A Journey down Hilda Road

Last winter, when inclement weather resulted in a lack of fresh material for my blog, I started a series about my favourite birding places in the Ottawa area. It’s a series I am hoping to expand, and once upon a time I would have definitely included a post about the feeders on Hilda Road. Well, after five years of visiting the feeders, the story I feel compelled to write is not about why Hilda Road is my favourite place, but rather why it’s a place I no longer enjoy visiting.

I first became aware of the Hilda Road feeders in December 2006 after seeing them described as “a must to visit in winter” on NeilyWorld and hearing another birder talk about them. Located on NCC land near Shirley’s Bay, the feeders are situated in a rural area where cottages existed many years ago before eventually being demolished. For many decades a few dedicated individuals have kept the feeders on Hilda Road filled during the winter months at their own expense, for no other reason than to enjoy watching the birds and animals they attract.