The Great Egret initially spotted last Saturday in the Rideau River across from the Billings Bridge shopping centre has been seen regularly in the same area for the last week, up to and including Friday, April 28th. I've seen it there in the mornings on my way to work and regularly in the late afternoons. As mentioned previously it tends to like the small islands on the north side of the river. On Friday I saw it feeding right along the bank on the north side.
As an aside, the area in and around the parking lot mentioned in the directions below is a good spot to see a variety of birds including up to 6 Wood Ducks and a few days ago a small hawk flew by very close while chasing after a few of the birds that frequent the area. Great Egret in flight. http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/59360513 http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/59360514 W.H. Ottawa, Ontario. Directions (courtesy Ottawa Field Naturalists website): From Highway 417,exit at Riverside/Alta Vista (exit #117) and go south staying on Riverside Drive until it crosses Bank Street. The Billings Bridge Shopping Plaza is on the left and, on the right, is a small parking lot in a park just west of the bridge.
