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Tuesday 7am - 6pm Wednesday 7am - 6pm Thursday 7am - 6pm Friday 7am - 6pm Saturday 7am - 6pm

Eastern Ontario Birding

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Eastern Ontario Birding

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Guided birding tours throughout eastern Ontario, lead by Jon Ruddy Welcome to Eastern Ontario Birding! I specialize in birding tours throughout eastern Ontario.

My name is Jon, and I am an Ottawa-based professional birding guide and Kowa Sporting Optics brand ambassador. The year 2022 marks my seventh year as a professional bird guide, and I continue to fall more in love with birds by the day. A little bit about me: I am a real Bird Nerd at heart and enjoy reading older texts in search of fascinating tidbits about bird behaviour, migration, breeding biology and general avian natural history. While in the field, I take every opportunity to share the information I have learned through study. Before the inception of Eastern Ontario Birding, I worked as a field ornithologist. I have conducted bird surveys in eastern Ontario, southern Ontario, James Bay, the Okanagan Valley and throughout Manitoba. Throughout that same timeframe, I led bird hikes for both the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (OFNC), Macnamara Field-Naturalists’ Club (MFNC), and Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO). I found that I derive no greater pleasure than seeing birders light up as they observe interesting bird behaviour, a particular species for the first time, or admire beautiful plumage details. As soon as a birder becomes a client, they are included in the group emails I share with clients. Looking forward to birding with you in 2022! Jon Ruddy
Owner & Guide at Eastern Ontario Birding

10/31/2026

Late October/early November is an excellent timeframe for Snow Bunting sightings along lakeshores! These two were resting on lakeside rocks in Northumberland County.

10/28/2026

Tonight’s sunset was a gift that just kept on giving.

Photo taken at Farran Park, along the St Lawrence River (a fine mid to late fall birding site in eastern Ontario)!

10/27/2026

Amazing drama in the field! A pair of Cooper’s Hawks harassing a Barred Owl.

10/15/2026

Fall tour season is a busy tour season. Touring within eastern Ontario, day-after-day, here there and everywhere.

How busy, you ask?

Take for example the following conversation with our 3 year old:

Lydia: Daddy?

Dad: Yes, Lyd.

Lydia: Um, do you live in the woods?

😂😂

10/11/2026

Thankful for all of my wonderful clients and shared adventures on this Thanksgiving day! See you in the field, eastern Ontario birders :)

10/04/2026

Hamilton area birding tour October 16-18th

I have an exciting tour coming up: a visit to the western end of Lake Ontario, in search of rarities, "pelagic" birds and fall migrants! A three-day tour, with single-day sign-ups possible, as well. Details are here: https://eontbird.ca/?page_id=33500

Photo: White-rumped Sandpiper, fall.

Website: eontbird.ca

09/30/2026

What a beautiful view of a Belted Kingfisher during today’s private tour - a misty morning filled with bird sightings along the Ottawa River shoreline.

09/26/2026

Rare Bird Alert! 🚨

In terms of an entire career’s perspective, there are some very rare - to vagrant level - eastern Ontario birds that I would love to come across during a tour. Great Cormorant, Dovekie, Northern Gannet, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Northern Wheatear, Ash-throated Flycatcher are some examples.

A big, oceanic “sea duck” is another one: the mighty Common Eider. This is a species that I’ve dreamt of seeing within eastern Ontario’s waterways for quite some time now. Well, today, during the tour, that dream came true…

All by itself, flying about 400 meters offshore, a Common Eider! I try to cap adrenaline, and keep my “thinking brain” in the saddle for big tour moments, but there was no way I could contain the siege of emotion and thrill after confirmatory scope views. The striking, majestic sea duck of all sea ducks…flying directly offshore…

Fall birding. I love fall birding.

See you in the field next week, eastern Ontario birders 🙂

Photo: Even with this level of detail, the unique head/bill size and gestalt (“horse-faced”) show through. A fascinating and beautiful species! Point Petre Wildlife CA, Prince Edward County. 26 September 2026.

09/19/2026

The perfect end to another great week in the field

American bittern in the reeds - posing beautifully for today’s tour group 🙂

See you in the field next week eastern Ontario birdwatchers

Address

Ottawa, ON

Opening Hours

Tuesday	7am - 6pm
Wednesday	7am - 6pm
Thursday	7am - 6pm
Friday	7am - 6pm
Saturday	7am - 6pm

Website

http://eontbird.ca/

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