April 10‐11 (Saturday‐Sunday) Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island ‐‐ Pre‐Registration required
(see above)
Leader: Steve Hall.
Sharp‐tailed Grouse lek. Cost $20 per person payable at the site. Trip limited to
15 participants. You must register by March 1st. OFO members receive priority. Accommodation at Gordon’s Lodge in
Gore Bay can be arranged through Chester Gryski. No ferry service in April so drive via Sudbury. Contact Chester
Gryski at gryski@cdglaw.net
April 17 (Saturday) Spring Waterfowl Migration East of Ottawa
See map above.
Leader: Bob Cermak.
Meet 7.30 a.m. along Petrie Island Causeway north of intersection of Highway 17 and
Trim Road (Orleans). Waterfowl (5 species of geese possible), Sandhill Cranes, early spring migrants, including swans.
April 18 (Sunday) Algonquin Provincial Park
Leader: Ron Tozer.
Meet 9:00 a.m. at the West Gate of the Park. Entrance fee. Spruce Grouse, Black‐backed
Woodpecker, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee.
May 1 (Saturday) Minesing Swamp
Leader: Dave Milsom.
Meet 8:30 a.m. at Tim Hortons in Angus on Simcoe County Road 90 west of Barrie. Marsh
birds, early spring migrants, shorebirds, waterfowl.
May 2 (Sunday) Rondeau Provincial Park
Leaders: Maris Apse, Donald Pye.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Park Visitor Centre. Park entrance fee. Spring migrants.
May 22 (Saturday) Napanee area and Amherst Island
Leaders: Kurt Hennige, Gary Ure.
Meet 6:30 a.m. in Tim Hortons on Division Street approximately 200 metres south
of Hwy 401, Exit 617. Morning–breeding birds north along Opinicon Rd: Golden‐winged and Cerulean Warblers,
Yellow‐throated Vireo, Black‐billed and Yellow‐billed Cuckoos. Afternoon–Amherst Island (ferry
fee) for shorebirds, ducks.
May 29 (Saturday) Leslie Street Spit, Toronto
Leader: John Carley.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at the base of the Spit (Tommy Thompson Park) parking lot near the
intersection of Leslie Street and Unwin Avenue. Late spring migrants, breeding birds and butterflies.
May 30 (Sunday) Ottawa (until noon)
See map above.
Leader: Bernie Ladouceur.
Meet 6.30 a.m. near northeast corner of the Lincoln Field’s Shopping Centre
parking lot, off Richmond Road. We will explore the Carp Ridge (an outcrop of the Canadian Shield west of Ottawa) for
Golden‐winged Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, other warblers, cuckoos, thrushes, and more. We will also
visit Britannia Point to look for Arctic Tern, smaller gulls and late migrating waterfowl. We may also visit an active
pond or sewage lagoon in Ottawa’s west end.
May 30 (Sunday) Carden Alvar
Leader: Jean Iron.
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in Kirkfield at parking lot of Lady Mackenzie School on the right of
Kirkfield Road 6, about 0.5 km north of Kawartha Road 48. Trip consists of some driving and comfortable walking. Loggerhead
Shrike, Sedge Wren, Upland Sandpiper, Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows, and other grassland specialty birds.
June 5 and 6 (Saturday/Sunday) Rainy River
Leader: Glenn Coady.
Meet at the junction of Worthington Road 3 and Highway 11, which is about 10 km east of Rainy
River (3 side roads east of town) at 7 a.m. local time. Probable: American White Pelican, Marbled Godwit, Sandhill Crane,
Le Conte’s Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler, Sharp‐tailed Grouse, Black‐billed Magpie. Possible: Piping
Plover, Yellow Rail, Western Kingbird. You must register by May 5 or trip will be cancelled. To register or obtain
information, email glenn_coady@hotmail.com
June 6 (Sunday) Skunk’s Misery
Leaders: Rob Read, Gavin Platt.
Meet 7.00 a.m. at Newbury Hospital (Four Counties Health Services) parking lot
just northeast of Newbury on 5th Line/Concession Drive. Walking and driving tour. Some trails may be wet, muddy. Be
prepared for mosquitoes. Cerulean and Hooded Warblers, Acadian Flycatcher, Broad‐winged Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker
and more on territory in one of the largest remnants of Carolinian forest in Ontario. Butterflies too. Trip ends
early afternoon.
