birding guide

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a birding paradise year round

birds to be seen J F M A M J J A S O N D

Southwest Nova Scotia is one of the best birding destinations in Canada. From mixed woodlands, to coastal salt marshes and beaches, to open ocean, this region supports a great diversity of species year round. Our rich bird life is celebrated annually at three birding festivals and we encourage you to join us at these fun and educational events: • West Pubnico’s Tern Festival in June focuses on breeding endangered Roseate Terns • Sheffield Mills’ Bald Eagle Watch in January and February •  Shelburne County’s Birding Festival Several sites in Southwest Nova Scotia have been designated as Important Bird Areas (IBA) because of their value as breeding and migration stop-over sites. On Brier Island, large groups of migrating hawks, called “kettles”, can be viewed during their migration south from August to October. Boat tours from Brier Island and area during the tourist season are great ways to view pelagic seabirds. Cape Sable Island, the southern-most point in Atlantic Canada, is road accessible. Its IBA designation is due to the presence of endangered Piping Plovers and four other species found in globally significant numbers; Brant, Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Semipalmated Sandpiper. The only nesting American Oystercatchers in Canada are found near the village of The Hawk on Cape Sable Island.

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gaviiformes Red-throated Loon Common Loon

RIGHT: Great Blue Heron BELOW:

podicipediformes Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe

White-winged Scoter BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT: Southwest Nova Birders Bald Eagle Roseate Tern

procellariiformes * Northern Fulmar * Cory’s Shearwater * Greater Shearwater * Sooty Shearwater * Manx Shearwater * Wilson’s Storm-Petrel * Leach’s Storm-Petrel

Brant

pelecaniformes * Northern Gannet Great Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant

Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, open year-round, offers a variety of woodland and wetland birds. Visit Keji’s visitor centre when you arrive. We are excited to have you come and view our region’s birdlife. Always enjoy birds from a safe distance to reduce disturbances, particularly when they are breeding, feeding and resting. Please respect all signage regarding wildlife and private property and keep dogs on a leash. Be aware of tides and ocean conditions when birding our coasts and oceans.

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BIRDING south shore | yarmouth & acadian shores fundy shore & annapolis valley

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cuculiformes Black-billed Cuckoo strigiformes Great Horned Owl Snowy Owl Barred Owl Long-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl caprimulgilformes Common Nighthawk Whip-poor-will apodiformes Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird corfaciiformes Belted Kingfisher piciformes Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker passeriformes Olive-sided Flycatcher Eastern Wood-Pewee Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Western Kingbird Eastern Kingbird Horned Lark Purple Martin Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Tree Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow American Crow Common Raven Blue Jay Gray Jay Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper House Wren Winter Wren Marsh Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet

Kejimkujik

National Park and National Historic Site of Canada

one of the best birding destinations in canada

charadriiformes Piping Plover Black-bellied Plover American Golden-Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Willet Spotted Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper Whimbrel Hudsonian Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot J F M A M J J A S O N D

J F M A M J J A S O N D

passeriformes cont. Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Northern Wheatear Eastern Bluebird Veery Swainson’s Thrush Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher American Pipit Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing Northern Shrike European Starling Solitary Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue-winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Palm Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Connecticut Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Canada Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Eastern Towhee American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Clay-colored Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Lark Sparrow Savannah Sparrow “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Sharp-tailed Sparrow Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Bobolink Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Yellow-headed Blackbird Rusty Blackbird Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Pine Grosbeak Purple Finch House Finch Red Crossbill White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Pine Siskin American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak Rose-breasted Grosbeak House Sparrow

columbiformes Rock Dove Mourning Dove

gruiformes Virginia Rail Sora American Coot

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Kejimkujik is open year round. (902) 682-2772 | www.pc.gc.ca

anseriformes Snow Goose Brant Canada Goose Wood Duck Green-winged Teal American Black Duck Mallard Northern Pintail Blue-winged Teal Northern Shoveler Gadwall Eurasian Wigeon American Wigeon Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Common Eider King Eider Harlequin Duck Long-tailed Duck Black Scoter Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye Barrow’s Goldeneye Bufflehead Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck

galliformes Ring-necked Pheasant Spruce Grouse Ruffed Grouse

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Kejimkujik offers hiking trails, canoe routes, camping, and guided interpretive events — perfect for bird watching.

