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Bird Study Group

Saw-whet Owl
Photo: Barry Cherriere

Upcoming Meetings

Monthly meetings will resume in September 2008.

Meetings start at 7:30 PM. Visitors are always welcome.

Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach

Above left: Tom Crooks at the November 2007 Bird Study Group meeting, thanking Dennis and Gwen Lewington for their recounting of the exciting nesting of Piping Plovers at Sauble Beach this past spring, the first in 35 years.
Above right: Adult Piping Plover (Click on photos for a larger image.)

Photos: Jim Heslop

Celebrating 20 Years !

Above left: members of the original Bird Study Group who were present at the December 2006 meeting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the group. Pictured from left to right (taken as a single row): Hazel Broker, Jim Cram, Kevin McLaughlin, Doris Rundle, Bob Curry, Gwen Lewington, Dennis Lewington, George Naylor, Barry Cherriere, Arlene McCaw, Rob Dobos, Frank Morley.
Above right: Mike Rowlands presents Arlene McCaw with a copy of his recent compilation of Meeting Summaries of the first 20 years of the Bird Study Group. (Click on photos for a larger image.)

In 2006 HNC's Bird Study Group celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. Bruce Duncan, inspiration of so many good things within our community, called the first meeting in the fall of 1986, and led the group for many years.

Obviously, this interest of the members of the club is a long-standing and passionate one. Lois Evans, the second leader of the study group, reminds us in her chapter in Birds of Hamilton that the HNC began as the Bird Protection Society. Today, the Bird Study meetings gather an average of a hundred members each month, as we share our interest in Hamilton birds, explore world birding, and most importantly, study the work of the ornithological community of Ontario.

The people in the photo (above left) were present at the first meetings. They have been involved in many of the projects Hamilton birders undertake, from hacking Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons, to maintaining Eastern Bluebird trails on the natural lands of the RBG.

In recent years, the program has been led first by George Drought, then Glenda Slessor, and today, by Arlene McCaw. With the dedicated group of HNC members, Mike Rowlands, Tom Crooks, Cheryl Edgecombe, Peter Booker, Mary Booker and Graham Jones, who plan and run the meetings, the Bird Study Group continues to meet the goals and vision of its founder.

- Photos and text courtesy of Glenda Slessor

Contact

Arlene McCaw, (905) 637-6004

Location

Shaklee Canada Inc., 952 Century Drive, Burlington.

Directions

Shaklee Canada is located in the north-east corner of Burlington, just below the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), between Appleby Line and Burloak Drive and between Harvester Road and the South Service Road.

From Appleby Line and Harvester Road (the first intersection south of the QEW), go east on Harvester Road past the Appleby GO station. Turn north at Century Drive opposite the ProPak sign and go up a slight hill to the two driveways on the left at the curve. Park either at the side or at the front of the building. Go through the front doors and follow signs to the gymnasium.

Background

The Bird Study Group meets from September through April in the gymnasium/meeting room at Shaklee Canada Inc., 952 Century Drive, Burlington. Meetings are normally held on the third Monday of the month.

Bird Study Group meetings normally feature reports of recent sightings, news of birding events, an Identification session focussing on birds which can be difficult to identify in the field, and a main program whose subject can be anything from a talk on bird skins to a slide show on the birds of a distant place.

If you are a beginning birder, come out to learn more about birds. If you are an experienced birder, come out to share your knowledge and enthusiasm.

The Hamilton Birding Hotline number is (905) 381-0329.