Wednesday, May 31: Today, we will enjoy lovely birds along beautiful backroads in Montague Township. This are of the province boasts a high density of sparrows, as well as a population of Upland Sandpipers. A portion of the tour will also be spent admiring the beauty of several orchid species, including the provincially rare Ram’s Head Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium arietinum).
Guarantees: With birds, there are never guarantees, I’m afraid. The good news is you’ll have a professional guide at the helm with many years of experience searching for and identifying birds. As always, I endeavour to make the most of each tour, and the philosophy I encourage is to “take whatever the day brings.” Each day in the field is a treat to savour!
What to pack/What to know: Please dress for the season, and be sure to take a look at the forecast for the region in which we will be birding a few days out from the tour. Please pack a cooler with the food and drink of your choice. Pack your optical and photographic equipment, as well as your field guides should you wish to consult them during the tour. Please also pack your spotting scope, if you have one. Clients will also be able to view through my spotting scope and study shorebirds during this tour.
eBird Checklists: I will take care of all of the checklists for the day, and share them with you when the tour is complete. Your eBird statistics will automatically update when you accept the checklist. If you are not an eBird user, that is perfectly fine; I will email the checklists when I arrive home. You’ll be able to browse through the sightings list without having to be an eBird user.
Washrooms: When we near Smiths Falls, we will be able to use a Tim Hortons/McDonald’s for a washroom break. In the meantime, the Great Outdoors will provide our washroom option during the tour. I will seek out some quieter trails/areas for suitable outdoor washroom break locations.
Activity rating: 1/5. We will be birding by vehicle today, making many short (~10 min) stops along backroads in Montague Township (between Marlborough Forest and Smiths Falls, approximately).
Meet-up time and location: 9:00 a.m. at TBD.
Duration: Approximately 4.5 hours.
Cost: $90 per person (HST-included). I do not have a preference when it comes to payment type; I accept e-transfer, cash and cheque.
Register for this outing by using this sign-up form