Ontbirds subscribers, This post is made with the permission of Ontbirds coordinator Mark Cranford.
I wanted to make a post to tell his many friends that today was long-time Toronto birder Harry Kerr's 100th birthday. I held off on posting this until now because when I spoke to his wife Eileen this morning she told me that they were awaiting some important calls and didn't want to risk tying up their phone line on the last regular business day of the week. In the era before Ontbirds and in the aftermath of Jim Baillie's death, Harry Kerr became the key person in the dissemination of information on good birds found locally in Toronto, as well as tremendous rarities seen across the entire province. It was normal for Harry to answer or return many dozens of calls every night. To a young teen birder in Toronto like myself, perhaps only a call from Cheryl Tiegs would have produced more exhilaration than a call from Harry Kerr with information on the latest mega-twitch. Harry was also listed in books and foreign birding gen as the number to contact for visiting birders from all over the world. Harry always had his finger on the pulse of where and how reliable the good bird sightings were, practically up-to-the-minute some days. Long-time Toronto area birders Don Perks and Gerry Bennett, whose birding eras both extended back to the 1930s, both contended for many years to anyone who would listen that no birder in the history of Ontario was responsible for supplying more information on bird occurrence that allowed more birders to add life birds to their Ontario lists than Harry Kerr. I would only add that NO ONE is even a close second! Harry was a work horse! He takes it a bit easier now, but I think we can cut him some slack. It also didn't hurt that all this dedicated service was coming from one of the nicest and most upbeat and inclusive characters one might ever wish to meet too. Harry is simply a prince of a fellow. One of those guys who always leaves you feeling in a better mood than before you talked to him. Always. Despite his move with Eileen to live with their son in the Ottawa Valley a decade ago, I keep in touch, and he is always keen to hear what is going on in the southern Ontario birding scene - some things never change! I am sure that this weekend Harry would be happy to receive calls and well wishes from those many old friends who know and remember him fondly. Those wishing to wish him a happy 100th birthday this weekend can call him at 613-692-9509. Tell him some kid from Parkdale sent you. Good birding this weekend, Glenn Coady Whitby, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
