Make a Difference for Bird Conservation: Explore the Enchanting Boreal Forest This Summer

Northern Ontario’s boreal forest is known as the songbird nursery. Anyone who has heard its incredible dawn chorus would agree that it is a captivating place to be on a summer morning. This is where an important portion of the beloved songbirds that delight birders each spring in southern Ontario go to nest.

We are starting the fourth year of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (OBBA) project, and, as a Regional Coordinator in the Timmins area, it has been rewarding to do my part for the birds I love. There are fewer birders and many more atlas squares in northern and central Ontario compared to the south, which makes it a real challenge to get sufficient coverage over the course of the five-year project. The good news is that collecting community science data has never been easier to do with handy tools like the NatureCounts App and Zoom H2n recorders; the Quick-Start Guide has all the information you need to start atlassing. This summer, why not spend a few days exploring a new location in the Boreal Shield Ecozone, while helping to collect data for the OBBA?

Starting the day with the forest coming alive with birdsongs is one of the reasons Carol Dersch, a volunteer Regional Coordinator in Algoma, loves atlassing in northern Ontario. Every time she confirms breeding evidence for a species is a highlight for her. “I really like getting off the beaten trail and bushwhacking for the Point Counts, which is a good thing because there aren’t a lot of roads in the north.” If the remoteness can be a challenge, Carol says it is also a draw for atlassing there. “The remoteness and diverse landscapes make Algoma an attractive area for birding.”

All over the road-accessible parts of northern Ontario, from Kenora to Cochrane, there are gaps where your NatureCounts lists would make a meaningful impact. If you are thinking of a vacation in the north this summer, it’s easy to make atlassing part of the adventure. Stay in a town or camp at a nearby provincial park, or plan a backpacking or canoe trip with friends.

Anna did exactly that. She participated in a canoe trip to target gaps along the French River. “The French River Square Bash is my most memorable atlassing moment so far. I spent six days with a small group of intrepid birding and outdoor enthusiasts. We collected a great deal of data in four remote squares despite some weather challenges. The comradery really stood out for me, and I would do a canoe trip with those folks again in a heartbeat.”

I am looking forward to the last two seasons of Atlas-3 and learning how boreal birds are doing. It’s been very rewarding to know that every summer, hundreds of birders like you and me are out collecting observations that will help build the knowledge required to better protect species at risk. There are ways to help for every skill level. In the ‘get involved’ section of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas website, there are many canoe and backpacking atlassing trips proposed for the upcoming season. Contact a Regional Coordinator or the Atlas office for more information on how you can help fill gaps, all while having a summer experience to remember.

Roxane Filion is one of the volunteer Regional Coordinators for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. She lives in South Porcupine, in northern Ontario, where she enjoys birding and sharing her passion for birds.