October 4 2025 (Saturday) Rondeau
Leader: Peter Sproule.
OFO trip to Rondeau, Erieau, Keith Mclean Conservation Lands and Blenheim Sewage Lagoons
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 was a gorgeous sunny hot day with winds out of the SE to be out at Rondeau. With our fearless leader Peter Sproule and 13 enthusiastic birders we met at Rondeau PP Visitor Centre for a full day event. Birds were slow at the Visitor centre so we made our way to the beach where our first bird of the day that everyone got on was a Peregrine Falcon! We were also treated to 2 more raptors on the beach, a Cooper?s Hawk and a Merlin. The lake was calm and quiet, with many Ring-billed and American Herring gulls. Highlight for me was a juvenile Red Headed Woodpecker perched high up on a dead tree.
We moved on to a trail that I had never been on before, but it is known to be one of the best trails in the park, and it didn?t disappoint, the South Point Trail East! There were many passerines in the bushes and we all were excited to see Blue Headed Vireo, Ruby and Golden-Crowned Kinglets as well as many White-Throated Sparrows! Warblers were quiet with just Tennessee and Magnolia making an appearance. We learned about this trail and how you can take Harrison Trail right up to Warbler Woods. We also got a good look at an Eastern Comma Butterfly! Peter and some other more experienced birders knew where the birds where that day and we proceeded up the trail.
There was interest in going to the Keith McLean Conservation lands as there had been reports of good shorebirds there. We were treated to many Green Winged Teal, as well as a single Hooded Merganser. The shorebirds were indeed there with Black-Bellied and American Golden-Plover present! The highlight was a good view of 2 Long Billed Dowitcher, lifers for some! We got a mini lesson in shorebird I.D., and one of our members brought along her Shorebird book by our own Jean Iron! (note from Peter to Jean ? your Shorebird ID book is very popular, and consideration should be given to a reprint! At least 4 on my outing would have gotten a copy). Stilt, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers were also present. One of the highlights was a lovely Green Heron that allowed us some good looks and, for this skulky bird, let us all get some good photos!
We proceeded into Erieau to the Marsh Trail. Warblers were abundant there and we were treated to looks at Yellow Rumped, Palm, Blackpoll, Magnolia, Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats and a lone Northern Parula. We ran into some fellow birders on the way and Arthur Q. let us know about the hundreds of American Coot that were on the water (220), many Ruddy Ducks, and a sprinkling of American Wigeon and Gadwall. It was a lovely walk and we got some good looks at interesting insects.
We proceeded on to our last stop, the Blenheim Sewage lagoons, where Peter had a permit and we were able to get in very effortlessly! It was extremely hot (28C with humidex) and fortunately it was an easy walk. There were many Ruddy Ducks here as well as 4 Northern Shovelers, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks and 1 Redhead. The only shorebird of note was a Greater Yellowlegs, with many Killdeer of course! A nice surprise was 2 Eastern Meadowlarks in the grassland area as the trip concluded.
It was wonderful, as usual, to bird with such avid naturalists, with many varying skill levels. Birders came from near and far for this trip, Huron, Essex, Chatham and Lambton County, Toronto, Hamilton and Waterloo. We covered a lot of ground and were happy to say we got about 70 species!
eBird checklists:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S277213987
https://ebird.org/checklist/S277213765
https://ebird.org/checklist/S277313356
https://ebird.org/checklist/S277251206
https://ebird.org/checklist/S277269483
Eva D?Amico and Peter Sproule
September 21 2025 (Sunday) Kettle Point
Leader: Dave Milsom, Brian Wales.
