OFO – Next Generation

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  • 2002 Certificates

    Geoff Carpentier

    for his tireless work to obtain access on behalf of all Ontario birders to the Port Perry Sewage Lagoons. He received asecond award for generously donating his time and raising funds during the Baillie Birdathon on behalf of OFO for the past 10 consecutiv

    Homer and Jean Leavitt

    for their outstanding hospitality to Ontario birdwatchers during the stay of the Lewis’s Woodpecker at their propertyduring winter 2002

    Lorne Spicer, Al Hurst, and Gordon Longhurst

    for their persistence in obtaining access on behalf of all Ontario birders to the Port Stanley Sewage Lagoons and their involvement in building the wildlife viewing stands throughout Elgin County.

    Ron Tozer, Ron Pittaway and Bill Crins

    for their significant volunteer efforts as Editors of Ontario Birds and for making it Ontario’s finest birding publication.

    Gerry Vanderzanden and Grace de Vries-Vanderzanden

    for their outstanding hospitality to Ontario birdwatchers during the stay of the Smith’s Longspur at their property during winter 2002.

    Ken Wilton, Ray Dodman, Brad Reive, Bill Prieksaitis, and Harold Lancaster

    for their leadership and efforts in building seven wildlife viewing stands at sewage lagoons and wildlife areas throughout Elgin County to minimize bird disturbance and enhance viewing opportunities.

  • George Peck

    George Peck has been a prominent ornithologist in Ontario for over 50 years. He is recognized for his work at the Royal Ontario Museum with the Ontario Nest Records Scheme, which he built into a major monitoring system of the breeding biology of Ontario birds.

    George has contributed much to the scientific knowledge of Ontario birds through papers in North America’s leading ornithological journals. He authored eight species accounts in the first Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario. George co-authored with Jim Richards a chapter on early Oologists in Ornithology in Ontario in 1987. He co-authored with Ross James volume 1 in 1983 of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, Nidiology and Distribution: Nonpasserines. The Passerines in volume 2 was published in 1987. Both volumes were updated in seven installments in Ontario Birds.

    George was appointed a Research Associate in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1976. He is an active member of many international, national, provincial and local organizations, some since 1939.

    George is a well known wildlife photographer with a penchant for birds. His images have been published in 88 books, magazines and journals. George’s quest is to photograph every North American bird species.

      

    George Peck (right) receives the Distinguished Ornithologist Award at the OFO Annual Convention at Point Pelee on 29 September 2001. Left to right are Jim Richards (presenter), Jean Iron, Chris Escott and George Peck. Photo: Sam Barone

  • 2001 Certificates

    Maris Apse

    for completing 10 consecutive years of Baillie Birdathon and raising over $9,000, of which $3,000 came back to OFO.

    Rod Barr Stella, Ontario

    for maintaining habitat for wintering owls in The Owl Woods, Amherst Island, and for providing access to visiting birders to see the owls.

    Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority

    for maintaining habitat for wintering owls at The Owl Woods, Amherst Island, and allowing visitors access to see the owls.

    Nancy Checko

    for significant assistance to Ron Tozer, co-editor of Ontario Birds, with formatting, layout and computer software.

    Graham and Sue Cranshaw, Pickering

    for hospitality to birders coming to see the Harris’s Sparrow, 17 December 2000 to 31 January 2001.

    Amanda Derrig

    for posting daily updates on ONTBIRDS and being helpful to birders visiting Pelee Island for the Wood Storks in August and September 2001.

    Sandra Eadie

    for help on ONTBIRDS in 2000.

    The Crew of Frontenac ll:

    Earl Willard, Senior Captain; Captain Doug Shurtliffe; Helen Trotter, Purser; Brent Wolfreys for assisting birders to see the Ivory Gull on the ferry crossing to Amherst Island, January 2001.

    The Kingston Field Naturalists

    for maintaining habitat for wintering owls in The Owl Woods, Amherst Island, and for your hospitality to visiting birders.

    Gwen and Paul Lauret, Stella, Ontario

    for maintaining habitat for wintering owls at The Owl Woods, Amherst Island, and providing access to visiting birders to see the owls.

    Loyalist Township

    for maintaining habitat for wintering owls in The Owl Woods, and for providing access to visiting birders to see the owls.

