooded swamps to the east of the marsh or from the
water-filled ditches by the track; blackbirds drift in
and out in clouds from roosts there in late summer and
fall; the stutter of Swamp Sparrows and Yellowthroats
and the grunts of Bitterns are familiar sounds, while
the Marsh Hawks sway and sweep far off across the sedge
meadows. The Jock River, one’s constant companion for
the walk in from Richmond, and also the main water sup¬
ply for the marsh, seldom offers more water birds than
the odd Kingfisher or heron. Another marsh, partly im¬
pounded by beavers, lies between the North Gower—Smiths
Falls road and the next concession north. I saw various
ducks and a Black Tern there on the excursion day, but
it is difficult of access as well as posted against
trespass by a duck club.

20

Since old field succession is commonplace in the
Ottawa area, the other main interest of the Regional
Forest is its woodlands. These have survived in quan¬
tity largely because much of the land was too swampy to
be useful if cleared. The area is now a patchwork of
old fields, upland hardwoods, and cedar swamps, with
occasional stands of dryland conifers such as hemlock
and spruce. Wooded bogs in temperate latitudes are
often looked on as "boreal islands", whose cool conifer
stands sometimes harbour species typical of more north¬
ern regions. Nevertheless, most species so designated
are actually distributed both in boreal and temperate
areas in suitable habitats; Brewer (Wilson Bulletin
79: 371-396, 1967) concluded that in southern Michigan

the "boreal island" hypothesis could not be sustained
for birds, and our findings in the Regional Forest agree.
Myrtle and Magnolia Warblers and Golden-crowned Kinglets
were some of the birds seen that are typical of conifers
and thus seldom seen in the largely cleared lands south
of the Ottawa River during the breeding season. But
such birds might well be found in suitable habitats
in Lanark County, which are seldom visited at present
since the much more extensive and accessible forests of
Gatineau Park and points north are even closer. The
mosaic of forest types in the Regional Forest gave rise
to some odd juxtapositions, however. From one spot I
could hear both the Crested Flycatcher of open hardwood
forest and the Olive-sided Flycatcher of open conifer
edge. A few minutes later, from a different spot, both
the House Wren of hardwood shrubbery and the Winter
Wren of conifer tangles could be heard singing. All
the evidence indicates that we can expect these "boreal
birds" here in suitable habitats, if we are prepared to
walk in to them. Their preferred habitats are scarce
near roads, and they won’t come far from their nesting
areas in response to "spishing" in summer. There were
plenty of birds to be found in the Regional Forest last
summer — I noted 63 species during my walk there that
day, and people in the other parties saw lots more.

The important thing about that excursion, however, was
not the number of bird species found, which could sure¬
ly have been exceeded by a motor tour of the local hot¬
spots, but rather that it fulfilled its dual objective
of giving the participants a good time outdoors while
adding to what we know about the Ottawa area.

21

RARE PLANT SURVEY: REVISIONS

David J. White

It has been two years since the publication of the
Ottawa District Plant Survey (Lafontaine & White, 1974)
and it now seems timely to bring it up to date. First,
a number of new records have come in from the continu¬
ing botanical exploration of the district. Several of
these records have come from the Richmond swamp complex
- a vast wetland area, little botanized until last year.
Undoubtedly, many more new ’finds’ will be made as this
area is explored more fully. Second, Jack Gillett and I
have just completed the new ’’Checklist of Vascular Plants
of the Ottawa/Hull Region” and in so doing we have un¬
covered a number of previously overlooked records and
excluded several erroneous records. There are also
several additions to be made of plants which occur in
sufficiently restricted areas to be regarded as rare,
even though they may be rather common within those areas.
In the new Checklist we have used basically the same def¬
inition of rarity as Don Lafontaine and I used in the
initial rare plant survey (3 records or fewer) so that
the plants listed as rare in the survey and in this up¬
date are more or less the same as those listed as rare
in the new Checklist. We are hoping that the Checklist
will be available this year. It includes English and
French common names and an estimate of abundance for
each plant, as well as a complete index.

