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 Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel, Ross's Goose and Long-billed Dowitcher in the current gallery.
There are new photos of Black-necked Stilt, Whimbrel, Long-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpiper, Snowy Owl, Bald Eagle, Wilson's Phalarope, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Ring-necked Pheasant, Northern Flicker, Osprey, Wood Duck and Nashville Warbler in the checklist gallery.
Next Field Trips
May 27 (Sunday) Breeding Bird Survey: Toronto Islands. A joint BSC, OFO and ROM event with Mark Peck
May 27 (Sunday) Skunk's Misery, Blenheim & Ridgetown Lagoons with Gavin Platt
May 27 (Sunday) Carden Alvar with Jean Iron
June 2 (Saturday) Lanark County with Ken Allison
Presqu'ile trip date change
The field trip to Presqu'ile Provincial Park has changed date. It was June 2nd but is now Sunday, June 3rd.
Breeding Bird Survey: Toronto Islands.
Trip runs on May 27. Register on the OFO Web Site here.
Rainy River trip
This June 8 trip is now full.
Recent Trips
There are recent trips reports for Ottawa (until Noon), Murphys Point Provincial Park, Lanark, Toronto Islands, Durham Lakeshore, Rondeau Provincial Park, Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird Area, Peterborough Area, Minesing Swamp, Nesting Ravens and Raptors in Ottawa (until 2:00 p.m.) and Algonquin Provincial Park on the current trip reports page.
Ontario Field Ornithologists © 1984. All photographs on the site © the photographer.