The Harbour Hopping Birding Excursion

Spring migration is starting to really come alive, and this exciting new Canada Bird Club outing is a wonderful chance to get out and enjoy the first wave of returning birds as they begin to flood back into Ontario.

There is always something special about those first signs of spring. Seeing your first Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, or Turkey Vulture of the season is a real thrill. These may be familiar birds, but after a long winter, welcoming them back is always exciting.

For this outing, we will be harbour hopping along the Lake Ontario shoreline, focusing on some of the best areas for early spring bird activity. Lakeshore locations are often excellent places to find newly arrived migrants, along with impressive numbers of returning ducks and other waterbirds. One of the real highlights at this time of year is seeing large flotillas of ducks made up of many different species.

Among the birds we hope to see are raptors such as Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, and possibly even Eastern Screech-Owl. Other early spring arrivals may include Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Song Sparrow, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe, and a nice variety of ducks.

As always in birding, there is also the chance of a surprise or two along the way.

Whether you are a seasoned birder, or someone who is interested in learning about birds, or a photographer who simply loves being out in nature, this trip is for you.

We will depart from Finch Station at 9:00 a.m. and head toward the Hamilton area, making several birding stops as we work our way along the Lake Ontario shoreline before returning gradually to Toronto. We expect to arrive back at approximately 5:00 p.m.

It should be a fantastic day out in the sun with good company, fresh spring air, and plenty of exciting birdlife. I would love to have you join us.
Cost is $99 plus tax, for a total of $112. Transportation is included.