If there’s one thing birders enjoy, it’s listing things–including their favourite destinations for birdwatching. In that spirit, here are just a few of my personal favourites located right here in our Waterloo Region.
Laurel Creek Conservation Area
A good trek through even a portion of this regional treasure’s 300 hectares may take longer than planned for, given how often you’ll be stopping to explore every new whistle and chirp. Just make sure to include a stop at Laurel Creek’s lake on your trek, as it’s often buzzing with a wide assortment of dabbling and diving creatures. Just last week, I spotted numerous Buffleheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Greater Scaups, a Pied-billed Grebe and countless Barn and Tree Swallows chasing insects across the surface.
Being less sprawling than Laurel Creek, this manmade lake and its winding forest trail are also easier to navigate. Every visit to Columbia Lake rewards me with new surprises, such as a recent sighting of gorgeous Cedar Waxwings feasting on a berry-filled bush and an Osprey dive-bombing for fish.
F.W.R. Dickson Nature Wilderness Area
A mere five-minute walk from the parking lot brings you to a short boardwalk that is always alive with a chorus of birdsong. Within view on any given morning is a variety that likely includes several woodpecker species, plus nuthatches, sparrows, wrens and so much more. But the real prize is the somewhat rare Tufted Titmouse, which can usually be counted on to drop by to snack on seeds left by trail walkers.
Being well-canopied, this trail running out of St. Jacobs is a good option as the days get hotter. While hiking alongside Conestogo River, don’t be surprised if you find yourself being followed by a curious pack of Black-capped Chickadees hoping you’ll pull a handful of seed from your pocket. Upon reaching the dam located along the trail, you may come across some mergansers, mallards or a Great Blue Heron wading for its breakfast.
The trails that wind down Bechtel’s forest and along its river are rife with species as small as a Winter Wren and as big as the Great Horned Owls that have been known to nest here. And at least one of the park’s manmade platforms is usually occupied by nesting Ospreys each year. Much like Mill Race Trail, Bechtel’s trails are well-shaded, making it an ideal place to escape from the summer heat.
This small lake nestled in one of Kitchener’s residential neighbourhoods is a must-visit for those who love the sight and sound of woodpeckers hard at work. And while the paved pathway along the more accessible side of the lake makes for good viewing of whatever may be on the water, the real treasures are lurking along the muddier trails behind the far shore. This includes all sorts of warbler, sparrow and kinglet species who populate this hidden forest throughout much of the spring season.
This is a location that benefits from the ability to zoom, whether it be with a scope, a decent pair of binoculars or just a camera with a lengthy lens. One side of the lake features a paved trail, while the other side’s Ellacott Landing is the ideal spot to see what species are populating the top end of the pond. Hespeler Mill Pond is an ideal place to seek out several swan species, including the hard-to-find Tundra Swan during the colder months of the year.
With over seven kilometres of trails winding through forests and wetlands, many paved and all with maps throughout, you can spend hours losing yourself here without getting lost. And the range of birds on display is as good as any other location in Kitchener. A morning stroll last spring nabbed me over 30 species.
Your Backyard
It’s incredible how a few feeders can turn your own kitchen window into a viewing area for common backyard visitors, as well as all sorts of unexpected guests. In our own yard, that has included a hungry Cooper’s Hawk perched on a branch just above our feeder and, just last week, a gathering of Wild Turkeys that had our dog losing its mind at the back door.
While these are my preferred local haunts, there are so many more for you to discover. One quick search of Waterloo Region hotspots on eBird will supply you with an entire list of nearby destinations, with directions.
Happy birding!
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