HNC Birding Awards

Bird of the Year Award Ross Thompson Trophy

Ross Thompson Trophy

Awarded annually to the young enthusiastic birder who has seen the most species of birds in the Hamilton Study Area in a calendar year.

Criteria is as follows:

The observer must NOT have reached his/her 18th birthday during the year.
The observer's name, address, phone number and date of birth must be submitted with the application.
The submitted bird list must include the date of each first sighting and location for each species.
All birds must have been seen within one calendar year (i.e. January 1st through December 31st, inclusive).
All birds must have been seen in the Hamilton Study Area (within 40 km of Dundurn Castle, Hamilton - see map).
Submitted lists will be reviewed by a Ross Thompson committee before the trophy is awarded each year
Young birders may wish to check HNC publications such as the Checklist of the Birds of Hamilton-Wentworth, the Date Guide to Birds of Hamilton-Wentworth, and Birds of Hamilton and surrounding areas.
The submitted lists will not be returned; observers should ensure they have a duplicate set of records.
The trophy may not be awarded more than twice to the same observer.

Download Thompson Trophy Entry Form
(Excel Spreadsheet - track your birds electronically)

Download Thompson Trophy Entry Form
(PDF file - track your birds manually)

Ross Thompson Trophy Winner For 2008

Caleb Scholtens (left) receiving the Ross Thompson Trophy from Bob Curry at a Bird Study Group meeting. Caleb recorded 171 species of birds in the Hamilton Study Area in 2008. Highlights for his year were seeing a Northern Hawk Owl and a Pileated Woodpecker and having a “Big Day” in May with over 100 species.

Ross Thompson Trophy Winner For 2007

Giovanni Campanelli (left) after receiving the Ross Thompson Trophy from Bob Curry at a Bird Study Group meeting. Giovanni recorded 132 species within the Hamilton Study Area in 2007.

Pictured at right are Ross Thompson Trophy winner Giovanni Campanelli (right) and runner-up Ezra Campanelli (left)
(Photo: Glenda Slessor).

Ross Thompson Trophy Winners
Year	Recipient	# of Species
2008	Caleb Scholtens	171
2007	Giovanni Campanelli	132
2006	Owen Novoselac	191
2005	Laina Don	183
2004	Brandon Holden	267
2003	Anthony Miller	260
2002	Brandon Holden	251
2000	Carl Hamann	248
1999	Carl Hamann	274 * highest to date
1998	Stuart Mackenzie	247
1992	Jamie Miles	224
1991	Jamie Miles	217
1990	Steven Miles	243
1989	Steven Miles	247
1988	Kristin Stubbing	112
1987	Kristin Stubbing	108
1986	Kristin Stubbing	120
1983	Adam Harrington	130
1982	Brian Pomfret	206
1981	Brian Pomfret	220
1980	David Agro	206
1979	David Agro	213
1978	David Agro	161
1976	Brian Horschnitz	117
1968	John Woodcock	243
1967	Russel Kardos	264
1966	Russel Kardos	229
1965	John Woods	231
1964	Gordon Commodore	211
1963	Lorraine Preston	211
1962	Bill Smith	267
1961	Bill Smith	240
1960	Ralph Idema	240
1959	Ralph Idema	219
1958	John Olmstead/John Miles	242
1957	John Miles	263
1956	Peter Hamel	235
1955	Peter Hamel	218
1954	Robert Henry	210
1953	Bill McCollum	170
1952	Bill McCollum	156
1940	Bob Elstone	205
1939	William Campbell	204