Birding Tours
Scheduled Birding Tours
Specializing in Half-day Birding tours in the Bay of Quinte Area with local Birder Tom Wheatley
Contact for a booking: goldenwingbirding@outlook.com
(343) 645-6345 Tom Wheatley
*****
MARCH 2019
Saturday 16 March 2019: Presqu’ile Waterfowl Weekend
Between 8-10 participants came out to the QFN outing to Presquile despite high winds. We enjoyed a BBQ lunch at the lighthouse under sunny skies. We managed to see 43 species, twenty of them waterfowl, at both Presquile and the Barcoven area.
*****
Saturday 30 March 2019: Waterfowl on the Bay of Quinte
Join the Quinte Field Naturalists for Waterfowl viewing along several sites on the Bay of Quinte.
Where: Belleville, Twelve O’clock Point, Barcoven
Meet: Belleville’s Zwicks Park at 8:30 am.
Pace: Easy walking, driving and standing. Tour lasts 4 hours.
Rates: No Cost. Anyone can join our Outing. No maximum group size.
*****
April 2019
Thursday 11 April 2019: Early birds at the Frink
Second tour date: Saturday 13 April 2019
We’ll walk along the New Marsh Boardwalk and hike the forest trails, seeking out early spring migrants. Then make our way to an area of nearby grassland and a Heronry.
Where: H.R. Frink Conservation Area north of Belleville
Meet: 7:30 am at the Carpool south of HWY 401 exit #544, Cannifton Rd
Pace: Easy walking. Expect wet conditions. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Saturday 27 April: Early birds at Napanee Alvar
Early Grassland birds including Loggerhead Shrike and American Kestrel will be our target species in the unique Land in Between, then Waterfowl our quarry at Moscow Marsh and Camden Lake.
Where: Napanee Alvar, Moscow Marsh and Camden Lake
Meet: 7:30 am at Flying J north of HWY 401 exit #579, Napanee.
Pace: Easy walking and some driving. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
MAY 2019
Saturday 4 May 2019: eBird Big Day!
Join me for a morning as we try to record as many species as possible for the eBird Global Big Day.
Where: Hastings county. Multiple destinations.
Meet: 6:00am at Tim Hortons north of Madoc, HWY 7 @ HWY 62.
Pace: Easy walking, driving and standing. Tour lasts 5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Saturday 11 May 2019: Springbrook Alvar
Grassland birds, Forest birds and Sewage Lagoons. Upland Sandpiper, Grasshopper Sparrow, Golden-winged/Blue-winged Warblers and their hybrids.
Where: Springbrook Alvar and Madoc area
Meet: 7:30 am at Tim Hortons in Madoc, corner of HWY 62 and HWY 7.
Pace: Easy walking with some driving. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Sunday 12 May 2019 : Migration at the Point
Join me on Mother’s Day for a visit to Prince Edward County’s Migration hotspot during the Spring Birding Festival. We’ll explore Traverse Woods from 8:00 – 9:45 am, then stop in at the Banding Lab, followed by a walk out to the Lighthouse 10:00 -12:00 am.
Where: Traverse Woods, Prince Edward Point NWA in Prince Edward County
Meet: 8:00 am at Traverse Woods. (Look for the sign “Birding Tour Meets Here”)
Pace: Easy walking. Tour lasts about 4 hours
Rates: $ 5.00 suggested donation to the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory. No maximum group size.
*****
Wednesday 15 May 2019: Migration at the Point
A visit to Prince Edward County’s Migration hotspot during the Spring Birding Festival. We’ll explore Traverse Woods from 8:00 – 9:45 am, then stop in at the Banding Lab, followed by a walk out to the Lighthouse 10:00 -12:00 am.
