Birding Hotspots Canada

Ontario

Point Pelee is the southern tip of Canada.   The best time to go here is the first two weeks in May for the northern warbler migration.   Birds flying north along eastern North America must cross the vast expanse of Lake Erie. The first bit of land that they see on the other side is Point Pelee, so they head for that. By the time they reach the peninsula, they are exhausted.    So they stop for a few days to rest and feed before heading further north. If you are there at the right time, it may seem like warblers are dripping from every bush.   It is not unusual to see 25 or more species of warblers in a single day. Only a few of the warblers remain to nest in the park. The others are seen only during migration, so you must be there at the right time.

Of course, there are many other migrants, including cranes and plovers, but warblers and vireos are the main attraction (there are 390 species in all).

Birding walks and presentations are available during May. The park opens at 5 a.m. for birders from May 1st to 20  (at 6 a.m. April 17-30).

Butterflies and Bluejays

Late August and September in Point Pelee are good for the gathering of the Monarch Butterflies before their epic migration to central Mexico. Thousands of Blue Jays also stop in the park on their fall migration.

Recommended Birding Areas within the park

Start by walking from the parking area to the peninsula’s tip and back.   There are fewer birds in the forest near the park entrance. A little train goes to the tip of the park if you want to walk only one way.   If you get to the tip early in the morning, you will see the birds as they arrive, starting as tiny dots on the horizon.

The best areas are the marshes and meadows, which have many bushes but are not heavily forested. Visitors must stay on the trails, giving the birds some space and protecting the rare flowers in the park.

The Visitor’s Centre lists recent sightings if you are looking for specific birds.

Raptors are also present in the park. Look for them around the parking area.

After birding the tip, go to the Marsh Boardwalk, where you can find Marsh Wrens, Swamp Sparrows, American Bitterns, Virginia Rails, and Soras, among many others.

Several trails throughout the park offer different habitat and birding opportunities. You can also travel parts of the park by canoe, which you can rent or bring your own.

There are also some good birding areas nearby outside the park. Hillman Marsh is only 3km away and offers a chance to see King Rail. Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area has a trail through a swampy forest where you might see Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Red-headed Woodpecker and others.

Getting There

The nearest major cities are Windsor, Canada, and Detroit, just across the border in the USA. Take Highway 3 from Windsor to Leamington, the closest town to the park.

Practical Information

Leamington has hotels, but you must book at least six months in advance to get a room during peak migration. Camping is not allowed inside the park, but there are campgrounds just outside the park.

Check their Facebook page.

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Why go to Amherst or Wolfe Island? The answer is owls.   On the small island of Amherst, you can see more owl species than anywhere else in North America. Look for the Eastern Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Great Grey Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Boreal Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl.

If you tire of looking at owls, the island is also great for other raptors. Look for Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk and American Kestrel.

Unfortunately, Amherst Island is primarily private property.   However, many roads allow visitors to see most of the island from their vehicles. Drive around the island, checking fence posts, power poles, and on the ground and offshore ice flows.

Other birds include Northern Shrikes, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs. Brant Geese and Greater Scaup might be spotted offshore.

Owl Woods on Amherst is the best location. It is private land, but the Kingston Field Naturalist has permission from the owner to visit. Contact them

When to go

In a word – winter. Many of these owls, such as the Snowy, are present only in winter. Most are diurnal owls, so going after dark is unnecessary.   In most of Canada, there are few birds in winter, but Amherst Island is best starting in January, with February and March being the best months. Wear very warm clothing in layers. It can get bitterly cold.   You need to drive around and keep the heater going in your vehicle. Just roll the window down to take photos when you spot an owl.

Nearby Wolfe Island is also good and, in some years, even better than Amherst.

Getting There

Amherst and Wolfe Islands are where Lake Ontario enters the St Lawrence River near the Canadian city of Kingston. From Kingston, take Highway 33 to Millhaven, where you can get the ferry to Amherst. From the state of New York, take Highway 81 to Canada, then west to Kingston. The Wolfe Island ferry leaves from Kingston.

There are a few bed and breakfast facilities on Amherst Island, but no camping. Wolfe Island is larger and has more facilities, including several B&Bs and one hotel. A vehicle is a necessity. There are car rental places in the city of Kingston.

