Banquet Speaker

Alvaro (Al) Jaramillo was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, where he lived as a youth. He studied ecology and evolution in Toronto and Vancouver, earning a masters studying co-evolution in Argentine cowbirds. Research forays and backpacking trips introduced Alvaro to the riches of the Neotropics, where he has traveled extensively. He recently published Birds of Chile, an authoritative yet portable field guide to Chile's birds. His other book New World Blackbirds: The Icterids deals with the biology and identification of this fascinating group of birds.

He has also contributed both popular and scientific articles in various magazines and journals, and wrote the icterid chapter to The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Most recently Al finished co-editing a translation of A Neotropical Companion, for Birder's Exchange. His spare time is happily occupied caring, along with his wife Katja, for his children Pablo and Bianca, in the cozy coastal town of Half Moon Bay, California.

Dave Milsom leads field trips for Quest Nature Tours, and Flora & Fauna, in Ontario, North America and internationally. He knows birds as well as butterflies, flowers and mammals. He regularly leads tours at Point Pelee.

Jean Iron has an extensive knowledge of birds and regularly leads field trips for Quest Nature Tours. She is well known in the OFO community and currently serves as Past President and co-editor of OFO News.

Ron Tozer is Banquet MC and a veteran field trip leader in Algonquin Park, where he was park naturalist until recently. Formerly co-editor of Ontario Birds and Chair of the OBRC, he is writing The Birds of Algonquin Park.

Marianne Reid is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable Essex County birder. She has worked as a bird hike leader at Point Pelee during the month of May and loves to share her passion for birds with others.

Sarah Rupert is a Point Pelee girl at heart, currently working for Parks Canada as the park's education coordinator. Having spent a good part of her youth birding Point Pelee with her family, she knows the area well.

Blake Mann is a Wallaceburg-based birder, with great skill and a lot of experience birding in the Rondeau area.

Brett Groves resides in the Leamington area and has great experience birding in and around St. Clair National Wildlife Area.

Karl Konze has worked as a bird expert during migration at Point Pelee National Park for a number of years and has led birding hikes at previous OFO Annual Conventions. Karl is an environmental consultant.

Steve Pike is an avid birder and bird photographer. He was one of a handful of people chosen recently to join the highly-publicized search for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in Florida. He knows the Pelee hotspots very well.

Rhonda Donley works with Environment Canada and is well-acquainted with the Point Pelee and Holiday Beach areas.

Paul Pratt is head naturalist at Windsor's Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve and is a familiar face leading field trips for OFO at past OFO Conventions.

Maris Apse is a former member of OFO's Board of Directors and has led numerous field trips for OFO. He is particularly knowledgeable about the Rondeau area.