Here, then, are the changes to the survey of rare
plants. Do you have any rare plant records? If so,
send the information along to Jack Cillet or to me
at the National Herbarium, National Museum of Natural
Sciences, Ottawa, KIA 0M8.

ADDITIONS

Platanthera leucophaea ( Habenaria leucophaea ) - a lovely
orchid considered rare anywhere in Ontario; found last
year in the north end of the Richmond swamp. Interest¬
ingly, an old obscure record turned up from the south
end of the same swamp complex, outside the district
near Smiths Falls. (Reddoch, 1977).

22

Splranthes easel - the new name for the so-called

intermedia * or the 'northern* vernalis ; known from

two stations just outside the District (Merrickville
and NW of Thurso) and likely to be found elsewhere as
people look more closely for it. (Reddoch & Reddoch 1974).

glandulifera - known from several collections within
the Richmond swamp complex, and near Casselman.

Prunes americana - known from several collections in the
vicinity of Carleton University, Woodroffe Ave (Ottawa)
and from Papineau Co.

americana - known only from Cunningham Island in the
Ottawa River.

Staphylea trlfolia - only three areas known: Rideau River
near Billings Bridge, Casselman (Dore, 1962) and the
North Castor River; perhaps extirpated at the former two.

Hellanthemum canadense - locally common at Constance Bay.

fimbriatula - locally common at Constance Bay.

Lycopus asper - long known from near Carleton University
on the Rideau River, and found recently near Richmond.

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium - a recent addition from Burritts
Rapids on the Rideau River.

Galium labradoricum - an old collection from Ottawa.

NEW RECORDS OF PLANTS STILL CONSIDERED RARE

Scheuchzeria palustris - previously known from a bog in
Gatineau Park and Mer Bleue, this sedge-like plant was
found last year in the Richmond swamp.

Triglochin maritima - known previously from Mer Bleue (old
records); found last year in the Richmond swamp and in
a bog near Stittsville.

Platanthera blephariglottis ( Habenarla blephariglottis ) -
previously known from Mer Bleue (Lafontaine 1971);
found in a bog near St. Francois de Masham.

23

Platanthera dila tata ( Habenaria dilatata) - found last year
in a bog near Stittsville; Poltimore is the only other
extant location known.

Saururus cernuus - several records have been found from
branches of the Castor River to augment the known
Casselman collection,

Carya ovata - known from Deschenes and an old collection
from Casselman (Lafontaine & White 1974); a nice stand
of mixed aged trees was found last fall in a ravine
near Casselman.

Hypericum canad ense — previously known only from old re¬
cords, this plant has been found in the Larose Forest.

Zizia aurea — known only from Casselman (1903); found last
year in the Richmond swamp.

DELETIONS AND OTHER CHANGES

Pellaea atropu rpurea - sparse; found near Low, and known
from near Poltimore and a number of sites along the
Gatineau Park escarpment.

Spiranthes lucida - sparse; known from the north end of
the Rideau River, Innis Point, Fitzroy Harbour,

Carleton Place and Merrickville.

Ranunculus trichophyllus (^. aquatilis var. capill aceus)
sparse; two older records have been found.

Dentaria maxima — material from both herbaria is still on
loan to the USA for study, thus it is still unclear
whether or not this plant occurs in the District.

Erysimum inconspicuum - sparse; a few older records have
turned up.

Potentilla gracilis - a western species; the two records for
the district are undoubtedly introductions and not native.

Potentilla trid entata - well known from an exposed site on
the Gatineau Park escarpment; another record listed pre¬
viously from Wrights Cove along the Rideau River is un¬
doubtedly a label error as the area lacks suitable habitat.

24

Rosa nitida - based on a misdetermination.

Viola affinis - based on several misdetermined specimens.

Lythrum alatum - reported from Shirley’s Bay but a detailed
search has failed to find it. Until a specimen or photo
verifies its occurrence it should be deleted.

Myriophyllum heterophyllum - based on a poor sterile speci¬
men which cannot be determined with certainty. Until
better material is found this plant should be deleted
from our flora.

Bartonia virginica - does not occur in the district, and
its inclusion in the original rare plant survey was an
unfortunate error.

