Welcome to the OFO website. If it's Ontario birds that you are interested in, then you've come to the right place. While you're here you can see Photo Galleries of recent sightings, find out about Upcoming Field Trips, view the official Ontario Checklist, read our Code of Ethics, Become a Member, and much more. Enjoy the experience.
The Carden Alvar, just east of Lake Simcoe, is Ontario's birding hotspot in late May and June for seeing multitudes of grassland and scrubland birds. Wylie Road, near the Kirkfield Lift Lock, is the best early summer birding road in Ontario. It is a reliable spot to find the endangered Loggerhead Shrike and elusive Sedge Wren. Other sought after birds include Upland Sandpiper, Golden-winged Warbler, Clay-colored and Grasshopper Sparrow. The Carden Alvar is one of the last lost corners of the old rural Ontario landscape with Eastern Bluebirds, Brown Thrashers, Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks as abundant as they were 75 years ago before modern farming. Early evening is enchanting with Common Nighthawks booming overhead and Whip-poor-wills singing. See the Carden Alvar Birding Guide in the Articles and Reports section here.
Recent Photos
There are new photos of Barred Owl, Peregrine Falcon and American White Pelican in the current gallery.
There are new photos of Barred Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, Orchard Oriole and Blue-winged Teal in the checklist gallery.
Recent Trips
There are recent trips reports for Happy Valley CA and Palgrave CA, King Township, and June 16 (Sunday) Bruce Peninsula, Rainy River, Carden Alvar, Tiny Marsh, Leslie Street Spit, Toronto, Lac Deschenes IBA, Ottawa, Murphy's Point Provincial Park, Lanark, Munster-Richmond Area, Ottawa, Toronto Islands, Rondeau Provincial Park, Peterborough Area, Minesing Swamp and Algonquin Provincial Park on the current trip reports page.
Next Field Trips
June 22 (Saturday) Birds Songs and Calls Workshop Forests and Grasslands with Ian Shanahan
June 22 (Saturday) Photography Field Trip at Colonel Sam Smith Park, Etobicoke with Claude King, Dave Milsom
August 4 (Sunday) Durham Region and Lake Ontario Marshes with Rayfield Pye, John Stirrat
August 17 (Saturday) Birds of Moonbeam, Cochrane Area with Ken Williams, Angie Williams
OFO Photography outing cancelled
Please note that due to lack of registrations, the OFO Photography outing scheduled for Colonel Sam Smith Park in Toronto on 22 June has been cancelled.
Field Trip Date and Location Change
The Birds of Moonbeam, Cochrane Area field trip is changed to Saturday 17 August. Please note the meeting location change.
Register Now for the Alan Wormington Young Birders Camp
For teens aged 13 - 18
Register now for the Alan Wormington Young Birders Camp!
The Alan Wormington Young Birders Camp for teen birders and naturalists will take place the second last week of August, Saturday August 17th to Saturday, August 24th. This year will be the camp's third year.
Campers will stay at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station in the heart of the park. Situated beside a small private lake in an untouched forest, the station is a hub for wildlife researchers and a perfect base for exploring the Algonquin Park natural environment.
Led by professional scientists and guides, the camp is designed to give campers an in-depth experience of the birds, moths, dragonflies, snakes, mushrooms and ecology of the park. Campers will also have an opportunity to learn from the active researchers at the station and practice their wildlife photography skills.
Previous camps have been a lot of fun! Highlights have included canoe trips, wolf howls, mothing and tracking frogs and salamanders during their night time movements.
The cost is $700 for the week which includes accommodations and meals. Please contact Lynne Freeman at lynnef.to@gmail.com for further information.
Register Now! Scroll down to the camp to register.
Register for Field Trips and Workshops
Registration for the 2019 field trips and workshops is now available. Please note that registration is not required unless otherwise indicated on the field trip list. Convention and Gull Workshop registration will begin at a later date.
Please note that you must be an OFO member to register.
Ontario Field Ornithologists © 1984. All photographs on the site © the photographer.