Projects Overview

Carden Point Counts

Since the purchase of the Cameron and Windmill ranches on the Carden Alvar by Nature Conservancy of Canada, the TOC has been involved in performing Point Counts on the ranches to establish a benchmark numbers for breeding birds.

Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

The Toronto Christmas Bird Count is part of the North American effort coordinated by the National Audubon Society and Bird Studies Canada. For the past several decades, the Toronto circle has been organized by the Toronto Ornithological Club.

Toronto was one of only 25 communities (including just two in Canada) to take part in the inaugural Christmas Bird Count season in 1900. On December 25 that year, Toronto's lone participant, E. Fannie Jones, observed 51 individuals of four species (15 American Crows, 10 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 25 Golden-crowned Kinglets).

Since then, Toronto's Christmas Bird Counts continued sporadically through the early twentieth century, and have taken place annually since 1941.

Conservation

The protection of birds and habitat is a concern of the TOC, and we are actively involved in conservation issues. Club members are currently active in the following areas: The Carden Alvar, Cormorant Managment, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Lake Ontario Park (including the Leslie Street Spit), and Thickson's Woods.

Raptor Watch

Established in 1993, the Greater Toronto Raptor Watch has since 1998 operated as a special committee of the Toronto Ornithological Club. GTRW coordinates the Cranberry Marsh Hawk Watch in Whitby, High Park Hawk Watch in Toronto, and Iroquois Shoreline Raptor Watch in North Whitby. Visitors and volunteers are always welcome at all sites throughout the fall.

Warbler Survey

Each May, a number of Toronto ravines and parks are visited daily by participants in the Spring Warbler Survey to document the migration of warblers through the city. Over the years patterns and trends have become apparent. New volunteers are always welcome, to ensure that full coverage of all the routes can be maintained.

Mid-winter Waterfowl Inventory

Held each year on the second Sunday in January, the Mid-Winter Waterfowl Inventory is a cooperative effort among naturalist clubs along Lake Ontario from Kingston to Hamilton and around to beyond St. Catharines. TOC members and their guests are responsible for most of the Greater Toronto Area's shoreline.