Stalked by the Birds

I will admit the first time the birds stalked us, it was a little disconcerting. "Are those birds actually following us?" We were cross-country skiing in Stony Swamp, an area southwest of Ottawa with 40 km (24.85 miles) of trails, and a tiny flock of chickadees seemed to be keeping up. Later, we learned that people feed the birds so, yes, they were following us!

Stony Swamp is the most ecologically diverse protected area in the Ottawa Valley. It's full of interesting habitats, rare plants, and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals, but you're here for the birds...

There are 251 regionally rare bird species including 17 at risk species, one of which is the northern goshawk.

While out for a lovely autumn walk yesterday, the first little chickadee practically bumped into me so I put out my hand and it landed several times but I had no birdseed. Later, we met some people who had some to share. Two species were landing on our hands; black capped chickadees and I believe the other was a white-breasted nuthatch. They were going crazy for the sunflower seeds. A chipmunk waited nearby to scamper in and snatch what fell.

Habitats in the area include a sugar maple bush, small alvar clearings, boggy wetlands, regenerating pastures and an area recovering from a large fire of 10 years ago. There are boardwalks over the areas that can get soggy so walking is usually pretty good. Signs of birds were everywhere and it helps that local clubs have donated birdhouses and feeders, putting out birdseed in winter.

References

Stony Swamp
Best Birding Trails near Ottawa
NeilyWorld Birding Ottawa website
NeilyWorld Birding Ottawa - Southwest
Ottawa Field Naturalists Club - Birding in the Ottawa Area

Images

First photo by Ian Thompson, on Stony Swamp's Lime Kiln Trail.
Other photos from the iPad of @kansuze.

@kansuze