Please arrive 15 minutes before departure and bring a packed lunch for the full day trips. Trip leaders are knowledgeable, mostly local birders. Car pooling from the meeting place is encouraged. Note that the field trip schedule may be adjusted. Please confirm the field trip agenda here.

Convention Brochure

Friday, September 27

ALL DAY

7:30-3:30

West End of Lake Ontario (WELO) IBA. Shorebirds, waterfowl, migrant passerines, jaegers, and more. Meet at Lakeland Centre, 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

7:30-3:30

Cootes-to-Escarpment EcoPark. Tour of birding hotspots in this recently established park system. Meet at Princess Point Park parking lot at the end of Longwood Rd N. Locations may have parking or entrance fees. map

7:30-3:30

Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Birding hikes through this 3,000 acre glacial valley that holds an array of rare wildlife in a lush Carolinian Forest. Meet at the Dundas Valley Trail Centre at 650 Governors Rd, Dundas. Fee for entrance. map

7:30-3:30

Birding Hamilton 101. A whirlwind tour of a broad mix of Hamilton birding hotspots. Meet at Hutch's, 280 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

FRIDAY MORNING

7:30-11:30

McMaster Forest Birding and Research Tour. A birding tour of the conservation, restoration, and study efforts through both the Hamilton Naturalists’ and McMaster University. Diverse habitat with 160 species observed in the last five years. Meet at Lower Lions Club Road, 100m west of the Wilson St intersection. Free parking. map

7:30-11:30

Dundas IBA Photography Workshop. Improve your photography skills while birding in the Dundas IBA. Meet at Urquhart Butterfly Garden, 135 King St E, Dundas. Free parking. (Space limited.) map

7:30-11:30

Birding Waterfalls: Spencer Gorge Conservation Area. See why Hamilton is the City of Waterfalls, while birding. Meet at Tews Falls parking lot, 590 Harvest Road, Dundas. Fee for parking. map

8:00-11:30

Saltfleet Birding. Birding in the open country of Saltfleet township. Meet at the Vinemount Meadows Nature Sanctuary at the tracks, 10th Road, Stoney Creek. Carpooling strongly encouraged. map

8:30-11:30

Canoe Birding through Cootes Paradise. A guided tour of marsh birds in Cootes Paradise. (Canoe rental required, pre-registration required, space limited.) Visit Hamilton Nature for pre-registration.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

1:00-3:30

Beverly Swamp Birds and Butterflies. More things with wings! Meet at Beverly Swamp Conservation Area (Safari Rd entrance), 1535 Safari Road, Cambridge. Free parking. map

1:00-3:30

Birding the Valley Inn. Birding the Grindstone Creek delta marshes and Carroll's Bay for marsh birds, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds. The past 10 years of Septembers have yielded 120+ species. Accessible path for anyone with mobility challenges. Meet at parking lot, parking limited, carpool encouraged. 1163 Spring Garden Road, Burlington. map

1:00-3:30

Birding Waterfalls: Spencer Gorge Conservation Area. See why Hamilton is the City of Waterfalls, while birding. Meet at Tews Falls parking lot, 590 Harvest Road, Dundas. Fee for parking. map

1:00-3:30

RBG Arboretum. Meet at the main parking circle at the arboretum. 16 Old Guelph Road. Fee for entrance. map

1:00-3:30

Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Birding hikes through this 3,000 acre glacial valley that holds an array of rare wildlife in a lush Carolinian Forest. Meet at the Dundas Valley Trail Centre at 650 Governors Rd, Dundas. Fee for entrance. map

1:00-3:30

Lake Watch. If the winds are good we’ll be watching for jaegers. If conditions are less favourable, we’ll visit other locations along the lake. Meet at Lakeland Centre, 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

Saturday, September 28

ALL DAY

7:30-3:30

West End of Lake Ontario (WELO) IBA. Shorebirds, waterfowl, migrant passerines, jaegers, and more. Meet at 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

7:30-3:30

Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Birding hikes through this 3,000 acre glacial valley that holds an array of rare wildlife in a lush Carolinian Forest. Meet at the Valley Trail Centre at 650 Governors Rd, Dundas. Fee for entrance. map

7:30-3:30

Cootes-to-Escarpment EcoPark. Tour of birding hotspots in this recently established park system. Meet at Princess Point Park parking lot at the end of Longwood Rd N. Locations may have parking or entrance fees. map

7:30-3:30

Birding Hamilton 101. A whirlwind tour of a broad mix of Hamilton birding hotspots. Meet at Hutch's, 280 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