Kingston Field Naturalists. Contact – click here.

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Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks, Alberta & British Columbia

The Canadian Rocky Mountains are among the most beautiful places on earth. There are seven National Parks in the Canadian Rockies. Between them, they attract more than nine million visitors per year.   The Rockies form the border between the two Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.   The seven National Parks in the mountains are Banff, Jasper and Waterton Lakes in Alberta and Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier on the west side of the mountain range in British Columbia.

No matter how many birds you see, a vacation in the Canadian Rocky Mountains National Parks is worthwhile. The scenery is stunning, and wildlife is abundant, including Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, Elk, Cougar, Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goats, Coyotes, Lynx and many more. Plus, of course, birds.

Birding Hotspots Canada lists the five best places for birding in the Rocky Mountains.

Northern Pygmy-owl and American Dipper can be found at Vermillion Lakes in Banff. Clark’s Nutcracker is common at Chateau Lake Louise. White-tailed Ptarmigan can be seen along the trail to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse, also at Lake Louise. Other birds to look for around Lake Louse are the Canada Jay (aka Gray Jay), Steller’s Jay, Cliff Swallow and Boreal Chickadee.

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Look for waterfowl at Talbot Lake. Several species of ducks plus Common Loon, Red-necked and Horned Grebe, Hooded Merganser,  Long-tailed Duck,  White-winged and Surf Scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye, Osprey and Bald Eagle. Look for the beautiful Harlequin Duck and American Dipper along the Athabasca River near the town of Jasper. Several owl species can be seen on moonlit nights at Cottonwood Slough, near town. Look for Northern Pygmy Owls right in town. Take the Jasper Sktram (gondola) for spectacular views and a chance to see Fox Sparrows, American Pipits, and White-tailed Ptarmigans.

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Watch for migrating Baird’s Sandpipers along the shores of lakes in mid-August.

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This beautiful park is located east of the Alberta border in British Columbia, near Revelstoke. There are many hiking trails through various habitats, including old-growth forests, sub-alpine forests, and lovely alpine meadows. At the base of the mountain, look for Calliope Hummingbirds in June and Western Tanagers, American Redstarts, and Nashville Warblers.   As you drive up the mountain, stop to look for Chestnut-backed Chickadees, MacGillivray’s Warblers and Townsend Warblers. Upon reaching the sub-alpine forest, look for Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks and Mountain and Boreal Chickadees. Balsam Lake is the end of the road. From there, you can take a shuttle bus or hike for the remainder of the way to the summit (about one mile). I suggest taking the bus up and walking down. At the top, look for Fox Sparrows, Nothern Hawk Owls, White-tailed Ptarmigan and the elusive Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch.  Drive up the Meadows-in-the-Sky Parkway (open from mid-June to mid-October, depending on snow), where you can see four different species of Chickadee (Black-capped, Boreal, Chestnut-sided and Mountain).

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Keep in mind that most Canadian birds migrate away for the winter. So, birding should be done from late April to mid-September for most species.   A few stay all winter. Geese and hawks migrate much later than songbirds. Winter birds include Willow and White-tailed Ptarmigan, Mountain and Boreal Chickadee, Bohemian Waxwings, Red-breasted Nuthatch and others.

Accommodations are plentiful but expensive and often full due to the massive popularity of tourism in the National Parks. There are also plenty of campgrounds, but they might also be full. Therefore you need to book well in advance.

British Columbia

Golden is located just outside the National Parks on the BC side.   Accommodations are cheaper there than in the parks. Although outside the park, there are plenty of birds here. Check Golden Pond (whose real name is Reflection Lake) for lots of waterfowl, including Trumpeter Swans and many other species in the reeds and surrounding woods. Also, check for the very pretty Lazuli Bunting in the trees around the parking lot.

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Manitoba

Churchill is an isolated community on the west coast of Hudson Bay in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The only way to get there is by air or train. 

Polar Bears

Churchill is famous as the best place to observe Polar Bears in the wild. Many companies offer Polar Bear tours in November each year. Just do a Google search, and you will find them. Most of the 12,000 annual visitors arrive in winter to see the Polar Bears. Birders might total about 500 per year.

