Saturday, May 2nd :
Leader: Jeremy Hatt
Birding With Pride at Point Pelee National Park
May 2nd from 9:00am to 2:30pm
Join the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) at Point Pelee National Park for the annual Birding With Pride open house during the Festival of Birds! Join us at the Northwest Beach pavilion for refreshments and to meet fellow members of the birding community, learn more about OFO, and join guided bird hikes. Opening remarks will be made at 9:30am.
This event is a celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community but all are welcome. We encourage all experiences including beginner and first-time birders to join. Creating a respectful, welcoming, and accessible environment is our priority as we enjoy spring migration at Point Pelee.
Hikes will leave from the Northwest Beach Parking Lot at 10:00am and 1:00pm and will be about one hour long. We recommend arriving about 15 minutes early if you are joining a hike so we can assign groups to leaders. OFO will have a table set up with refreshments in the Northwest Beach pavilion from 9:00am to 2:30pm so stop in for a visit at any time!
As in previous years, this event is a fundraiser for Trans Wellness Ontario and their invaluable work in the community. Please consider making a donation at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/144700. We will also be collecting cash donations at the event.
This event is open to all and requires no Registration.
Land Acknowledgement :We are on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, composed of the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi. Specifically, this is the home of Caldwell First Nation and part of the house of Walpole Island First Nation. We acknowledge the caregivers of this land and all the moccasins that have travelled it over time.
OFO strives to create an inclusive, comfortable and enjoyable experience for all. Trip leaders are volunteers who generously offer their time to share their knowledge and passion for birds with others. Most OFO trips are suitable for beginner birders. Please let the trip leaders know if you are new to birding when you arrive.
Code of Conduct and Code of Birding Ethics: Participants are expected to review OFO’s Code of Conduct and Code of Birding Ethics before the trip.
Cancellation Policy: Space is limited so please cancel your registration if you cannot attend. If you need to cancel your registration on an outing, please go to the Events Registration page at https://ofo25.wildapricot.org/events. If you are registered for an event, you will see "Already registered" on the left side of the brief outing summary. Click on this, and you will see a button you can click to CANCEL REGISTRATION.
Transportation: All participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the field trip. Public transit information, if available, is included in the trip description.
What to Bring: Dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy, closed toe footwear. Bring ID and health card, water, a packed lunch for longer trips, and money for park entrance and ferry fees. Depending on the season, sunscreen, insect repellant and a topical insect bite treatment such as Afterbite or Benadryl are recommended.
Loaner Binoculars: Email fieldtrips@ofo.caif you require loaner binoculars. We will do our best to provide a pair.
Leaving Early: Trip leaders understand that not everyone will be able to stay for the duration of the trip. If you must leave early, please inform the trip leaders before you go.
Rest Stops and Lunch Breaks: Trip leaders will include rest stops and lunch breaks but if you require additional rest stops, please inform the trip leaders, so they can accommodate your request.
Safety and First Aid: Trip leaders are volunteers. They are not trained in first aid and cannot provide medical help in the case of an accident or administer medication. When driving, please follow the rules of the road. Exercise caution when parking on the side of the road and getting out of your car.
Accessibility: OFO aims to provide accessible birding trips which are welcoming and enjoyable for all. If you have any questions about the trip, or require accommodations, please contact the trip leaders in advance by emailing fieldtrips@ofo.ca. Please allow a few days for a response.
If you have any questions or concerns, email fieldtrips@ofo.ca.
Trip :
August 28 (Sunday) Toronto Islands
Leader: Gavin Platt. From Harbourfront in Toronto, catch 7:15 a.m. Ferry to Ward’s Island. You will need $7.50 in coins ($5.00 seniors and students). Early Fall migrants. The trip involves a lot of walking all day long. Please bring a lunch if you plan to stay all day (some food is also available to purchase on the island).
Fieldtrips are for OFO members One guest is allowed if required. New birders and photographers are welcome.
Type of Trip : Fall migrants, photography.
Location and Directions: see above.
Public Transportation: available in Toronto to ferry terminal.
Duration: Rest stops and lunch breaks will occur throughout the day.
Approximate Distance: Possibly 7 kms of walking.
Terrain: flat but good footwear required.
Gradient: Flat.
Trail Surfaces: paved/sand.
Accessibility: wet conditions possible.
Washrooms: at ferry/terminal and on islands .
Land Acknowledgement for Toronto :
The land in Toronto in what we now know as Canada, includes the traditional territories of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
We also acknowledge that Toronto and this area of Toronto have been included under the Williams Treaty, the Toronto Purchase - Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum inter-nation peace agreement.
We are doing a land acknowledgement today to recognize the communities of peoples that were present and inhabited the lands before us and the traditional territories of the peoples whose lands we are fortunate to share, live on and enjoy nature today. Together, may we care for this land and each other.