    Jean Iron

    for providing information on the Heermann’s Gull in Toronto and helping visiting birders, January to September, 2000.

  • Murray Speirs

    Murray Speirs was a leading ornithologist in Ontario for over 65 years. He is known for his meticulous recording of ornithological information. His primary interests were bird censusing and studies of American Robins, Black-capped Chickadees, Lincoln’s Sparrows and Evening Grosbeaks. Murray wrote the Lincoln’s Sparrow account in Bent’s Life Histories in 1968. He compiled Birds of Ontario County, 1973-1979, a five volume series on local bird populations. His two volume Birds of Ontario was published in 1985.

    Murray’s contributions to conservation were considerable. He was a founding member of the Toronto Ornithological Club and Federation of Ontario Naturalists, and he co-founded the Pickering Naturalists in 1977. He donated part of his property in Pickering to preserve Altona Forest.

    Murray, a quiet giant of Ontario ornithology, distinguished himself among peers with his amazing powers of sight and hearing. He always took time to encourage and assist young ornithologists to develop their interests and expertise.

    Murray received the Distinguished Ornithologist Award at home in Pickering on 3 February 2000. He passed away on 2 September 2000. The award ceremony honoring Murray was held at the OFO Annual Convention at Kortright Centre in Kleinburg on 16 September 2000.

      

    Murray Speirs in 1985. Photo: Phil Holder

  • 2000 Certificates

    Stephen Davis of Fishers Glen near Long Point

    for welcoming birders to his home to see the male Mountain Bluebird, November, 1999 to March, 2000. The bird may have been present as early as the summer of 1999.

    The Delaware Sportsmen’s Conservation-Association

    for their support, accommodation and for delaying the start of hunting at the marsh in order to protect the Anhinga. Pete Read, for providing daily updates on ONTBIRDS and welcoming birders to observe the Anhinga, at Delaware, July to September, 2000.

    Doug Lockrey

    for providing frequent postings on ONTBIRDS on the White-winged and Red Crossbills at Cranberry Marsh, Ajax, and assisting visiting birders, November, 1999 to March, 2000.

    Craig McLaughlin

    for providing regular updates on ONTBIRDS on the Heermann’s Gull in Toronto and helping visiting birders, November, 1999 to September, 2000.

    Pete Read

    for regular updates on ONTBIRDS and hospitality to visiting birders for the Anhinga at Delaware, July to September, 2000.

    Bev and Bruce Stewart

    for welcoming birders to their home and neighbourhood to see the Lewis’s Woodpecker, Carman Road near Brighton, 13 to 18 June 2000.

    Ann White

    for providing updates on ONTBIRDS about the Delaware Anhinga and welcoming and helping visiting birders, July to September, 2000.

  • 1999 Certificates

    Edge and Betty Pegg, Claremont

    for welcoming birders on the occasion of the Harris’s Sparrow December 1998 to May 1999.

    Algonquin Provincial Park Visitor Centre Staff

    for their contribution to our knowledge of birds and their hospitality to the Ontario birding community.

    Lea Martell and Friends of Point Pelee

    for providing staff and programs to help visiting birders and contribute to our knowledge of birds.

    Mike Street

    for creating Ontbirds and maintaining the listserv 24 hours a day.

    Paula Ouellette and Craig McLauchlan of Paula’s Fish Place

    for their hospitality to visiting birders on the occasion of the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, May 1999.

    Bronte Harbor Marina

    for providing help and support to the nesting Red-necked Grebes.

    Art Hawtin, a rancher in Carden, Victoria County

    for maintaining habitat for nesting Loggerhead Shrikes and always being friendly to visiting birders.

  • Ross James

    Ross James was Associate Curator of Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum before retiring in 1997. He continues to make significant contributions to the scientific study of birds and bird conservation in Ontario.

    Ross is the author of numerous scientific and popular publications, including the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Ontario (1991), which is the authoritative guide to the status of birds in Ontario. He co-authored with George Peck two volumes in 1983 and 1987 of the Breeding Birds of Ontario: Nidiology and Distribution. His fieldwork took him all over Ontario and to the United States and Central America.

    Ross’s expertise is sought by federal and provincial committees dealing with threatened and endangered birds and their habitats.

