Ottawa

Ottawa

The capital of Canada, Ottawa is located in the southern part of the province of Ontario, where the Ottawa River meets the Rideau River. Ottawa lies on the traditional land of the Algonquins, an indigenous people closely related to the Odawa and Ojibwe peoples. The arrowheads, tools and ceramics found in the archaeological sites suggest that the first indigenous people settled in the area around 6500 years ago. Ottawa is where three major rivers meet, making the city an important trading and travelling area for thousands of years. This era ended in the 15th century with the arrival of settlers and the colonization of North America by Europeans. Ottawa was originally a trading and logging community that grew into a city of regional importance. Ottawa is home to 25 Canadian National Historic Sites, including Château Laurier, Confederation Square, the former Ottawa Teachers' College and Laurier House. Ottawa is rich in a variety of habitats, both natural and man-made. There are wetlands, rivers, lakes, ponds, forests and farmland. This allows many wildlife species to live in the area. The flora and fauna around Ottawa are a photographer's paradise all year round. The spring and autumn migration of the Ottawa River is a great opportunity to see waterfowl and shorebirds. During the summer, photographers can see a variety of songbirds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and many lovely flowering plants. During autumn the forests are in their fall colors, and October and November are hunting season for the region's many White-Tailed Deer.