Where: Traverse Woods, Prince Edward Point NWA in Prince Edward County
Meet: 8:00 am at Traverse Woods. (Look for the sign “Birding Tour Meets Here”)
Pace: Easy walking. Tour lasts about 4 hours
Rates: Spaces limited to 10 birders. TOUR IS NOW FULL. Please consider joining the Sunday 12 May tour, which is similar and has no maximum number of spaces. No advance booking required. Or consider signing up for another PEPtPO tour this week. Advance Registration is necessary through Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory with link below.
http://peptbo.ca/registration-spring-birding-festival-2017.php
*****
Saturday 18 May 2019: Golden-winged Warblers!
Second tour date: Wednesday 22 May 2019
Third tour date: Saturday 25 May 2019
Today we will search for Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers as they are just arriving on their breeding grounds. We may even stumble across a Brewster’s warbler or two. Many forest birds.
Where: Southern Hastings County, northeast of Belleville.
Meet: 7:30 am at the Carpool south of HWY 401 @ Exit #566, Marysville Rd.
Pace: Moderate walking along 2 km (4 km return). Some driving. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Sunday 26 May 2019: Morning at the Frink
We’ll visit the New Marsh Boardwalk for Virginia Rail and then hike a Forest Trail to search for Scarlet Tanager and Wood Warblers.
Where: H.R. Frink Conservation Area north of Belleville
Meet: 7:30 am at the Carpool south of HWY 401 exit #544, Cannifton Rd
Pace: Easy walking. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
JUNE 2019
Saturday 1 June 2019: Napanee Alvar
Second tour date: Wednesday 5 June 2019
Grassland birds including Loggerhead Shrike and American Kestrel will be our target species in the unique Land in Between, then Wetland birds like Least Bittern and Black Tern are our quarry at Moscow Marsh and Camden Lake.
Where: Napanee Alvar, Moscow Marsh and Camden Lake
Meet: 7:30 am at Flying J north of HWY 401 exit #579, Napanee.
Pace: Easy walking and some driving. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Saturday 8 June 2019: Menzel Provincial Park
Second tour date: Wednesday 12 June 2019
This 2 km return hike makes it way through a variety of habitats to a shallow lake. Highlights here include Canada warbler, White-throated Sparrow and common loon.
Where: Menzel Provincial Park is west of Roblin, north of Hwy 401
Meet: 7:30 am at Carpool south of HWY 401 Exit #570 on Deseronto Rd
Pace: A moderate walk of 2.2 km return (4.4 km). Some driving. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
JULY 2019
Saturday 27 July 2019 at 8:00 am
Birds and Bees Festival at Stanners Vineyard
Join me at 8 am for a 1.5 hour birding hike along the Millennium Trail, then enjoy the festivities at the Vineyard.
Where: Stanners Vineyard, Hillier in Prince Edward County
Meet: Stanners Vineyard at 8 am. From HWY 401 take the Wooler Road Exit 522 and travel south to Hwy 33 (Loyalist Pkwy). Follow Hwy 33 south past Consecon to Hillier. Turn left on Station Road. The vineyard is just under 1/2 km down the road on the right.
Pace: Easy walking. Tour lasts 1.5 hours.
Rates: $10 per birder. No Maximum group size.
*****
AUGUST 2019
Saturday 3 August 2019: Morning at the Frink
We’ll visit the New Marsh Boardwalk , where normally shy Marsh birds tend to show quite well at this time of year. Virginia Rail, Sora and Least Bittern. Then a short hike to search for forest birds.
Where: H.R. Frink Conservation Area north of Belleville
Meet: 7:30 am at the Carpool south of HWY 401 exit #544, Cannifton Rd
Pace: Easy walking. Tour lasts about 4.5 hours.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) per birder. Maximum group size 8.
*****
Private Birding Tours
If you would like to search for that special bird you’ve always wanted to see, or you cannot make a Scheduled Tour date, consider booking a half-day Private Birding Tour.
Rates: $40 (includes HST) for each Birder, with a minimum Group cost of $80.00 (includes HST)
Contact for a booking: goldenwingbirding@outlook.com
“Easygoing Birding for Easygoing Birders”
Come and explore the Bay of Quinte region!
