May 2024 Timmins Area Update

My last update was already a year ago. Time flies! We had a busy past year filled with many bird-related projects including the ongoing Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project, the OFO Convention weekend in Timmins last fall, our 30th Timmins Christmas Bird Count in Dec. 2023 (which was also my first one as the compiler), a few spring library talks...and we're now kicking off the 4th year of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas in Timmins this weekend! 

Blackpoll Warbler - Porcupine Lake (17 May 2024)

Spring 2024

With our last migrating birds passing through the Timmins area this week, another spring has come and gone in what feels like seconds. April and May 2024 were unusually warm and dry. The ice melted quickly in late April and gull watching (aka the greatest show on ice) was very brief this spring. We did have our largest count of Lesser Black-backed Gulls with a high count of 7 at the same time on Porcupine Lake's receding ice, observed by Gary D, Shannon K, Pierre N and I during a wonderful gull-watching evening on April 25. After April 26th, at the peak of their migration, gulls had unfortunately no more ice to gather on at Porcupine Lake and in Timmins.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls on ice with Herring Gulls
Porcupine Lake (24 April 2024)

Lesser Black-backed Gull in flight with Herring Gulls
Porcupine Lake (24 April 2024)

The leaves are all out now, much earlier than usual, and many species have already started nesting. With uninterrupted ideal flight winds throughout the entire month of May in our area, songbirds flew through without lingering, leaving us no real exciting opportunities to enjoy days with large numbers of migrants. There were no cold days with precipitations in May to force northbound birds to stop, feed and rest. From a birding perspective, I feel like we went from a very mild winter straight to breeding season.

For those interested in spring migration timing in our area, I am still collecting spring arrival dates for the 100 km radius around Timmins. This will be the 8th year.   

Northern Shoveler pair
Porcupine Lake the day before the thaw (26 April 2024)

Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) Field Trip: Porcupine Lake and area

We had a great day on Sunday, May 26th, for the 3rd OFO Field Trip in the Porcupine Lake area. (You can find reports of the past walks, OFO Field Trips including the 2023 Timmins' edition of the OFO Convention on the following page: Past Bird Walks - Timmins Area) 

Part of the OFO Field Trip group on the Porcupine Lake trail.
© Photo Adele Malo (26 May 2024)

We started the morning looking at waterfowl, sparrows, warblers and swallows at White Waterfront Conservation Area. More people joined us and we visited a few other locations. Songbirds were active along Porcupine Lake's Dead Man Point section of the trail. The leaves were out earlier than usual and made it difficult to locate birds, but encouraged us to appreciate the various songs and calls. Many in our group managed good views of Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Bay-breasted and Yellow Warblers, American Redstarts, Philadelphia and Red-eyed Vireos, and Veery. 

The highlight of the day was finding a Summer Tanager, a very rare bird for the area and a first record for Timmins. Many of us were delighted to watch this beautiful bird sing and feed along poplar branches. This bird was species # 155 added to the Timmins Checklist of Birds! See the updated Timmins Checklist of Birds.  

Summer Tanager - first record for Timmins
Roxane Filion (26 May 2024)

Throughout the day, we saw and heard 65 different species of birds at 5 different locations. 

A very special thanks to all the 24 people who joined us, it was great to meet new people and see old friends. A sincere thanks to Pierre Noel for leading this OFO Field Trip with me and to my husband Gary Dowe for his help keeping the eBird lists.  

Are you interested in joining an OFO Field Trip? It's a great way to spend the day with other bird enthusiasts and explore new spots to look for birds! If you love exploring new habitats and seeing elusive boreal birds, there is an OFO Field Trip coming up Sept. 14, 2024 in Cochrane. I highly recommend it! Spaces are limited, so sign up soon. More details here: https://ofo25.wildapricot.org/event-5465927 

4 new species documented in Timmins:

Since my last update, we had 4 exciting additions to the Timmins Checklist of Birds. All 4 were very rare birds listed on the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC) central review list for our area. 

Great Egret (22 July 2023) First record for Timmins. Found by S. Labelle at Hollinger Tailings. 

Great Egret, a first record for Timmins
Hollinger Tailings - R.Filion (July 2023)

Red Phalarope (11 October 2023) Found at Porcupine Lake by Pierre Noel on the evening of October 11th, 2023. I was able to rush out and see this wonderful bird feed in circles near the shoreline before the sun went down. 