7:30-2:30

Young Birders Day Trip. A birding tour of Hamilton for young birders. Meet at Fifty Point CA, 1479 Baseline Rd. Pizza lunch. map

SATURDAY MORNING

7:30-11:30

Bird Banding Station at Ruthven NHS. Participate in bird banding at Ruthven Park. Great event for birders of any age or ability to enjoy seeing these migrant songbirds up close. 243 Hwy 54, Cayuga. Free parking. map

7:30-11:30

Birding the Valley Inn. Birding the Grindstone Creek delta marshes and Carroll's Bay for marsh birds, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds. The past 10 years of Septembers have yielded 120+ species. Accessible path for anyone with mobility challenges. Meet at parking lot, parking limited, carpool encouraged. 1163 Spring Garden Road, Burlington. map

7:30-11:30

Windermere Basin. A morning at one of the hottest Hamilton birding hotspots, 250+ species over the last few years. Scope recommended! Meet at the parking lot, 447 Eastport Drive. Free parking. map

8:30-11:30

Canoe Birding through Cootes Paradise. A guided tour of marsh birds in Cootes Paradise. (Canoe rental required, pre-registration required, space limited.) Visit Hamilton Nature for pre-registration.

7:30-11:30

Dundas Birding. A hike along the Spencer Creek trail, looping back to the new Canal Park. Meet at Urquhart Butterfly Garden, 135 King St E, Dundas. Free parking. map

7:30-11:30

Birding Hotspots of Hamilton. A morning whirlwind tour of a broad mix of Hamilton birding hotspots. Meet at Hutch’s, 280 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

7:30-11:30

Dundas IBA Photography Workshop. Improve your photography skills while birding in the Dundas IBA. Meet at the Urquhart Butterfly Garden, 135 King St E, Dundas. Free parking. (Space limited.) map

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

1:00-3:30

Birding Tech Workshop. Field workshop that will cover basic photography, audio recording, mobile apps, with a focus on identification and good documentation. Meet at Binbrook Conservation Area, Tyneside Road parking lot. Free parking. map

1:00-3:30

Grimsby Wetlands. Explore this newly restored natural space at the site of a former sewage lagoon. Shorebirds, waterfowl, and other migrants. 624 Winston Rd, Grimsby, free parking a short walk away at the intersection of Oakes and Winston Road. map

1:00-3:30

Butterflies and Birds. More things with wings! Meet at Paletta Park, 4280 Lakeshore Road, Burlington. map

1:00-3:30

Hendrie Valley. Meet at Cherry Hill Gate in Hendrie Park just across from the RBG Headquarters. 680 Plains Road W, Burlington. map

1:00-3:30

South Shore of Cootes Paradise.Meet at the Princess Point Park parking lot at the end of Longwood Road North, Hamilton. Fee for parking. map

1:00-3:30

Lake Watch. If the winds are good we’ll be watching for jaegers. If conditions are less favourable, we’ll visit other locations along the lake. Meet at Lakeland Centre, 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

Sunday, September 29

ALL DAY (or morning if you need to leave early)

7:30-3:30

West End of Lake Ontario (WELO) IBA. Shorebirds, waterfowl, migrant passerines, jaegers, and more. Meet at Lakeland Centre, 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

7:30-3:30

Birding Hamilton 101. A whirlwind tour of a broad mix of Hamilton birding hotspots. Meet at Hutch's, 280 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

SUNDAY MORNING

7:30-11:30

Young Birders – Dundas IBA. A birding tour of the Dundas IBA for young birders. Meet at Urquhart Butterfly Garden, 135 King St E, Dundas. map

7:30-11:30

Birding Oakville. A morning tour of the migration hotspots of Oakville. Meet at South Shell Park, 3376 Lakeshore Road W, Oakville. map

7:30-11:30

Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Birding hikes through this 3,000 acre glacial valley that holds an array of rare wildlife in a lush Carolinian Forest. Meet at the Dundas Valley Trail Centre at 650 Governors Road, Dundas. Fee for entrance. map

7:30-11:30

Windermere Basin. A morning at one of the hottest of the Hamilton birding hotspots, 250+ species over the last few years. Scope recommended! Meet at parking lot, 447 Eastport Drive. Free parking. map

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

1:00-3:30

Lake Watch. If the winds are good we’ll be watching for jaegers. If conditions are less favourable, we’ll visit other locations along the lake. Meet at Lakeland Centre, 180 Van Wagners Beach Road. Free parking. map

1:00-3:30

Hendrie Valley. Meet at Cherry Hill Gate in Hendrie Park just across from the RBG Headquarters. 680 Plains Road W, Burlington. map