Welcome to Eastern Ontario Birding!
My name is Jon Ruddy, and I am an Ottawa-based professional birding guide and Kowa Sporting Optics pro staff member. I specialize in birding tours throughout eastern Ontario. Year 2021 marks my sixth year as a professional bird guide, and I’m more in love with birds by the day. I am a real bird nerd at heart. I 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 containing tidbits about migration timing, where and when to see certain bird species, as well as all sorts of fieldcraft tips.
To read what clients are saying about their experience with Eastern Ontario Birding, please view the Testimonials page!
Good birding and happy trails in 2021,
Jon
Photo: Eastern Ontario Birding’s logo.
Photo: Scanning a lake for waterfowl. October 2020.
Photo: My wife and I in downtown Ottawa. September 2021.
Hours of Operation
Tuesday to Saturday: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Sunday & Monday: Closed.
Employees: 1 (Owner and Field Guide, Jon Ruddy)
Contact Information
Jon Ruddy
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
(613) 558-6821
More about Me
Interview with CTV News: https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2221843&jwsource=cl&fbclid=IwAR2yr7ZoBLNuDepHF8XAGpTNPJkgi_KTzXAnvRcotXhBMdRPCT5A4VEV43Q
Birthdate: May 9, 1985
Age: 36
Interests: Birdwatching, reading about birds, studying birdsong, Formula 1 racing, trail running, hiking, fishing, Ontario travel and sightseeing.
Strengths: Careful listener, flexible and patient
Weaknesses: I am a sucker for sweets!
A good night out: Dinner and an evening stroll-about with my wife.
A good night in: A nice meal and a really bad movie (Hallmark romance movies make me laugh to hardest. Sorry, Samar!)
Favourite food groups: Seafood and Italian
Favourite bird: Yellow-throated Vireo