Record shot of the Red Phalarope, a first record for Timmins
11 October 2023 - Porcupine Lake 

Blue Grosbeak (6 May 2024): An amazing bird, found and identified by local residents K. Malo and S. Power. It stayed only a few hours, feeding on insects high up in a pine. Pierre, Gary and I were very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it and we are very thankful to the finders for inviting us. This was also the first record in eBird for the district of Cochrane.   

Blue Grosbeak -very rare for the area -first record for Timmins
6 May 2024 

Summer Tanager (26 May 2024) First record for Timmins, second eBird record for the district of Cochrane, found during the OFO Field Trip at Porcupine Lake. We were on our way back to the parking lot after a wonderful walk along the Dead Man's Point section of the trail when a robin-like song that sounded a bit different stopped me in my track. I was able to locate the sound and spotted a unique orange-red bird with somewhat darker wings that looked like a tanager. I immediately called the others. 

This was my first look.

 

My first look at the bird, singing deep in poplar trees.
OFO Field Trip Porcupine Lake - Roxane Filion (26 May 2024) 

From the sound and the limited view I first had, I thought it could have been a Scarlet Tanager, which is uncommon but occasional in our area. It wasn't easy to get good looks of the bird at first; it was moving constantly, feeding deep in the poplar branches, often hidden behind leaves. However, we all managed decent views and a few photos of this wonderful bird actively singing and feeding. We weren't sure what it was feeding on at the time, but later looks at Pierre's photos revealed it was eating bees or wasp-like bugs (check out Pierre's excellent photos on the eBird checklist!) 

The best part of us finding this bird was that we were able to share this exciting observation with so many people! On site, after getting good views and photos, we looked at Sibley's Guide and at the distinguishing characteristics and agreed that it looked like a Summer Tanager! A first for Timmins. 

Summer Tanager feeding - Porcupine Lake, South Porcupine
OFO Field Trip. Photo Roxane Filion (26 May 2024)

With these 4 new records for Timmins, the Timmins Checklist of Birds now stands at 255 species.

Don't forget to check for updates on the Timmins and Area Birds' upcoming events page.  

 

Trip report: OFO Field Trip at Porcupine Lake - Timmins Area 

Four participants joined me on May 21st, 2023 for the OFO Field Trip at Porcupine Lake and area. It was 3°C with a wind chill factor of -1°C when we started at 7am at the White Waterfront Conservation Area, with heavy north winds gusting between 30-50 km/h. 

Least Sandpiper (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

We started the morning by watching a small flock of Evening Grosbeaks taking cover in a shrub, a Least Sandpiper on the beach with a Killdeer, a young Bald Eagle being chased by an American Crow and a beautiful Sandhill Crane flying low over us. 

Sandhill Crane (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

We moved to the east side of the lake in search of migrating waterfowl; a pair of Redheads was showing well along with a few Lesser Scaups, Common Goldeneyes and Ring-necked Ducks. 

Redheads (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

After grabbing coffee to warm up, we walked the forested part of Porcupine Lake's Prospectors Trail hoping that warblers and other songbirds would be sheltering and feeding away from the high winds. We were not disappointed. If warblers were fewer than usual for May 21st in numbers, they sure made up for it in variety and awesome views! Ten different species of warblers were present along that short section of trail and all of us had wonderful views of Blackpoll Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Nashville Warbler, and a Black-and-white Warbler to name a few. We also saw a very cooperative Merlin. 

Group along the Prospectors Trail
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Group along the Prospectors Trail
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Bay-breasted Warbler (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Merlin (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Blackpoll Warbler (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

By the time we moved on to the last location, it had warmed up to 9°C and the winds were slightly calmer. At this last spot we admired some Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, and American Wigeons in the scope. The sheltered patch of mixed forest adjacent to the pond offered us good songbird diversity, with nine species of warblers, Least Flycatchers, and a surprise appearance by a male Bobolink singing away on a poplar branch! We had particularly great views of a Northern Parula, a Wilson's Warbler, a Palm Warbler, and a Chestnut-sided Warbler. 

OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area
Group scanning Porcupine Lake (21 May 2023)

Northern Parula (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Chestnut-sided Warbler (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Gadwall (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Palm Warbler (21 May 2023)
OFO Field Trip - Porcupine Lake and Area

Overall, it was a great day out with great people, and we observed a total of 59 species, including 17 different species of warblers. A sincere thank you to participants Mike Leahy, Ann Black, Joanne Bourdon, and Gary Dowe for a great day!

Check out the Ontario Field Ornithologists website for upcoming walks and meetings (look under the Field Trips and Webinars tab)

Local bird walks are also listed on the Timmins Area Birds site. Check often, as we will be adding more summer and fall walks shortly. 

2023 Spring migration and upcoming events in Timmins!

Spring Migration is on!

We are all very happy to welcome the first few migrating birds in the Timmins Area this week! We still have plenty of snow and only a few sections of some rivers are starting to show open water, but a few species have arrived. 

We'll be compiling the arrival dates together this year again (it'll be the 7th year). See the Timmins Area Spring Arrival Dates page for a list of new arrivals. You can view all the arrival dates compiled since 2017 on the following sheet: Timmins Birds Arrival Dates 2017-2022 (PDF)

Upcoming bird walks in the Timmins area

Some spring bird walks have already been posted on the Timmins and Area Birds page. These are all free and open to everyone interested in birds. Visit the Upcoming Bird Walks page for details and registration info. More walks will be added soon, so check the page again before May! 

Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-3 - Kicking off the 3rd year!

We are excited to start the 3rd year of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas! If you are anywhere in Ontario and go out birding this summer, your sightings are all valuable. Here are 2 events coming up:

Region 41 Virtual Meeting: Atlassing Basics & How to Contribute to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project.

Date/time: Wednesday, 19 April 2023 (7-8pm) Online. Contact timiskaming@birdsontario.org for link.

The Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project can often seem overwhelming due its various elements and surveys but contributing your bird observations is very easy. Every observation counts and makes an impact on bird conservation! Join us for a quick overview of the project and learn how every birder can contribute. Downloading the NatureCounts App prior to the meeting will be beneficial. 

* If you can't attend this meeting but would like to meet on another day for a quick session on how you can contribute, don't hesitate to contact me. I'd be happy to set up a meeting. 

Join us at Porcupine Lake to Kick-off the 3rd year!

Whether you are an atlas participant or a birder who would like to learn more about how you can contribute to the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, join us for this fun morning as we kick off the 3rd year of the project!

Date/Time: Saturday, April 22, 2023 (9:30am to 12pm)

Location: Porcupine Lake - White Waterfront Conservation Area (located at the corner of Bloor avenue and Lakeview drive in South Porcupine)

9:30am - 10:15am: Join us at the picnic shelter to chat with fellow atlassers and birders. We will share a few words on Region 41's accomplishments to date, on a few easy ways birders of all levels can contribute to the Atlas-3 project and how each sighting submitted to NatureCounts is valuable for bird conservation. 

10:15am - 12pm: If the weather is good, we will walk part of the Prospector Trail together to look for birds. We will then explore a few other local spots depending on snow and ice conditions (Bart Thompson trail, Porcupine River). We will look for early breeders like Canada Jay and Ruffed Grouse and learn how to submit our observations. We will also get the opportunity to see some exciting spring migrants! Dress warm, bring your binoculars and wear proper footwear (trails may be covered in snow, slush, water, and mud)

Confirm your attendance or obtain more details by contacting timiskaming@birdsontario.org 

There are Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas Year 3 Kick-off events in various places in Ontario; find one near you here.  

Canada Jay - South Porcupine (5 March 2023)

Spring-Summer 2022 Timmins Area Highlights

Here are a few highlights from the last few months all packed into one blog post: Part 1: a fun-filled month of May busy with various bird hikes. Part 2: an amazing June where we had the opportunity to go out a few times to collect data for the 3rd Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. 

Part 1: MAY 2022

May started with an online session with the Timmins Public Library where I had a lot of fun chatting with local bird enthusiasts about spring bird migration in the Timmins area. We also continued the local tradition of gathering 'first-of-year' sightings; a fun way to gather arrival dates for migrating birds in the area: this spring was the 6th year and we now have many people participating! 

Spring migration always brings amazing birds in the area, and this year was no exception; 4 days after the library session, a Willet showed up at White Waterfront Conservation Area. This was the 193rd species documented at Porcupine Lake in the past decade. It stayed for 2-3 days and many birders had a chance to admire it!

