Hillman Marsh prepared to celebrate birding season
The Essex Region Conservation Authority is preparing for an influx of birders migrating to the region to snap, track and catch glimpses of special species in Leamington.
ERCA and Hillman Marsh Conservation Area will welcome enthusiasts from May 1 – May 21 for the Shorebird Celebration with a number of special hikes and activities planned in partnership with the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Hillman Marsh in Leamington, Ont. on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Gary Archibald/CTV News Windsor)
“We are thankful for our longstanding partnership with OFO who generously provide tips on how to identify these stunning shorebirds,” said Danielle Breault Stuebing, ERCA’s director of communications and outreach services, in a news release. “We are so happy to welcome them back.”
Hillman Marsh is an important destination for bird watchers as the wetland is unique in its ability to attract migrating shorebirds. ERCA points to the area’s mudflats for nutrition and the wetland’s ability to act as a resting area as combining factors that are an annual attraction for birds – bringing them close to the shoreline for patient photographers.
“Combined with Point Pelee National Park’s ‘Festival of Birds’, the birding opportunities in the Pelee/Hillman region during spring migration are unparalleled,” said Breault Stuebing.
Events are planned as follows:
- May 5 at 10 a.m., Bird Names presentation in Anishinaabemowin with Joseph Pitawanakwat.
- May 8 & May 11 at 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Jean Iron, renowned Shorebird expert, will host Shorebird Identification Hikes
- May 9 & May 16, at 2:30 p.m., Jess Rose, ERCA Environmental Educator, will host ‘Birding for Beginners’ Hikes
- Wednesdays & Saturdays, OFO will help guests identify shorebirds from the Shorebird Viewing Blind
Entrance fees are $10 per vehicle or special birding passes are available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre
Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Suspect arrested in theft of Porsche that was captured on video
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Parents of Ontario teen sue alleged poison salesman Kenneth Law
The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.
11-year-old boy dies after subway surfing in NYC
An 11-year-old boy died Monday after subway surfing in New York City. He's the fourth person to die from subway surfing in the city this year.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Recall issued for 38,000 GM vehicles in Canada over software safety glitch
Transport Canada has issued a recall for 38,000 General Motors (GM) vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, the agency reported in a notice on Wednesday.
Top Hezbollah commander among 12 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the Lebanese movement in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, vowing to press on with a new military campaign until it is able to secure the area around the Lebanese border.