Wildlife/photo sites around Guelph, Ontario?

I'll be in Guelph, Ontario for a week in the middle of July to attend herpetological meetings. I'll have a rental car and time to make trips of a couple of hours duration in the area. Does anyone know of any good parks/refuges in the area that would offer opportunities to photograph neat habitats/wildlife? Any breeding bird activity still going on that late in the season? Thanks for any help.

My direct e-mail to you got bounced back so I'll pass this information

along to you here.

Your best bet is Point Pelee, the southermost part of Ontario and

Canada, about 60-75 miles south of Detroit.

Other places that might be of interest are (with phone numbers

for information, area code 519):

Kortright Waterfowl Park 824-6729

Guelph Lake Conservation area 824-5061

U. of G. Arboretum Center 824-4120

City of Guelph Recreation and Parks 837-5618.

The last four are all in or around Guelph.

If I can be of further help please contact me by e-mail.

Ted.

There's also a raptor rehab centre at the nearby Mountsburg Conservation area, a great place for close-ups of captive, recuperating hawks, owls,falcons, etc. The U of G vet school could likely provide details once you're there--the centre is about 25 minutes from campus. Try to take in the Elora Gorge area north of Guelph. If you're a connoisseur, don't pass up products from the Wellington County Brewery--great ales and bitter.

There is a large mennonite community about 30-45 minutes west of guelph. The small towns of St. Jacobs and Elmira are filled with great photo ops. Highway 7 west from guelph to Kitchener, highway 86 north will take you right by St. Jacobs and into Elmira. Try and go on a saturday, the farmer's market is fabulous! jeremiah

How could I have forgotten about the African Lion Safari? Very close to guelph, I can't remember the distance exactly, but get on highway 6 south to Hamilton and follow the signs. Zebra, girraffes, bears, monkeys, rhinos, tigers, etc.... they have shows as well, birds of prey, elephants...

I understand this answer is way past your trip to Guelph but I am sending it anyway for any future missions in this area. The Point Pelee site mentioned earlier is best around May 10th each year for migrating warblers...you won't see much in July as the birds have long disbursed and there is way too much foliage to see much. In May though, it is a great time and you need big lenses with extension tubes, teleconvertors and teleflash units...along with a stable tripod. To get info about the July time period. call the park itself. I believe it also has a web site or is listed under a Parks Canada or Provincial Park webpage. Sorry I don't have it handy to give you.