NeilyWorld  Birding Ottawa - Southwest - Mississippi River Valley Loop


PROSPECT MARSH

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

        Independent Directions to this Site: From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 145 (Highway 7). The offramp continues directly as Highway 7. Continue south, the southwest on Highway 7 for 10.5 km to the Upper Dwyer Hill Road. Turn left or southeast onto it and go 11.2 km to Franktown Road (Regional 10) at Dwyer Hill. Turn right or southwest on it and proceed 2.5 km to the Prospect Marsh.
        Mississippi River Valley Route Directions: From the McLinton Road Marsh, go the very short distance southwest to Ashton Station Road and turn left or southeast onto it. Proceed 4.4 km to the Franktown Road (Regional 10). Turn left or north on it and you are at the Prospect Marsh.
Map of the Prospect Marsh area
Map of the Prospect Marsh area
         Site Description and Birding Information: One of the best marshes in our area, but difficult to bird because of traffic. Even late at night traffic sounds carry so well that the noise of one car clapping can be heard for several minutes. Despite this birding from the wide shoulders can be productive. Virginia Rail, Sora, American and Least Bittern, Marsh Wren and other marsh denizens breed there. This large, uniform cattail marsh can also be checked along the first few hundred metres of Ashton Station Road heading northwest from Regional 10 on the curve.
Google Satellite Image of Prospect Marsh
Google Satellite Image of Prospect Marsh

         Coming in to Franktown Road along Ashton Station Road, be sure to check the cattail pond on the left a few hundred meters from the corner. It is backed by willows and beyond them tamarack, providing varied habitat. Baltimore Oriole nests along the roadway here. It is close enough to the larger marsh to be effectively, if not actually, a part of it, hosting most of the same marsh denizens.
View of the Prospect Marsh from Franktown Road
View of the Prospect Marsh from Franktown Road
View of the Prospect Marsh from Ashton Station Road
View of the Prospect Marsh from Ashton Station Road

        Mississippi River Valley Route Directions: From the Prospect Marsh on the Franktown Road (Regional 10), go southwest on Regional 10 for 1.6 km to the next site on this route, the Creek at Prospect.
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Copyright © 2000 - 2009     Larry E. Neily
Last update:  October 28, 2009