June 19 (Saturday) and June 20 (Sunday) Bruce Peninsula
Leaders: Cindy Cartwright, Alfred Raab.
On Saturday meet 7:00 a.m. at Tim Hortons in Hepworth, about 12.5 km
south of Wiarton on Highway 6 and on Sunday, meet 7:00 a.m. at Tobermory Airport parking lot, west of Highway 6 on Warner
Bay Road. Park entrance fees. *Arrange accommodations early* Bruce birds include Brewer’s Blackbird, Common Raven,
Virginia Rail, Clay‐colored Sparrow, Sandhill Crane, Upland Sandpiper, breeding warblers. Also, wildflowers and ferns.
August 8 (Sunday) Rock Point Provincial Park and Eastern Lake Erie Shore
Leader: John Black.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at entrance to Rock Point Provincial Park, near entry kiosk. Park entrance
fee. Directions: From the west on Highway 3, go into Dunnville. Where Highway 3 curves left, continue straight on Main
Street, staying along the river. On reaching the bridge that crosses the river, do not cross the bridge but continue
straight onto County Road 3 eastbound. Go via Stromness, turning right onto Rymer Road, about 8 km from the bridge in
Dunnville. Take first left onto Downy Road. At next intersection, go right. Park entrance is on your left. From the east
on Highway 3, drive into Dunnville, turn left onto Inman Road. Go right onto Mumby Road. Follow this to County Road 3,
then turn left. Follow directions from bridge in Dunnville above. Shorebirds, waterbirds, early fall migrants.
August 15 (Sunday) Durham Region and Lake Ontario Marshes
Leaders: Rayfield Pye, John Stirrat.
Meet 7:30 a.m. at Lynde Shores Conservation Area parking lot on Victoria
Street in Whitby. Exit Highway 401 at Brock Street (Exit 410). Turn left (south) onto Brock Street. Turn right (west)
onto Victoria. Go 2.5 km to Lynde Shores on the south side. Visits to Cranberry Marsh, Oshawa Second Marsh, Corner Marsh
and Frenchman’s Bay. Early fall migrant warblers, vireos, flycatchers, shorebirds, and butterflies.
August 28 (Saturday) Toronto Islands
See map above.
Leader: Ian Cannell.
From Harbourfront in Toronto, catch 7.15 a.m. ferry to Ward’s Island. You will
need $6 in coins ($3.50 seniors). Early fall migrants.
August 29 (Sunday) Palgrave, Tottenham Sod Farms, Schomberg Lagoons
Leader: Dave Milsom.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at Patterson Sideroad and Highway 50 in the village of Palgrave. Fall
migrants: warblers, flycatchers, shorebirds. Possible plovers, Buff‐breasted Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper.
September 11 (Saturday) Ottawa (all day to 5 pm)
See map above.
Leader: Jeff Skevington.
Meet 7:30 a.m. along Cassels Road, outside the gate to the Britannia Filtration Plant.
Experience the diversity of Ottawa’s birds during the peak of fall migration. Expect to see warblers, sparrows,
waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls and others. Study the subtle differences between similar species as we explore the Ottawa
River from different vantage points. We start at Britannia, and move slowly west, visiting some of eastern Ontario’s
best migratory staging areas. Bring a lunch.
September 12 (Sunday) Presqu’ile Provincial Park
Leaders: Don and Ian Shanahan.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Lighthouse parking lot. Park entrance fee. Fall migrants,
shorebirds, hawks.
October 3 (Sunday) Point Pelee National Park
Leader: Marianne Reid.
Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Visitor Centre in the Park. Park entrance fee. Birding around the
Visitor Centre, at the Tip, and in the surrounding area including the onion fields. Fall migrants, raptors, seabirds,
shorebirds, Monarch butterflies.
October 9 (Saturday) Hamilton, Burlington and Vicinity
Leader: Tom Thomas.
