NeilyWorld  Birding Ottawa - Southwest

         This area is an isolated section of exposed Canadian Shield. The two ridges are separated by Constance Creek, which is very marshy and boggy for most of its length from Constance Lake to Constance Bay. The Dunrobin Ridge is one of the best local hawk watching spots. The Carp Ridge still has much undeveloped land. It has affinities, birdwise, to areas a bit farther south.

         Starting from Kanata (which has grown over much of the first site and parts the second), the loop tour will go through the eastern South March Highlands, a southern extension of the Carp Ridge, then move north along the Dunrobin Ridge. Then it will cross Constance Creek and thence up onto the Carp Ridge. After visiting a few spots on the ridge, a visit to the Carp River floodplain will follow. And finally a return through the western South March Highlands. This loop tour has lots of variety (including the coniferous forest along River Road, marshlands along Constance Creek and the rocky terrain of the central Carp Ridge) and, as it is relatively centrally located in the Southwest portion of the OFNC circle, you will be able to strike off away from the loop in several directions.