Churchill Birds

Although it is not well known, Churchill is also an excellent place for birding, although not at the same time as Polar Bear watching. The abundant insects attract many birds, but they do not remain in Churchill any longer than necessary to breed. By the end of July, most are gone. Birding season is best from the end of May to mid-July.

The season is short, and Churchill is remote, but it is one of the best places in North America for birding. The main attraction is Ross’ Gull. Your chances of seeing this gull at Granary Ponds are excellent. Many shorebirds include the Hudsonian Godwit, Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, and others. These birds are common further south, but in Churchill, you can see them in their lovely cinnamon breeding colours instead of the usual grey seen in the south. Most can be seen within walking distance of town. One of the best places is the Granary Ponds. Ask at your hotel for directions.

Besides shorebirds, watch for Arctic Terns and numerous ducks. A few kilometres further is Cape Merry, where you might see American Pipits, various gulls and the Common Eider.    Goose Creek Road is another good place, but you need a vehicle. It runs 16 km (about 10 miles) through several habitats.    Watch for Harris Sparrows, Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadees and Northern Hawk Owl. Check at Farnworth Lake (six miles from town) for Pacific Loons, Harris Sparrows, Blackpoll Warblers and Bonaparte’s Gull. Other birds in the Churchill area are the Short-eared Owl, Smith’s Longspur, Gyrfalcon, Snowy Owl, Parasitic Jaeger and others.

Getting There

Churchill is not a park. Various habitats surround the town, including tundra, bogs and inland forest.   Although it will be summer, it can still be quite cold. Bring appropriate clothing. Although it might be pretty warm, June’s average low temperature is near freezing. 

There are several flights per week from the city of Winnipeg in Manitoba. This is also where the train leaves from. Trains depart on Sunday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. The trip takes 48 hours and costs $213.00. More information about the train and bookings at Via Rail.

There are several hotels but no campgrounds.

If you want to take a break from birding, check out the nearby Fort Prince of Wales. Construction began in 1731. 

Warning: Polar Bears are usually present only October to December, but ask about the recent bear activity before walking out of town.

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New Brunswick

Grand Manan Island is located in the Bay of Fundy between the two Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is also very close to the border with the American state of Maine.   Grand Manan Island is an excellent place to see pelagic birds without taking a boat out to the open ocean.

Grand Mannan Birds

Birds that you might see include Atlantic Puffins, Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Razorbills, Greater Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Leach’s Storm-petrel, Northern Gannet, Common Eider, Black Guillemot, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Great Black-backed Gull, Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers and many others.

Look for migrating songbirds, including many warblers and sparrows,at Swallow Tail (on the northeast of the island). Also good for Black-legged Kittiwakes. Swallow Tail is a little peninsula off of the main part of the island. It contains the Swallow Tail Lighthouse, the village of North Head and the ferry terminal, so this is probably the first place you will visit on the island. Check at the north tip of the island for the gulls and jaegers. Other good spots include Dock Road for songbirds, Castalia for shorebirds, and Black-bellied Plover. Two other good spots are Anchorage Provincial Park and the Grand Manan Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

The best times for songbirds to visit are April, May, and August to October. Mid-May to July for nesting seabirds. The highest number of pelagic birds are seen from August to October.

List of best birding locations on the island and a map. Click here.

Getting There

You need to get to the village of Black’s Harbour on the mainland to catch the ferry to Grand Mannan. Black’s Harbour is in the southwest corner of New Brunswick. To get there from Maine, take Highway 9 to the town of St Stephen, just across the border in Canada.   Take Highway One to St George from St Stephen and turn off to Black’s Harbour. Watch for birds from the ferry. You can also travel to the island by private boat (see the link below). The closest commercial airports are St John, New Brunswick and Bangor, Maine.

Hotels and campgrounds are available on the island, as are standard services such as banks and grocery stores.

Contact (506) 662-3524.  Link and map Grand Manan Island.

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Pelagic Tours

See the Members page for Pelagic Tours off the west coast of Canada. Members only. Register to become a member.