NeilyWorld  Birding Ottawa - Southwest - Ottawa River West: Ontario


ANDREW HAYDON PARK

Spring: **  Summer: *  Fall: **  Winter: *

        Independent Directions to this Site: From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 129 (Greenbank & Pinecrest Roads). If travelling west, the 0.3 km offramp dumps you right or north onto Pinecrest Road. If driving east, a 0.3 km offramp brings you to Pinecrest/Greenbank Road, where you will turn left or north onto Pinecrest Road and in 0.4 km join the westbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow Pinecrest Road north 1.0 km from here to Carling Avenue. Turn left or west on Carling and go 2.0 km to the turnoff for the parking lot for Andrew Haydon Park on the right or north. Turn right into the lot.
        Ottawa River West: Ontario Route Directions: From the Ottawa Beach parking lot turn right or west on Carling Avenue and go 0.3 km to the next parking lot. Turn right or north into this lot. This is Andrew Haydon Park. Park as far to the right and toward the river as possible.
Map of Andrew Haydon Park
Map of Andrew Haydon Park
        Site Description and Birding Information: This is basically a continuation of the last site, Ottawa Beach. It offers a view of the outside of the spit at the creek mouth. Though the view is from across the creek, it is easier than walking through the marsh at Ottawa Beach to get a closer look at it. Unobstructed views of the river can be had here from Ottawa Beach and beyond toward the Deschênes Rapids to the bay and lighthouse at Stillwater - Dick Bell Park, the next site on the route. When the river is low, extensive mudflats can attract more shorebirds. Be sure to check the western end of the park, looking out over the marshy area at Stillwater. Here shorebirds and dabbling ducks sometimes hang out, and a Nelson's Sparrow was seen in Oct. 2008. The two ponds and extensive lawn grass at Andy Haydon Park sometimes attract birds, especially when it is too cool to attract people. Various waterfowl have found the ponds here over the years, despite the crowds. The Ottawa River here is especially good in the fall. Many waterfowl can be seen farther out on the river only with a good scope, but often a few are seen close to shore, sometimes sheltering in the cove between Andy Haydon and Dick Bell Parks. The woods between Ottawa Beach and this site are worth checking in migrations. This is a people oriented park and heavily used.
         That being said, it still has good potential. Many of the same birds seen at Ottawa Beach can be seen from this site, especially the divers on the river. Both Whimbrel and Hudsonian Godwit have touched down here at least once. More unusual birds found here are: Gyrfalcon (whizzing through Mar. 10, 1991); Greater White-fronted Goose (Oct. 30, 1993, Sep. 13-14, 2007 and Oct. 14, 2009); Pomarine Jaeger (juvenile Sept. 30, 2006); Parasitic Jaeger (juvenile light-morph - Sep. 2, 2010); Long-tailed Jaeger (adult on the river Aug. 11-12, 2007); Great Egret (up to 3 off and on from Aug. 24 to at least Sep. 16, 2007); Barrow's Goldeneye (2 males Nov. 3, 2009), Caspian Tern (May 30, 2010 and Jul. 3, 2010).
         Additional information on this and nearby sites is available at the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club website's Britannia page.
View of Andrew Haydon Park
View of Andrew Haydon Park
        Ottawa River West: Ontario Route Directions: From the Andrew Haydon Park parking lot, turn right or west on Carling Avenue and go 1.0 km to the next turnoff. Turn right or north into this parking area. This is the next site, Stillwater - Dick Bell Park.
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Copyright © 2000 - 2010     Larry E. Neily
Last update:  September 3, 2010