Phlox maculata - known only from High Falls (1895). Due
to lack of recent records and the fact that this loca¬
tion is outside the District, it should be deleted.

Utricularia minor - sparse; previously known only from an
old record (McKay Lake), it has been found in Meach Lake,
the Richmond swamp and a bog near Stittsville. It is
perhaps more overlooked than rare as it seldom flowers
in this area.

Aster sagittifolius - based on several misidentified specimens.

References

Dore, W.G. 1962. The Bladdernut Shrub at Ottawa.

Can. Field-Nat. 76: 100-103.

Gillett, J.M., and D.J. White. Checklist of Vascular
Plants of the Ottawa/Hull Region. In press.

Lafontaine, J.D. 1971. The White Fringed-Orchid.

T&L 5(5): 134-136.

Lafontaine, J.D., and D.J. White. 1974. Ottawa District
Plant Survey. T&L 8(3): 85-88.

Lafontaine, J.D., and D.J. White. 1974. Shagbark Hickory

in the Vicinity of Deschenes, Quebec. T&L 8(4): 110-111
Reddoch, A., and J. Reddoch. 1974. A New Ladies-tresses
Orchid: Spiranthes intermedia . T&L 8(5): 135-137.

Reddoch, J. 1977. Prairie White Fringed-Orchid. T&L 11(1):
16-19.

25

WIMTEK CAiUPIKi;

part

two

SHARPENING WINTER SENSES
Stew Hamill

If you do venture out into the wintry blasts this
year, either overnight (like the intrepid adventurers
in the last issue) or just for the day, keep your senses
sharpened: there are lots of things to see, hear, smell,

taste, and think about.

One of the most obvious things to look for is the
record of past occurrences in the snow — the meander¬
ing trail of a fox as it searched for voles, the swoop
marks of an owl which ended the track-making of an un¬
fortunate mouse, or the toboggan slide of a fun-loving
otter. Don’t be fooled by the hare’s track; it has
the curious habit of placing its hind feet before its
front feet when hopping. Look carefully into holes in
the snow. A small hole may lead to a vole tunnel, but
a large hole with droppings in the bottom marks the
spot where a grouse spent the night under a cosy
blanket of snow, then exploded out the next day. You
may cause one of these ’explosions’ by walking near a
grouse still under the snow. Field guides are avail¬
able if you are not sure of your track identification.

Information can be learned about wildlife popu¬
lations by watching for winter signs. Beaver tracks
in the snow probably indicate that the beaver did not
store enough food or a suitable variety of trees. A
definite browse line on cedars and many twigs bitten
off shrubs and lower branches may tell of an overabun¬
dance of deer. Incidentally, a twig bitten clean off
was eaten by a hare; a twig bitten halfway through,
then torn the remainder, was done by a deer, which
has no upper front teeth.

Be on the watch for the residents themselves.

Winter birds are easy to detect but you must look
closely to see a camouflaged snowshoe hare in its form.
Small things can be interesting too. The bulge on the
stalk of the goldenrod contains a fruit fly larva,
waiting for the warmth of next spring before it emerges

26

as an adult. Some of these galls may have been drilled
into by a downy woodpecker in its search for food.

Tree identification is an entirely new project
in winter. The maple you identified by its leaf last
summer now has a different appearance, and offers only
buds, bark, and form as clues. With a good book you
may become familiar with these aspects of trees and use
them to advantage next summer on difficult specimens.

If you are out on a crisp winter night, you may
hear a hunting owl, its call giving away both its loca¬
tion and identity. A camp in the northern woods is a
good location to try howling for wolves. Your imita¬
tion need not be accurate; the writer managed to call
a wolf to close quarters on the first attempt.

I'm sure you will be feeling the nip of the air
if you are out on skis or snowshoes, but if you put
it out of mind momentarily you can feel other things.
The sharp thorns of a hawthorn bush discourage herbi¬
vorous animals, while the barbs on the dried head of
a burdock cling to clothing and fur, thus distributing
the seeds. (Don't use your mitten to feel this oneI)

Natural foods are available in winter, as well as
summer, if you find yourself in a desperate situation.
Rose hips provide vitamin C and the red buds of bass¬
wood form a tasty gum. Cattail roots and white birch
inner bark are difficult to collect and not very
flavourful, but they can keep a person alive.

