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Outdoor Nova Scotia: Features ... an In-depth Look at 'The Great Outdoors' in Nova Scotia!
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Birding
Destinations of Shelburne County by Darcey Rhyno This summer two pairs of the American Oyster Catcher nested on Cape Sable Island, at the southern tip of Nova Scotia. It was the first time in recorded history, the bird had nested in Canada. One of the pairs, successfully hatched and raised three young. It's this kind of exciting, ornithological news that appears on an almost regular basis among the pages of the North America Rare Bird Alert and even in national publications, like the Globe and Mail. Whether its Snowy Owls and Harlequin Ducks in winter, Egrets and American Oyster Catchers in summer or any number of rare and unusual species during spring and fall migration, Shelburne County seems to draw birds and birders from far afield. Recognizing the importance of this coastal region, to both avid birders
and casual backyard bird watchers, the Discover
Shelburne County Tourism Association has produced an
attractive and practical guide called "Birding
on the Lighthouse Route in Shelburne County." The guide includes a list of over 400 bird species that appear in the area on a dependable basis and describes whether they are - rare, uncommon or common - and in which months of the year, they can be seen. All this nifty, little brochure needs, is the Peterson's Guide or similar publication to complement it. There are 13 locations and 10 highlighted, trail maps in the brochure - making it a convenient way to plan your next birding adventure. For the purposes of this article, discussions will be confined to six of the most popular birding destinations in the county. Daniel's Head and a beach called "The Hawk", named after a ship that was wrecked there, is one of the prime birding destinations in the brochure, and possibly the best birding site in Eastern Canada, accessible by foot. Situated across a short channel from "The Hawk" at the southern tip of Cape Sable Island lies Cape Sable itself, a three mile long sand island crowned with a spectacular lighthouse. The Cape Sable Island area features an unparalleled diversity of birds, especially during spring and fall migration. Hawks, warblers, sea ducks, even falcons and owls are regulars, and numerous rare and accidental sightings make this location exceptional. And there is great pelagic birding as well - shearwaters, jaegars, dovekies, fulmars, petrels and even puffins are seen on a regular basis, in some instances, in large numbers. Matthew's Lake, at the opposite end of Shelburne County, ranks among the best birding locations in the Maritimes. It is a virtual, birding hot spot - from August through November, with large flocks of migrating shore birds, ducks and other species. Marsh hawks and swallows hunt over the fields and forests. Shore birds, including the Hudsonian Godwit, hunt for food along the beach and salt marsh. Terns dive for fish off the beach. The picnic area near the lighthouse at Baccaro Point is a spectacular setting for watching the large rafts of eiders, scoters, old squaws and even brants that gather in Barrington Bay. The fog horn can be loud, so be wary.
The next peninsula to the east called Blanche, ends in a complex system of beach walls, gravel spits, islands, wooded headlands and ponds. Once again, the great variety of habitat makes for some terrific birding in scenic surroundings. And like many birding destinations in Shelburne County, the location is crowned by a lighthouse, in this case, on a set of islands called "The Salvages". The town of Lockeport claims five beaches within its borders. The grand new Cresent Beach Center serves as the tourist bureau, meeting place and activity and arts center. It's also a great place to begin or end a bird watching vacation. From the new cottages at either end of the beach you can watch sea birds and shore birds, including the Piping Plover - with yet another lighthouse as a back drop. On the other side of the road, the salt marsh provides great opportunities for watching ducks, herons and song birds. A point of land called West Head reaches south towards the lighthouse and the Atlantic. And finally, for those who prefer inland birding, the Ohio Road near the town of Shelburne and the Clyde River 'loop road' have become well known as great auto routes for birding. Rivers, lakes, fields and forests provide habitat for the variety and numbers of birds for which Shelburne County is becoming famous. For a copy of "Birding on the Lighthouse Route in Shelburne County", write the Shelburne County Tourism Co-Ordinator, Box 804, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada BOT 1WO or telephone 902 875 3634. Our e-mail address is buspark@atcon.com. Copies can also be obtained FREE of charge from Outdoor Nova Scotia at the address below.
Birding Destinations of Shelburne County, first published September, 1997. Designed & maintained by Outdoor Nova Scotia, Liverpool, N.S. BOT 1KO. Material protected by copyright. Last revised: April 09, 2000 |
Just 3 kilometers up the road is a gorgeous little provincial park
called Crow Neck Beach. Sandwiched between the ocean on one side, salt marsh on the other, and ending in
a small wooded headland, the area provides a variety of habitat.