Meet 8:00 a.m. in Hutch’s Restaurant parking lot at Van Wagners Beach on Lake Ontario
in Hamilton. From Niagara on QEW, exit at Centennial Parkway, go left onto North Service Road and follow to Van Wagners
Beach Road to the restaurant. From Toronto on QEW, exit at Woodward Avenue, turn right at lights, then right at next
lights, go under bridge, turn right onto Van Wagners Beach Road to the restaurant. Jaegers, gulls, shorebirds, fall migrants.
October 24 (Sunday) Durham Waterfront
See map above.
Leader: Geoff Carpentier.
Meet 8 a.m. at Lynde Shores Conservation Area parking lot on Victoria Street, Whitby.
Exit Highway 401 at Brock Street (Exit 410). Turn left (south) onto Brock Street. Turn right (west) onto Victoria. Go
about 2.5 km to Lynde Shores on south side. Visits to Cranberry Marsh Hawkwatch, Oshawa Second Marsh, Corner Marsh and
Frenchman’s Bay, depending on conditions and water levels. Late fall migrants, raptors, shorebirds and ducks.
October 29 (Friday) Ottawa River
See map above.
Leader: Tony Beck.
Birding from 1 p.m. to dusk along the Ottawa River. Meet 1 pm at Andrew Haydon Park, east
parking lot (Ottawa Beach). Possible ducks, geese, gulls, shorebirds. Near sunset, 1000s of birds fly into Lac des Chenes
to roost. Rarities possible such as Lesser Black‐backed Gull, Snow Geese, Red Phalarope, Greater White‐fronted
Geese, Cackling Geese.
October 31 (Sunday) Grand Bend, Pinery Provincial Park, Kettle Point and/or Point Edward if strong north winds.
Leader: Maris Apse.
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Grand Bend Sobeys parking lot on north side of Huron County Road 81,
east of traffic lights at Hwy 21. From Highway 402 take exit 81 Centre Road and proceed north on Middlesex County Road 81
via Parkhill, after jogging left at Middlesex County Road 7. Continue on Middlesex, then Huron County Road 81 to Grand Bend
(about 3 hrs. from Toronto). Late fall/early winter migrants, waterfowl, gulls, jaegers, eagles and resident titmice.
November 6 (Saturday) Hawk Cliff and Area, southwest of London
See map above.
Leaders: Pete Read, Ian Platt.
Meet 9:30 a.m. at Hawk Cliff. From Highway 401 Exit 177, take Highway 4 south
through western St. Thomas until it becomes Sunset Drive. Continue about 8 km to Union. Go east on County Road 27, Sparta
Line Road. Go east one road (about 3 km) to County Road 22 (Fairview Road). Head south. The second road south is County
Road 24 (Dexter Line) and you will meet a stop sign. Looking south, you will see the sign for Hawk Cliff. Go south on the
dirt road to the lake. Park along road allowance. Raptors, waterfowl, gulls and late migrants, especially Golden Eagle.
November 28 (Sunday) Niagara River Gull Watch
See map above.
Leaders: Ron Tozer, Jean Iron
.
Meet 9:00 a.m. at Sir Adam Beck Generating Station overlook on Niagara River Parkway
south of Queenston‐Lewiston Bridge to USA. From QEW take Highway 405 towards USA and exit at Stanley Avenue. YOU MUST
EXIT HIGHWAY 405 AT STANLEY AVENUE. Turn left, crossing over Hwy 405, then immediately right onto Portage Road which
parallels Highway 405 for 3 km. At Brock Monument traffic circle take first right exit, Niagara Parkway, signed "The Falls".
Follow for 1.8 km to Sir Adam Beck overlook on left. Gulls, waterfowl and passerines.
December 5 (Sunday) Toronto Lakeshore
See map above.
Leader: Dave Milsom.
Meet 9:00 a.m. at Humber Bay Park East parking lot. Off the QEW, coming from the west, take the
exit to Park Lawn. Go south. Cross Lake Shore Blvd then turn right to the parking area. Off the QEW, coming from the east,
exit at Lake Shore Blvd. Turn right onto Lake Shore Blvd, then left at the lights into Humber Bay Park East. Winter species:
ducks, gulls, waterbirds, finches, raptors.
