OFO – Next Generation

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  • 2004 Certificates

    Dorothy Armstrong and her son, Larry Armstrong

    for welcoming birders on their land to view the Gray Flycatcher near Cayuga in December 2003 and January 2004.

    Ian Barnes of Hidden Valley Campground

    for their hospitality to visiting birders viewing the Painted Bunting at Normandale in August 2004.

    Tammy and Ted Bilous and Sarah and Sam Bilous

    for their kind hospitality to birders visiting to see the Band-tailed Pigeon in London Ontario, December 2003.

    David Cattrall of King City

    for compiling the 21-year Index to Ontario Birds, 1983-2003, on the OFO website.

    Denzil and Shirley D’Mello of London, Ontario

    for their kind hospitality to visiting birders and for feeder construction and maintenance for the Band-tailed Pigeon, December 2003.

    Alex and Judy Eberspaecher

    for their hospitality to birders and reporting of a Hooded Warbler in Oakville, April 2004.

    Wayne Griese and Karen Richter of Pakenham

    for their warm welcome to birders for the Black-headed Grosbeak, December 2003.

    Bob and Iris Jurmain of Packenham

    for their warm welcome to birders who came to see the Black-headed Grosbeak at their feeder, December 2003.

    Elizabeth Kendrick

    for her assistance to birders seeking a rare gull at the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre, November 2003.

    Barry Kent MacKay

    for his support of OFO with cover illustration for Ontario Birds and his dedication to conservation.

    Phyllis MacKay

    in recognition of her sixty years of tireless devotion as the avian Florence Nightingale.

    Bruce MacKenzie

    in recognition of his selfless and persevering commitment to preserving the Grimsby Lakeshore Wetland.

    Gerry Meacham

    for his feeder maintenance for the Band-tailed Pigeon, London, December 2003.

    Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre

    the kind welcome to visiting birders seeking a rare gull, November 2003.

    Paul And Anna-Marie Smith of Flamborough

    for welcoming birders to view the Varied Thrush in April 2004.

    Jim And Linda Whiting

    for their kindness and hospitality to birders viewing the Painted Bunting at Normandale in August 2004.

    Dr. E.R. and Mrs. M.R. Yendt

    for their kind hospitality to visiting birders and tireless efforts to nourish a Rufous Hummingbird in Kingston, Winter 2003/4.

  • Bob Curry

    Bob Curry is well known in Ontario and North America as one of the continent’s finest field ornithologists. He began birding in Hamilton over 55 years ago under the guidance of the legendary George North. Bob has mentored many of Ontario’s top birders.

    Bob is a founding life member of OFO and a strong supporter over the years. He was photo quiz editor of Ontario Birds from 1993 to 2002. He is also a founding member of the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC). During 17 years on the OBRC, he served as Chair for eight years and Secretary for two.

    Bob played an important role in both Ontario atlases, as an atlaser, member of the Data Review Committee for both atlases, species account author, reviewer, and Regional Coordinator for Halton Region in the first atlas. He is widely recognized as an authority on status, distribution and identification of birds in Ontario. His expertise in the field translates into many articles in Ontario Birds and OFO News and other publications.

    Bob’s Birds of Hamilton and Surrounding Areas is one of the most extensive and authoritative regional bird books published in Ontario.

      

    Bob Curry (left) receiving the Distinguished Ornithologist Award from Bill Crins at the OFO Annual Convention at Point Pelee on 20 September 2003. Photo: Ron Pittaway

  • 2003 Certificates

    Sam Barone

    for his valuable and generous photographic contributions to OFO publications and to the OFO website over many years.

    Fred and Rita Chapman

    for their generous hospitality to Ontario birdwatchers during the stay of the pair of Varied Thrushes at their property during winter, 2003.

    The Essex County Regional Conservation Authority

    for teir leadership and efforts in creating new shorebird habitat at Hillman Marsh and providing Ontario birdwatchers with excellent viewing opportunities.

    Vernon Kipp

    for his generous hospitality to Ontario birdwatchers during the stay of the Varied Thrush at his property during April, 2003.

    Fred Helleiner

    for his significant efforts over the years in providing bird reports and informing Ontario birders about birding opportunities for the Presqu’ile area.

    Steve Hall

    for his leadership of the Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island OFO field trip each year in April and his outstanding hospitality to visiting birders.

    Thomas Hayman

    for his dedication and support to the Southwestern Ontario birdwatching community and for his unwavering commitment to public education about birds and nature by writing a weekly column in the London Free Press for the past 40 years.

    Fred Jazvac

    for his outstanding volunteer efforts with the Bruce County Birding Club and his commitment to organizing club trips and encouraging the participation of new birdwatchers.

    Elizabeth LeGeyt

    for her dedication and support to the Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec birdwatching community and for her unwavering commitment to public education about birds and nature by writing a weekly column in the Ottawa Citizen for the past 30 years.

    John Miles

    for his outstanding contributions as an enthusiastic OFO trip leader over many years.

    Terry Sprague

    for his significant efforts over the years in providing bird reports and informing Ontario birders about birding opportunities for the Quinte area.

    The Whitevale Golf and Country Club

    for their interest in wildlife and habitat preservation and in recognition of their certification under the “Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses”.

    Bill and Heather Wilson

    for their generous hospitality to Ontario birdwatchers during the stay of the Spotted Towhee at Blair during winter, 2003.

  • Bruce Falls

    Bruce Falls had a long career as a professional ornithologist. He also is a mammalogist, having done his doctoral studies on the White-footed Mouse at Long Point on Lake Erie, which continues to be one of his favourite birding areas.

    As professor of zoology at the University of Toronto, Bruce supervised many graduate students at the Wildlife Research Station in Algonquin Park. He and his students studied many bird species including rails, catbirds, Ovenbirds, sparrows, meadowlarks and blackbirds. He authored many papers in peer-reviewed journals and also co-authored the accounts of the White-throated Sparrow in Bent’s Life Histories and The Birds of North America.

    Bruce is a member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, past president of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, member of Bird Studies Canada, the Brodie Club, Toronto Ornithological Club and Ontario Field Ornithologists. He is very supportive of OFO and has written articles in OFO News.

    Bruce, now retired, is an enthusiastic member of the Ontario birding community. He and his wife Ann make annual trips to Point Pelee, do Big Days in support of the Baillie Birdathon, and participated in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and Forest Bird Monitoring Program.

      

    Bruce Falls accepting the Distinguished Ornithologist Award at the OFO Annual Convention in Kingston on 28 September 2002. Photo: Rory MacKay

  • 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.