Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler: Derek Dunnett at sightings@ofnc.ca Oct. 08, 2020 Highlights: Townsend's Solitaire - seen on the 4th and 5th at Parc du Lac-Beauchamp, Gatineau. Hudsonian Godwit - reported at the Giroux ponds, Ottawa, on the 4th. Redpolls - a Hoary Redpoll (and 3 Common Redpolls) seen in Constance Bay, Ottawa, on the 8th. Overview: While there are still many warblers and thrushes passing through, and a few shorebirds migrating, this week someone flipped the switch to Fall birding. Impossibly distant Golden Eagles soar high overhead; juvenile White-crowned Sparrows fill every bush, and rarer sparrows hide in the scrub and marshes, while snow buntings and redpolls call overhead. Other notable sightings: Red-throated Loon - an immature seen from both the dyke and the boat launch at Shirley's Bay, Ottawa. White-winged Scoter - more than 60 in a flock off Dock Bell park, Ottawa, with a few Redhead. Ross's Goose - at the RA Centre, Ottawa the 4th, and another at the Moodie Quarry, Ottawa, on the same day. Barnacle Goose - one at Nolan Quarry, Prescott and Russell, from the 4th to the 6th. Trumpeter Swan - a pair flying over Fine Estate, Ottawa. Pomarine Jaeger - this bird very generously stayed until at least the 6th. Snow Bunting - A single bird was heard calling as it flew over Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, on the 6th. Nelson's Sparrow - continuing at Constance Creek, Ottawa, and photographed at other marshes along the Ottawa River. White-winged Crossbill - for variety this week, White-winged replaced the lingering Red Crossbills at Murphys Point Provincial Park, Lanark. Orange-crowned warblers - passing through with sightings at Bate Island, Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, and elsewhere this week. Yellow-billed Cuckoo - photographed at Baie Simard, Gatineu, on Oct. 8. The Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas The Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas website is now up-to-date and offers a great deal of information including the simple registration process. You must register to participate. Please visit: https://www.birdsontario.org/ Everyone in the Ottawa Region who is interested in participating is asked to complete a short questionnaire available at https://forms.gle/6FuZohkLnLLMSv7i8. This will help the Ottawa Regional Coordinator to assess skill and interests, and to identify and assign “principal atlassers” for each 10km x 10km atlas square within our Region.