A. Hanes/
A. Reddoch

27

As you walk or ski or camp outdoors this winter,
think about your fragility against the cold of nature.
What would you do without your warm house to come back
to? Then think about the plants and animals which must
adapt to this time of hardship. Most birds just pack
up and leave — the insect eater and those that depend
on water would soon starve if they remained in this
climate. Some animals, such as the squirrels, gather
food and store it for winter use, only rarely venturing
forth from their warm dens. Others store food in an¬
other way: by eating voraciously they put on enough fat
to supply them during the winter season. The jumping
mouse, chipmunk, and woodchuck become totally dormant
and go into hibernation; while the bear, skunk, and
coon merely sleep deeply, awaking from time to time
and occasionally emerging during warm spells.

The plants also have a variety of methods for
coping with winter. The annuals produce enough seed
to perpetuate the species next season, and are sacri¬
ficed at the end of summer. Other plants draw energy
into their roots for storage, and leave exposed only
woody parts with sufficient bark for protection against
the cold. The spectacular leaf colours of autumn are
a response to the approaching winter, as the leaves are
cut off from their source of nourishment and are dis¬
carded. The conifers, however, have developed leaves
which are cold-resistant and can survive the winter.

You should also think about how the area you use
will look in the spring. Will the trail you travel
be marked by your litter? Will the sensitive bog you
crossed show the impact of your beaten path? Will
your campsite be marked by broken and stripped trees?

If you are careful to cut only dead wood, to place
your campfire in a location respecting tree roots, and
to carry out all non-burnables, there should be no
indication remaining of your passing.

Suggested Guide Books

Field Guide to Animal Tracks - Peterson Series
*' Trees and Shrubs "

” Birds

Birds of North America - Robbins et al.

28

HOW TO SEE
200 SPECIES OF

IN THE OTTAWA
AREA THIS YEAR

Paul Matthews with Richard Poulin

If you think seeing 200 species of birds in Ottawa
this year will be difficult, you’re probably right.

But by showing a lot of determination and by visiting a
wide variety of habitats during the course of the year,
it can be done. Rick Poulin had already found 222
species in Ottawa by August first of 1976.

There will be five articles in this series, each
covering the same period of time as the issue of Trail
& Landscape in which it appears. We hope this series
will help readers to see more birds in 1977 than ever
before.

We have to make a few assumptions for the purpose
of this article. The first is that people will be able
to identify the birds mentioned (some will be difficult I)
Secondly, the birder will devote considerable time and
effort to his hobby and be willing to travel to the
areas referred to. Access to a car is essential to
cover, at the right time, all the places mentioned.

Remember that the philosophy that enables a bird¬
watcher to get a high year’s list is "see the rarity
as soon as possible after hearing about it". This
should always be his motto. For example, last year there
was a Harlequin Duck in the early part of January, but
by the middle of the month it had vanished. Those who
went out right away saw it. Those who waited missed it.

The place names mentioned are those of the NCC map
of the Ottawa region. The names of the birds are those
of the AOU 5th edition checklist of 1957 with the 1973
amendment.

Now here is the first article dealing with birds
one can see in January and February:

The winters in Ottawa are harsh and one cannot
expect to see a great variety of species. Some,
however, will be very interesting and a few cannot be
seen at any other time of the year.

29

You should be aware of the unusual birds found
on the Christinas census (the newspaper columns are the
best source of this information), and try to see them
during the first weekend if they are still here. Don’t
delay. Also try to find out whether there are any Gray
Jays, Boreal Chickadees, Cardinals and Hoary Redpolls
in the area and if so, where. The Cardinal (1) is best
seen between first light and dawn. The search will
probably bring you to some feeders where you should get
Black-capped Chickadee (2), White-breasted Nuthatch (3),
Downy Woodpecker (4), Hairy Woodpecker (5), Evening
Grosbeak (6), Blue Jay (7), and Tree Sparrow (8) fairly
easily; Rock Dove (9), Common Crow (10) , Common Star¬
ling (11) and House Sparrow (12) having been seen pre¬
viously. Hopefully you will already have one or two
rarities on your list.

