NeilyWorld  Birding Ottawa - Southwest - Stony Swamp Loop


GREENBANK ROAD AT WEST HUNT CLUB

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

        Independent Directions to this Site: From Highway 416 take exit 72 (West Hunt Club Road). If northbound, the 0.2 km offramp brings you to Cedarview Road, where you will turn right or SSE onto it and go 0.2 km SSE to West Hunt Club Road, where you will turn left or northeast. If southbound, a 0.4 km offramp dumps onto West Hunt Club Road, where you will turn left or northeast and in 0.4 km join the northbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow West Hunt Club Road northeast for an additional 2.0 km to reach Greenbank Road. Turn right or SSE onto Greenbank to explore the Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club area.
        Stony Swamp Loop Route Directions: From from the Pinhey Forest Reserve: Nepean Sportsplex parking area, turn right or NNW onto Woodroffe and go 0.3 km to West Hunt Club Road. Turn left or southwest onto it and drive 2.4 km to Greenbank Road. Turn left or SSE onto Greenbank to explore the Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club area.
Google Satellite Map of Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club Area
Google Satellite Map of Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club Area

        Site Description and Birding Information: The lands to the south of West Hunt Club Road, on either side of Greenbank are owned by the Federal Government, mostly Agriculture Canada. The fields here attract many geese during spring and fall, as well as ducks, shorebirds and raptors. Both Greater White-fronted and Cackling Goose are possible here in spring with the flocks of Canada Geese. Snowy Owls can often be found here in winter. Also watch for flocks of Horned Lark, Snow Bunting and sometimes Lapland Longspur. Gray Partridge occur here too.
         The best way to bird here is from your car, pull off where possible and scan the fields. Traffic can be a problem at certain times, so try to avoid high volume times of day. The roadbed provides a slightly raised platform from which to scope flocks. There is a bike path paralleling the west side of Greenbank from Fallowfield to West Hunt Club Road. Just beyond the halfway point to Fallowfield Road, on the west side of Greenbank, there is a seasonal pond which attracts waterfowl and shorebirds. A Marbled Godwit was seen here on Jun. 9-10, 2011.
         It is worth checking the entire 4.1 km of Greenbank SSE to Fallowfield Road. But since we also want to check the fields on the south side of West Hunt Club Road, we have restricted this site to the northern half of this 4.1 km stretch of Greenbank. The southern portion is covered by the Greenbank Road at Fallowfield site.
View of Fields off Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club Area
View of Fields off Greenbank Road at West Hunt Club Area
        Stony Swamp Loop Route Directions: From the junction Greenbank and West Hunt Club Roads, go southwest along West Hunt Club 2.0 km to Cedarview Road. Turn right or northwest onto Cedarview and proceed 1.6 km to the parking area, on the right, for the next site on this loop, the Bruce Pit Trails.
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Copyright © 2000 - 2011     Larry E. Neily
Last update:  June 10, 2011