    Ross is a great resource to the Ontario Field Ornithologists. He regularly contributes articles to Ontario Birds and OFO News and is a principal referee of articles submitted to Ontario Birds. He is a charter member of the Ontario Bird Records Committee, having also served several years as Secretary. An authority on vireos, Ross authored the Yellow-throated Vireo account and co-authored the Blue-headed Vireo account in the Birds of North America series.

      

    Ross James (left) receiving the Distinguished Ornithologist Award from presenter George Peck (right) and OFO President Jean Iron at the Annual Convention in Burlington on 17 October 1998.

  • 1998 Certificates

    Jack & Dawn Christilaw, Kilbride

    Varied Thrush

    Magnus & Isobel Huber, Harmony

    Spotted Towhee.

    John Carley

    For his Efforts to Protect the Leslie Street Spit in Toronto.

    Harry Kerr, Toronto

    Keeping the Phone Lines Open to Inform Birders about Rare Birds.

    Michael King, Toronto

    For His Maps and Illustrations in OFO News and Ontario Birds.

    Stephen Mangotich & CoSteel Recycling

    Being the Primary Donor of NPHW Tower at Beamer Conservation Area and Managing the Project.

    Wendy Fox Canada Trust, Friends of the Environment Foundation, Grimsby

    For a Significant Financial Donation to the NPHW Tower at Beamer Conservation Area.

    Gord Harry, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

    Allowing the Tower on Conservation Property, Arranging Permits and the Installation of Footings.

    Lionel Schipper

    Arranging the Donation of the NPHW Tower at Beamer Conservation Area.

    Peter Koening, System Administrator Hamilton/Wentworth Community Net (HWCN)

    Setting up the Majordomo Software for e-mail Lists. Otnbirds was the First for HWCN.

    Kit Darling, Hamilton/Wentworth Community Net (HWCN)

    Establishing an e-mail List Capability for Ontbirds.

    John Chalmers, St. Lawrence Seaway Authority

    Allowing Birders on Seaway Property at Port Weller East.

    Albert Vanderliek, Bismark

    Welcoming Birders to Watch Birds at the Large Pond on His Property.

  • Earl Godfrey

    Earl Godfrey, dean of Canadian ornithologists, was the first recipient of OFO’s Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 1997.

    In his early years, Earl studied under Robie Tufts in his home province of Nova Scotia and then with noted taxonomist Harry Oberholser in the United States. In 1947, he became Curator of Ornithology at the National Museum of Canada, later becoming Chief of the Division of Vertebrate Zoology.

    Earl headed surveys across Canada that led to numerous National Museum publications. He published over 200 works during a career of more than 60 years, including papers on geographic variation, nomenclature, distribution, behaviour, plumages and molts. He served as ornithological editor for the Canadian Field-Naturalist. His classic book The Birds of Canada, published 1966 and updated in 1986, sold over 250,000 copies.

    Earl’s enthusiastic encouragement of others, in particular young birders who visited him at the museum, played a large role in launching the careers of many natural science specialists throughout Canada. Earl retired in 1977 and remained active as Curator Emeritus. He was a valuable resource to the editors of Ontario Birds and OFO News. Earl passed away in Ottawa at the age of 92 on 8 June 2002.

      

    Earl Godfrey was unable to attend the award ceremony at the OFO Annual Convention in Burlington on 18 October 1997. Bruce Di Labio presented the Distinguished Ornithologist Award to Earl (right) at his home in Ottawa on 20 October 1997. Photo: Dan Brunton

  • 1997 Certificates

    Presqu’ile Provincial Park

    Managing the Habitat for Shorebirds by Creating a Natural Beach.

    The Town Of Blenheim

    Providing Access to the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons.

    Larry & Linda Budreau

    10 Years of Welcome to OFO Birding Tours at Oak Grove Camp near Rainy River.

    Region of Durham Works Department

    Providing Birders with Access to the Nonquon Sewage Lagoons, Port Perry.

    Colin & Heide Isaacs

    Maintaining a Raptor Preserve in Fisherville.

    The Friends of Misery Bay

    Hosting the OFO Field Trip 18 April 1997.

    Gore Bay-Manitoulin Island Airport

    Preserving Habitat for Sharp-tailed Grouse and Allowing Birders Access to their Property.

    Gordon Bonham, Leamington

    Glossy Ibis May 1997.