Last year was an extremely good one for the
Common Redpoll (13) but since these birds seem to
follow a two-year cycle, they may be scarce in 1977.

We’ll assume you will see some this year although per¬
haps not this early. Look for Hoary Redpolls among
the flocks of Commons.

The following trips should be made in January.

There is a pair of Screech Owls (14) at Billings Bridge
woods. This is a good time of year to find them.

You can see Snowy Owl (15) in the Limebank, Ander¬
son and Leitrim Rd area behind Upland Airport in the
east, or along Fallowfield Rd near Woodroffe and Green-
bank Rd in the west. Also in these open areas watch
for Northern Shrike (16) and Snow Bunting (17). In
large flocks of Snow Buntings look for Lapland Longspur
(18). Ring-necked Pheasant (19) can be seen at Green
Valley Crescent near Base Line and Highway 16, or an¬
other good place is Forest Hill Rd south of Baseline Rd.

Another expedition involves looking for Black-backed
Three-toed Woodpecker (20) and Northern Three—toed Wood¬
pecker (21). These will be difficult to find, unless we
have an invasion similar to that of two years ago. Best
bets are areas with large dead or dying elms such as old
swamps. Next check the Central Experimental Farm (Ash
Lane) for Pine Grosbeak (22) and Gray Partridge (23)
near the beef showcase manure pile. Finally try the
Arboretum for Bohemian Waxwing (24).

30

During February you should try Vydon Acres near
Galetta and Alrnprior for Goshawk (25) and Pileated
Woodpecker (26). You might also go up to Denholm Dump
west of Poltimore for Common Raven (27) and possibly
Gray Jay (28) in this area. Check the tall pines for
Red Crossbill (29) and White-winged Crossbill (30) if
you haven’t already seen them.

Great Horned Owl (31) is common but sometimes dif¬
ficult to see. Try Carlington ski hill woods (north
end of Clyde Ave). Great Gray Owl will be a bonus bird

- check for it in cedar patches in semi-open country
throughout the winter. Hawk Owl and Gyrfalcon are spe¬
cialties to be on the watch for at this time of year.
There has been a male Barrow’s Goldeneye (32) appearing
near the Champlain Bridge for five winters in a row (a
record.’?). To see him, park at the Kitchissippi Lookout
and walk back towards the bridge. About halfway there,
where a slight bend occurs in the path, look downriver
toward a log crib out in midstream. The Barrow’s will
be in this area. Check all the Goldeneyes carefully
and you are sure to see this most beautiful duck.

February is mainly a month when you can see the
things you missed in January. Visit the feeders to
see if any starving waifs show up and be aware of any
rarities that are around. Remember that bird numbers
dwindle as the winter advances, so that February can be
a very bleak time of year. Don’t despair if some birds
don’t turn up. Winter birds, especially finches, are
very erratic - abundant some years, almost absent in
others. Birds you miss at this time of year may be
more common in November and December. If you get des¬
perate you can go to Manotick to see Mallards, Black
Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers and a lot
of hybrids, but this is hardly necessary as you’ll see
these later on while looking for rarer species.

The bird columns in newspapers, as well as the
people named in them, are a good source of information

- use them’. Areas to check whenever possible: the bird
feeder at the Jack Pine Trail off Moodie Drive, and the
open water at Britannia and the Champlain Bridge.

If further details are required as to the places
mentioned in this article, don’t hesitate to contact
Rick Poulin at 232-4687.

31

The autumn of 1976 will perhaps be remembered for
two things: shorebirds, and abrupt weather changes.
During migration, birders watch the weather patterns
as well as the birds. Weather during September was
cooler than usual. Early October was warm, but an
unseasonable snowfall on Thanksgiving weekend gave
us a taste of winter, and most southbound land birds
moved out.

Water levels during the period reached lows for
the year, producing suitable shorebird habitat; Ottawa
Beach, Shirley's Bay and Munster Sewage Lagoons were
especially productive. Rarities included Hudsonian
Godwits, Whimbrel, Little Blue Heron and Long-billed
Dowltcher. More about these, and others, later.