Porcupine Lake's first documented Willet
White Waterfront beach
Porcupine Lake (8 May 2022)

 Willet feeding on crayfish
Porcupine Lake (8 May 2022)

Lesser Yellowlegs (L) Willet (Middle) and Greater Yellowlegs (R)
Porcupine Lake (8 May 2022)

FPRW World Migratory Bird Day Walk 2022: 

On May 14, 2022, I had the opportunity to lead a guided WMBD walk at Porcupine Lake. This walk was organized by the Friends of the Porcupine River Watershed to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and to highlight the role Porcupine Lake plays in providing various habitat for migrating and breeding bird species. 

Listening to warblers on the Prospector Trail
World Migratory Bird Day walk with FPRW
Porcupine Lake (14 May 2022)

We walked the Prospector trail to watch and listen to various migrating songbirds. It was an unusually hot day but we had a lot of fun exploring the variety of habitats along the Prospector Trail. We observed waterfowl feeding on the lake, Savannah and Song Sparrows singing in tall grass and shrubs, Sora singing from a marsh and various colourful migrating warblers singing their unique songs along the forested part of the trail. 

Magnolia Warbler along the Prospector Trail
World Migratory Bird Day Walk with FPRW
Porcupine Lake (14 May 2022)
Photo: © Swapnil Dhandhukia

May 22, 2022 - South Porcupine's first OFO field trip. 

After 2 years of cancellation, we were finally able to host South Porcupine's very first OFO field trip. We were 4 participants and we had a great day! I hope more local people will join us next year - looking for birds together is a lot of fun and we get to learn so much! Here is the full account of how the day went: 

The day started at 7 am under an overcast sky and a wet 4°C at Porcupine Lake's White Waterfront Conservation Area, with Lisa, who had travelled far and was ready to brave the rain and cold in search of birds. We were immediately greeted by a Surf Scoter, an uncommon species for Porcupine Lake and getting great looks at this splendid unique bird was a great start to a wonderful day.

Surf Scoter - Porcupine Lake 
OFO Field Trip (22 May 2022)

The wires and sky were filled with Bank, Tree, and Cliff Swallows, all feeding and calling in impressive large flocks low over the water, as they often do on cold migration mornings. After admiring the Surf Scoter with its Lesser and Greater Scaups and Common Goldeneye companions, we started down the Prospector trail and came across 3 Trumpeter Swans feeding beside a pair of Gadwall near shore. The rest of the walk happened under light rain and to the intermittent mystical sound of the Common Loon calling from the lake, and gave us decent views of many warbler species, Savannah and Lincoln Sparrows, and a very cooperative Clay Coloured Sparrow, who hopped on the trail right in front of us.

Clay-coloured Sparrow - Porcupine Lake
OFO Field Trip - (22 May 2022)

After walking the Prospector Trail, Lisa and I met two more participants, Swapnil and Gary, who had avoided the morning rain. Swapnil got a good look through the scope at his first Surf Scoter before following the rapid high pitched 'tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi' back to his first Blackpoll Warbler; Porcupine Lake never disappoints during the 3rd week of May! From there, we visited the Bannerman Park section of the lakefront where we watched a Common Loon diving and an adult Bald Eagle soaring over us. We all crossed the road to another favourite spot in Porcupine when we heard a mimicking song repeating admirable imitations of American Robin, Tufted Titmouse and Killdeer. We finally managed to spot the talented Northern Mockingbird perched on the other side of the road! 

Northern Mockingbird in South Porcupine - uncommon for the area
OFO field trip (22 May 2022)

We then walked towards the water treatment pond where the impressive variety of warblers more than made up for the absence of ducks; we had amazing views of Wilson, Tennessee, Cape May, Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Yellow Warblers, American Redstarts and a Philadelphia Vireo while listening to a Virginia Rail calling from the marsh nearby. 

Wilson Warbler photo by Gary Dowe
OFO Field Trip in South Porcupine (22 May 2022) 

Lisa, myself and Swapnil during the OFO Field Trip
South Porcupine (22 May 2022) photo by Gary Dowe
It was a chilly day!