OFO CONVENTION 2025 KETTLE POINT FIELDTRIP : Sunday, Sept. 21st Leaders : Dave Milsom, Brian Wales. Our Sunday fieldtrip attracted 13 excellent OFO Convention birders to this rich birding location. We recorded 69 species during the session from 9 am to 3 pm. During the day, we were visited occasionally by some other renowned birders like Henrique Pacheco and Jean Iron. Our trip participants Dale and Aaron spotted the Buff-breasted Sandpiper which had been missed the previous day. Everyone was able to see this and 15 other species of shorebirds including Golden Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Baird's and White-rumped sandpipers. Other highlights included Merlins, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Orange-crowned Warbler, Little and Lesser Black-backed gulls, and over 300 Common Terns. Many thanks to Marisa Sampson, who diligently recorded species for the checklist throughout the session. Special thankyou to Eloise Jantzi for her beautiful photographs. See these on our OFO Facebook page and Instagram. The Ebird checklist is available at : EBIRD CANADACHECKLIST S274808562 Dave Milsom
September 14 2025 (Sunday) Limestone Islands
Leader: Mark Calhoun, Colleen Reilly.
Limestone Islands Provincial Park : September 14, 2025
The Limestone Islands have most definitely become a popular event for Into the Wild. Together as a joint outing with OFO - Ontario Field Ornithologists , The Pipits and members of Into the Wild we made a fall visit back to the Islands.
The Limestone Islands are made up of a North Island and a South Island. This 450 hectares nature reserve is located approximately 7km due west of the Mink Island Chain within Georgian Bays 30 000 Islands. It is the very furthest west in the world's largest freshwater Archipelago.
The Island is off limits to visitors May 1st through August 1st due to the large breeding colonies of birds.
During our visit we were able to step foot on both the North and South Islands as the breeding season was long completed.
South Island has a small breeding population of Black Crowned Night Heron. As well as Caspian Tern, American Herring Gull and Ring Billed Gulls. During our fall visit we were finding songbird migration well under way. American Pipit, Palm Warbler and White Throated Sparrows were quite common. As well there was a few Merlin, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon present on the Island too.
The North Island during spring is home to over a 1000 Common Tern nests. During our visit the Terns have all ready departed. In fact, it was difficult to even seen any trace what so ever that they even nested here. The star of the North Island had to be the pair of adult Bald Eagles and their one remaining juvenile Eaglet. They Bald Eagles nest on the Island and remained somewhat close to their giant nest.
Again, songbirds were using the Island as a resting spot on their southern migration. The Palm Warbler and American Pipit the most abundant species.
We took a lunch break and short hike on Big McCoy Island. The McCoy Islands are probably my favorite location in the Georgian Bay Archipelago.
Thanks to all who attended and I hope you enjoyed this great day. Thanks to Georgian Bay Tours who we chartered for the day. As always Georgian Bay Tours did an amazing job of taking us around and also adding their expertise on the geology and history of the Islands.
Mark Calhoun
September 13 2025 (Saturday) Killbear
Leader: Mark Calhoun.
On September 13 a group of 8 OFO members explored Killbear Provincial Park. The weather was perfect and signs of fall colours were everywhere. The week leading up to this outing had a strong songbird migration. Unfortunately, on this day the birds were very scarce.
In total we only managed a total of 24 species. A far cry from what I thought might be total closer to 60 species.
We did get some great views of a juvenile Scarlet Tanager. And later in the day a Northern Harrier flew bye overhead.
Even with the scarcity of bird action the group was able to enjoy the natural beauty of Killbear. One of Ontario's most popular Parks.
Mark Calhoun
August 24 2025 (Sunday) Rotary Park
Leader: Dave Milsom, Leo Weiskittel.
Leo Weiskittel and I led a group of 8 keen birders along the Rotary Trail on the morning of August 24 . Best find was an Olive-sided Flycatcher which was watched for over 5 minutes as it sallied for insects from its perch at the top of a dead tree overlooking the Otonabee River. We totalled 47 species altogether, including several migrant warblers, vireos and flycatchers. There were several waterbirds below the dam near the London Street footbridge, including an Osprey bathing in the centre of a stream adjacent to the river. Leo and Don McLeod were able to get some good photos of a number of migrants : Leo even captured a nice shot of an early migrating Broad-winged Hawk overhead as the group was viewing the resident Ospreys in flight.
Dave Milsom
