Eastern Ontario Birding.
Ottawa-based professional bird guide running four-season private and scheduled birding outings across twelve eastern Ontario counties.
The brief.
Eastern Ontario Birding is the one-guide operation of Jon Ruddy, a full-time professional bird guide working out of Ottawa since 2015. He sits as a voting member on both the Ontario and Kingston Bird Records Committees and holds a Research Associate position at the Canadian Museum of Nature, where his specialty is lichenology. Trips run year-round across roughly a dozen eastern Ontario counties — from Ottawa's urban patches to Larose Forest, Amherst Island, Presqu'ile Provincial Park, and Prince Edward Point — with occasional longer expeditions to Algonquin Park, Point Pelee, and southwestern Quebec. Scheduled outings and private bookings are open to birders of every level, beginner through expert. Rates are quote-based and trip-specific; current schedule and registration live on the operator's site.
3. ways in.
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Four-Season Guided Birding Tours
For: Birders of every level, beginner to expertWhen: Year-round (current schedule: May 2026 – January 2027)Ruddy runs a rolling four-season schedule of group outings keyed to what's actually moving. Spring trips chase migration; summer outings target breeders like Eastern Whip-poor-wills and Common Nighthawks in Larose Forest; fall focuses on migration peaks at Presqu'ile Provincial Park; winter pulls in owls and hawks, including the annual 'Happy Owl-o-Ween in Ottawa' outing. Day trips through multi-day expeditions. Registration via the outing form; participants sign a waiver. Loaner binoculars on hand.
Contact for current rates
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Private Birding Tours
For: Small groups; minimum two clients (solo bookings pay the two-person rate)When: Year-round (2026 bookings open)Custom private days led by Ruddy across his service area. Pace, target species, and route are built around what the group wants and what's on the move. Email to request a quote; the operator confirms dates, meeting point, and what to bring. Suitable for couples, families, visiting birders, and small clubs that want a guided day without the group-tour structure.
Quote on request — reflects logistics, research time, and distance driven
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Gift Certificates
For: Gift-givers buying for a birderWhen: Year-roundGift certificates are emailed — no mail-out, no waiting. They do not expire and are non-refundable once purchased. Email the operator to set up a denomination.
Custom denominations; purchase by email
Worth knowing.
- 0112th year as a full-time professional bird guide in 2026; business established 2015.Source ↗
- 02Voting member of the Ontario Bird Records Committee and the Kingston Bird Records Committee.Source ↗
- 03Research Associate at the Canadian Museum of Nature, specialising in lichenology.Source ↗
- 04Field-ornithologist background: prior survey work across eastern and southern Ontario, James Bay, British Columbia, and Manitoba.Source ↗
- 05Coverage spans twelve eastern Ontario counties including Ottawa, Leeds & Grenville, and Hastings, with special trips to Algonquin Park and Point Pelee.Source ↗
- 06Tours operate rain or shine during migration seasons; extreme weather such as thunderstorms halts activities.Source ↗
- 07Private tours require a minimum of two clients; solo bookings pay the two-person flat rate.Source ↗
- 08Loaner binoculars are carried by the guide for participants who forget their own.Source ↗