Philadelphia Vireo - South Porcupine
OFO Field Trip (22 May 2022)

We went to visit two more quiet spots where we watched a Red-tailed Hawk soaring, and listened to Ruby and Golden Crowned Kinglet, Chipping Sparrows and Brown Creeper singing away in the rain. We finished the day with a quick glimpse at a medium sized black bear and fresh moose tracks. The weather wasn't the greatest, but we still had a wonderful day!

More info on OFO here - make sure you join us for the next few northeastern Ontario field trips this fall and next spring! All are welcome, from complete beginners to experts! 

Wintergreen Spring Bird Walks 2022

During the last 2 weeks of May, four more spring bird hikes took place at Gillies Lake; they were organized by the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation and MRCA. Gillies Lake offers a great opportunity for an accessible, easy 2km loop with lots of interesting habitat for resident and migrating birds. These walks took place from 8am-10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays and they were a lot of fun! MRCA and Wintergreen offer bird hikes during various seasons - contact them of follow their Facebook page to learn about these.

Sora (18 May 2022)
Wintergreen Spring Bird Walk - Gillies Lake

 

Solitary Sandpiper
Wintergreen Spring Bird Walk
Gillies Lake - Timmins (18 May 2022)

Part 2: JUNE-JULY 2022

Second year of the 3rd Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 

After a busy spring, June-July also went by in a flash! This summer was the second year of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and Gary and I took the opportunity to do a bit of atlassing around South Porcupine and in a couple of squares south of town, as well as in Moonbeam while visiting family and camping at Rene Brunelle Provincial Park. I enjoy atlassing so much I could write 20 pages for each day we were out there but I will spare you! 

Here are a few photos of some of my favourite atlassing moments:

A Moose in a cut at sunrise just before point counts
during an atlassing morning in Region 41 (9 June 2022)

Rusty Blackbird in breeding habitat. 
Region 41 Timiskaming (9 June 2022)

Beaver pond habitat where we observed 2 Rusty Blackbirds
Region 41 Timiskaming (9 June 2022) 

Black Bear during an atlassing outing
Region 41 near Timmins (5 June 2022)

Blackburnian Warbler on breeding territory
Moonbeam (Region 42-Cochrane)
Rene Brunelle Provincial Park (27 June 2022)

Atlassing in northern Ontario is an amazing experience and the next 3 summers is the ideal time to try it! 

When the sun comes up on a chilly northern Ontario morning and awakens the chorus of bird songs, it's such a wonderful moment. So many warbler species nest in the boreal forest; it's a real treat for warbler fans. And from the first song to the last, every bird you enter in NatureCounts that day probably hasn't been documented as a breeding species in that square yet, or very little. Your impact is significant. And the best part about it is you have the opportunity to enjoy every minute with no distraction, no highways, no traffic, no crowds; it's simply a birder's dream. 

Spruce Grouse with young
Timmins Area - Region 41 Timiskaming (4 July 2022)

The whole family joined me one day for a bit of 
atlassing during the Big Atlas Weekend 2022
From L to R: dad, mom, me, sister
Balsam Lake in Moonbeam (26 June 2022)

Greater Yellowlegs in breeding habitat 
Moonbeam (26 June 2022)

If any of you birders would like to help out with the atlassing efforts in northern Ontario during the next few peak breeding seasons (June 2023-25) note that all over northern Ontario from west to east, near many small communities, there are countless squares accessible by vehicle where data is needed and you can contribute no matter your skill level. 

Come up and gather some general observations and do some early morning point counts by ear or digitally (if you aren't ready to identify all the birds you hear- no worries: you can borrow a digital recording unit and do some 5-minute recordings in predetermined GPS locations) These units are really easy to use and provide valuable data for mapping distribution and relative abundance for the province's bird species. 

I am holding a Zoom H2n digital unit used by atlassers to
obtain digital point counts (5-minute recordings of bird songs and calls)
These units are easy to use and provide valuable data (June 2022)

Black-backed Woodpecker at nest
Moonbeam - Region 42 Cochrane (24 June 2022)

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! Have a great rest of the summer!

Spring 2022 Updates/Upcoming Bird Walks in the Timmins Area

At one point during our long winter it didn't look like it was going to happen but spring is here! And the White-throated Sparrows, Fox Sparrows and American Robins are singing as I'm writing this update. We had a close-to-record-breaking snow depth paired with very cold temperatures and even if most local lakes are still frozen today on May 1st, rivers and creeks are open, the sun is shining and around 63 migrating species have already arrived in the area - and the best is yet to come!

