Brief report from Ron Tozer on birding at the Convention
A record high 270 registered participants enjoyed another great annual Ontario Field Ornithologists’ convention at Hamilton on the weekend. As always, local birders organized and led some rewarding field trips on Saturday and Sunday. Conditions were not right for jaegers and rare gulls at Van Wagners Beach, but numerous interesting sightings occurred during the weekend at the many good birding spots visited by the field trips.
The total species reported now stands at 145. This is close to the 150 species to be expected at this time, in the locations visited, according to local experts. Observations included 20 duck species, and a noteworthy apparent male Northern Pintail x Mallard hybrid at Windermere Basin. There were 16 shorebird species, including Long–billed Dowitcher. A Short–eared Owl flying off Van Wagners for a lengthy period was enjoyed by many. Seventeen warbler species were observed. Many convention participants got to see Nelson’s Sharp–tailed Sparrows well, one of Hamilton’s special birding opportunities.
Thanks again to all the field trip leaders, and trip coordinator Cheryl Edgecombe, for a great job. And thanks also to the OFO Board Members and others who worked so hard to make this a memorable weekend for everybody.
Mark your calendar now for next year’s OFO Convention: 3‐4 October 2009 at Point Pelee. Hope to see you there.
Ron Tozer
Dwight, Ontario
OFO Convention MC and List Compiler
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The 2008 Annual Convention will be held in Hamilton on the 4-5 October weekend. The banquet will be at the Grand Olympia Convention Centre (previously Chandelier Place) in Stoney Creek.
The Hamilton area is a great place to go birding in the Fall, with a variety of habitats attracting a truly amazing assortment of bird species. Once again, OFO will be holding its Annual Convention here, and you should plan to join us because it’s going to be exciting!
Saturday evening will begin with displays by various birding organizations, vendors of birding equipment, and OFO committees such as OFO Sales and OFO Memberships. It is also gives our members a chance to have a drink and talk about the day’s events as they renew acquaintanceships with fellow members. A delicious banquet has been planned. After that we’ll do a round‐up of the day’s species count, and a quick bit of OFO business. Harry Lumsden will then be presented with the Distinguished Ornithologist Award in recognition of his lifetime contribution to birding in Ontario and especially for his work in re‐establishing the Trumpeter Swan in Ontario.
Our guest speaker will follow, and this will be a real treat. Donald Kroodsma, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, has studied birdsong for more than thirty years and will be telling us all about his fascination with bird vocalizations. Donald majored in chemistry in college and discovered birds in a local Michigan marsh during his last semester. That summer he went to the University of Michigan field station in Pellston, taking beginning and advanced ornithology courses simultaneously. From there he traveled cross‐country to Oregon State University for graduate school, where a singing wren in his backyard got him started on a lifelong passion for listening to birds.
The field trips, some lasting a few hours and others the better part of the day, have been chosen to highlight the Hamilton area’s rich diversity of habitats, and to search out any rarities that might be in the area.
Tickets are going fast, so don’t delay ‐‐ send in your registration now! Click here to go to the registration page. See you there!