Common Loons were very slow to move through the
area. Pied-billed Grebes became conspicuous in late
September. Two Double-crested Cormorants appeared in
mid-September, followed by another, five weeks later.
Bruce Dllabio saw an adult Little Blue Heron flying
near Graham's Bay on September 17. Great Blue and
Black-crowned Night Herons were scarce after the first
of October.

The largest flocks of Canada Geese appeared near
the end of September, and a Snow Goose lingered at
Ottawa Beach for several weeks. Brant moved through

32

during the third week in October. Duck migration pro¬
ceeded normally, with the winter population arriving
as expected. For the fifth consecutive fall, a male
Barrow's Goldeneye appeared on the Ottawa River between
the Kitchissippi Lookout and the Champlain Bridge. It
was seen first on October 21. The same day, a female
Harlequin Duck was observed downriver on the Quebec
side, near Val Tetreau in Hull. A female Harlequin
spent a good part of last winter in the same place.

The river rapids and rocky shore there seem to be to a
Harlequin's liking. How many other Harlequins may
have visited such places in our area, unnoticed, over
the years? This fall's sighting is the third record
for the Ottawa area. An account of the other records,
"The Harlequin Duck in the Ottawa Valley", by Dan
Brunton, appeared in the Nov-Dec 1976 issue of Trail &
Landscape.

Only two Turkey Vultures were seen this fall,
both in September. All three accipiters were observed
in usual numbers. Last summer, four young Peregrines
were released north of Hull. Subsequent sightings of
immature Peregrines, believed to be the same birds,
indicates that they were doing well. Four Peregrines
reported in early September may also have been these.
Two others later in the month may have been migrants.

A spectacular flock of 51 Hudsonian Godwits and
a Whimbrel were found at Ottawa Beach on October 1 by
Bruce Dilabio, Rick Killeen and Ron Auger. Other
Hudsonians appeared September 19-21 (the first Hudson-
ians to be logged on the annual fall count) at Shirley's
Bay, and October 3 at Munster Sewage Lagoon. Two Long¬
billed Dowitchers were seen and heard at the Munster
Sewage Lagoon on September 25. These were subsequently
photographed. A flock of 350 Golden Plover were at the
Experimental Farm on September 2. White-rumped Sand¬
pipers were seen in flocks of up to 10. A Sandhill
Crane was observed again at Ashton on September 17 and
October 3. Wilson's Phalaropes were seen on September
4 and 5. Only five Northerns were reported, one-third
the record numbers of last year. Ten Red Phalaropes
were spotted on just one day, October 23.

A pair of Franklin's Gulls was reported on Sep¬
tember 10. Bob Gorman saw a Sabine's Gull at Britannia

33

on October 6. But the best place for gull-watching
continued to be the Ottawa Dump where Iceland, Great
Black-backed and Thayer’s Gulls could be seen in ones
and twos daily, among thousands of Herring and Ring¬
billed Gulls. The first Glaucous Gull was reported
on October 29.

Flycatchers were gone by the end of September,
except for the hardy Phoebe. These continued to be
seen here and there throughout October. Horned Larks
began to appear in flocks of up to 50 by mid-October.

Flocks of more than a thousand Tree Swallows were
seen on September 23 and 25. Few swallows were found
after that. Some Tree and Rough-winged Swallows seen
on October 20 near the Champlain Bridge represent very
late stragglers.

Two Mockingbirds were still present through the
period. Hermit Thrushes could be found throughout
October, but Swainson’s Thrushes were not seen after
the early part of the month. A Gray-cheeked Thrush was
reported on October 10. Robin flocks built up until
mid-October when approximately 400 swarmed into Pinhey
Forest during the late afternoon of the 16th. Robin
sightings decreased through the remainder of the month.
Four late Bluebirds were at Shirley’s Bay on October
24. Three Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen during the
second week in September. A Solitary Vireo was still
present on October 23.

A noticeably heavy wave of small land bird migra¬
tion took place the night of September 16, apparently
mainly warblers. This wave was also noted as far away
as Toronto, and coincided with heavy kills at tall
buildings there. As usual, the warbler migration was
mainly over by early October, except for Yellow-rumps
and a few other stragglers.