A few updates...

Spring Arrivals

I am still compiling arrival dates for migrating birds in the larger Timmins Area. This will be the 6th year and it's been a real community effort! See the following page for more info: Spring Arrival Dates.

Fox Sparrow hiding under the cedar hedge in our backyard
One of my favourite signs of spring
27 April 2022

Spring 2022 - Events and Bird Walks

Timmins Public Library - (Online session) Spring Bird Migration in the Timmins Area

Like last year, the Timmins Public Library will be hosting a session dedicated to spring bird migration in the Timmins area. We'll chat about some of the birds we can look for in spring, good birding spots to visit in the area, some tips on how to learn to identify birds, followed by a discussion/question period. It's always a lot of fun; I hope to see you there!

 

DATE/TIME: Wednesday, 4 May 2022 at 6pm (on Zoom)

To register, contact:  libraryprograms@timmins.ca or visit their Facebook page to sign up for the link.

May the 4th be with the birds!

Upcoming Bird Walks in the Timmins/South Porcupine Area

Whether you are an avid birder or just starting to learn about birds, we have some bird walks that you might want to join. Looking for birds together and leaning tricks to identify them is a lot of fun and I hope you will try it out this spring. Here are some opportunities. If you have any questions, about any of these, feel free to contact me.

Wintergreen Spring Migration Bird Walks at Gillies Lake:

• Walk #1: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 (8-10am) 
• Walk #2: Wednesday, May 25, 2022 (8-10am)
• Walk #3: Saturday, May 28, 2022 (8-10am)

Description: Bring your binoculars and join us! We will slowly walk the 2.5 km trail around Gillies Lake while trying to spot various migrating birds. We'll also exchange useful tips on how to identify different species by sight and sounds. Perfect for all skill levels including beginners. 

Space is limited so register early:

Register by calling MRCA: 705-360-2660 or email wintergreen@mattagamiregion.ca

Yellow Warbler - one of the warblers we might see 
during the Wintergreen Spring Bird Walk at Gillies Lake

World Migratory Bird Day at Porcupine Lake

• Saturday, May 14th, 2022 (8:00 am to 10 am) at White Waterfront Conservation Area

Description:  On World Migratory Bird Day, join us to discover some of the migrating birds who stop at Porcupine Lake after their long journey back from the south. We will be walking slowly for approximately 4 km. Bring your binoculars, camera, water, and curiosity. *In the event of heavy rain or wind, the walk will be postponed to Sunday the 15th or later.

Registration: Spaces limited to 15 participants - To sign up, contact friendsporcupineriverwatershed@gmail.com

Smooth Rock Falls OFO Field Trip: Saturday, May 21, 2022 in SRF (7:30am to 2pm)
Porcupine Lake OFO Field Trip: Sunday, May 22, 2022 at Porcupine Lake and area (7am to 2pm)

These walks are for members of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) but if you are not yet a member and there is space left, feel free to contact us if you'd like to try it out! Anyone interested in birds can become a member of OFO (see www.ofo.ca)  I have been an OFO member for 10 years now and I love it: we get access to great publications on birds in Ontario, we can join fun and educational members' meetings online, we can attend any OFO Field Trips in the province (there are some really great upcoming OFO walks in Smooth Rock Falls and Cochrane as well!) and there is a new discussion forum for members on Discord where we can chat and learn about all bird-related topics - there is a dedicated channel for northern Ontario too - join us and check it out! 

Find details and registration info for the OFO walks here: OFO Upcoming Field Trip List and Registration

Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-3

Last weekend, we kicked off the second year of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. We had some online webinars (available on the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-3 YouTube Channel) and we had a fun walk at Hersey Lake Conservation Area. To stay updated and learn more about how you can join and help collect data on northern Ontario birds, contact us at timiskaming - at - birdsontario - dot - org (Timmins is in Region 41)

Following Region 41 atlassers Stan and Andrew on the trail
Year-2 Atlas Kickoff walk
At Hersey Lake Conservation Area (24 April 2022)

I hope you all have a wonderful month of May filled with birdsongs!