By mid-September, mixed flocks of Blackbirds num¬
bering 10,000 were roosting at Thurso and Ramsayville.
A Cardinal was still seen occasionally in Aylmer.

’’Winter” finches were scarce. A few Evening
Grosbeaks appeared by mid-October, but crossbills were
hard to find. According to a report in the Toronto

34

Globe and Mail of October 27, crossbills had arrived in
that part of the province a month early. This suggests
a poor cone crop and a food shortage for the finches
farther north. Will these birds remain scarce here
all winter? Time will tell.

While bird-banding at Ottawa Beach on October 2,
Colin Griffiths netted a Sharp-tailed Sparrow, a rarely
seen migrant. The bird obligingly stayed the next day
and was appreciated by many observers. Tree Sparrows
began to appear by the second week in October. As ex¬
pected, Fox Sparrow reports increased during the second
half of October. A flock of more than 30 Lapland Long-
spurs decorated a field near Antrim, and 50 Snow
Buntings occurred in a flock on the 23rd.

Farther afield, a Northern Wheatear was discovered
at Deep River, Ontario on October 16, an exciting find
indeed! Wheatears breed in the far north and winter
in Europe. This thrush-like species has been seen in
migration several times before in southern Ontario
(including Manotick) and southern Quebec.

At the time of writing (Nov 7), waterfowl and
some shorebirds continue to move through our area.
Raptor and passerine winter populations are becoming
stabilized. Feeders are in operation. What rarities
will this winter bring? Will watchers be rewarded
with another Fieldfare? Varied Thrush? A Townsend’s
Solitaire, perhaps? Wait and see.

35

NEST NEEDED

The National Museum of
Canada requires a multi¬
storied warbler nest
caused by cowbird para¬
sitism. Payment offered.
Call 993-3028 in Ottawa,
or write to the Design
and Display Division,

39 McArthur Rd., Ottawa.

Anyone interested in par¬
ticipating in Sunday field
trips with the Senior
group of the Macoun Field
Club as drivers or leaders,
or in simply sharing the
learning and fun of our
weekly outings, please
contact David Gray at
998-4141 or 521-9000.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

It is that time of year when Membership fees
fall due for 1977. Please renew your member¬
ship with the FIRST NOTICE and save the Club
money, time and effort.

In 1976 the Club sent out 319 SECOND NOTICES
at a cost of over $25 for stamps plus ten man¬
hours of labour. It also costs money to ask
the computer for the Second Notice label run.

M.W. Ney, chairman. Membership Committee

In the last issue, p 130, the point in the upper left
corner of the distribution map of LARGE PURPLE FRINGED-
ORCHID got left off. The point represents the 1975
collection on the Picanoc River near Kazabazua, Que.
Although the site is outside the recognized (30-mile
circle) study area, it is within the somewhat larger
study area of the Native Orchid Location Survey. An
article about the Survey and its work will appear in
the next issue.

36

OFNC EVENTS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Arranged by the Excursions and Lectures Committee
Roger Taylor (731-9270), Chairman.

Monday
31 January

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Meet: Auditorium, National Research Council

100 Sussex Drive
Time: 8:00 p.m.

Films and/or slides will be shown as time
permits after the business meeting.

Tuesday
8 February

OFNC MONTHLY MEETING
A LOOK AT THE SOUTH-WEST

Speakers:
Meet:

Time:

Jo Ann Murray and Hue MacKenzie
Activity Centre, National Museum
of Man, Metcalfe and MacLeod
8:00 p.m.

-^5

- V

V

An illustrated presentation of a naturalist
tour through New Mexico, Arizona and Texas.

Sunday
20 February

FIELD TRIP: WINTER BIRDS

Leader: Steve O’Donnell (737-5270)

Meet: Loblaw’s, Carlingwood Shopping

Centre, Carling at Woodroffe
Time: 8:00 a.m.

Half-day trip - bring a snack.

ISSN 0041-0748

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE
published by

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB

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Lithographed by
John Marquardt, Printer