ciconiiformes American Bittern Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Little Blue Heron Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

falconiformes Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Broad-winged Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Gyrfalcon

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J F M A M J J A S O N D

charadriiformes cont. Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird’s Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Purple Sandpiper Dunlin Stilt Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Common Snipe American Woodcock Wilson’s Phalarope * Red-necked Phalarope * Red Phalarope * Pomarine Jaeger * Parasitic Jaeger * Great Skua Laughing Gull Black-headed Gull Bonaparte’s Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull * Black-legged Kittiwake Caspian Tern Roseate Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Black Tern Dovekie * Common Murre * Thick-billed Murre * Razorbill Black Guillemot * Atlantic Puffin

J F M A M J J A S O N D

legend Common Uncommon Rare

J F M A M J J A S O N D

* Rarely seen close to shore

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beach breeding habitat: please walk on wet sand (May-Aug)

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Kejimkujik National Park of Canada — Seaside

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Station Road lies along the Adventure Trail; Provincial Arterial Highway located halfway along a Trunk Highway Trans Canada Highway shared-use trail between Collector Highway Provincial Arterial Highway Trans Canada Highway Trunk Highway Local Road towns Provincialthe Arterial Highwayof Mahone Collector Highway Local Road Trunk Highway Bay and Bridgewater. As Collector Highway the trail moves inland it Local Road passes through a variety of landscapes including farmlands, lakeshores and mixed forests.

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Kejimkujik National Park — Seaside

St. Margaret’s Bay

Broad Cove

Islands in St. Margaret’s Bay provide good nesting sites for Trans Canada Highway coastal and pelagic birds. Pearl Provincial Arterial Highway Trunk Highway Island is a protected nesting area Collector Highway for puffins. Razorbills are also Local Road seen. Wedge Island is a protected nesting area for Arctic Terns. View these birds by taking a boat tour from Peggy’s Cove or Lunenburg.

The Green Bay region (Route #331) is a beautiful coastal area and is a great location to view seabirds and shorebirds, including Long-tailed Ducks and scoters in winter months. Winter also brings Purple Sandpipers to Crescent Beach. Local birders often report rare sightings in this area.

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Port Joli Area (IBA) — Kejimkujik National Park — Seaside

Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site

Home to a national and provincial park and a migratory bird sanctuary, St. Catherine’s River Road provides viewpoints across the tidal mudflats, white sand beaches and freshwater brooks. The endangered Piping Plover can be found on beaches in this area — please respect signed nesting areas and nest enclosures. Beach is closed during breeding season.

Kejimkujik protects 381 km2 of forests, Crow Neck Beach is a Provincial Park. Trans Canada Highway wetlands, lakes, and rivers. From walking The beach is sandwiched between the Provincial Arterial Highway Highway trails and canoe routes, experience an Highway ocean on oneTrunk side and a salt marsh on the Trans Canada 104 Collector Highway abundant diversity of bird life. Find boreal habitats for shore Local Road 101 Provincial Arterial Highwayother which provides species in softwood 2forests,Trunk warblers birds, ducks and sea birds. To the south Highway and other southern species in hardwood lies Baccaro lighthouse, an excellent place Collector Highway forests and hear owls and loons calling. to watch pelagic birds from the shore. Local Road Camping available.

Cape Sable Island (IBA) — The Hawk & Daniel’s Head

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The miles of beach, marshes and Trans Canada Highway oceanfront offer excellent year-round Provincial Arterial Highway Trunk Highway Trans Canada H birding — seabirds are plentiful. Migrating 104 104

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shorebirds, including the Short-billed 101 Provincial Arteri Local Road Dowitcher, gather in large flocks. ATrunk greatHighway 2 area to witness rare bird sightings,Collector Highw especially during annual migrations Local Road and storms. 210

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Beautiful Mavillette Beach Provincial Park is situated along St. Mary’s Bay and welcomes many migratory species throughout the year, including Willets, Sharp-Tailed Sparrows and Great Blue Heron. Bird habitat includes a 1.5 km long sandy beach, marram-grass covered dunes, mudflats and a tidal marsh. A birding platform overlooks the marsh.

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This area offers the best birding in the province during spring and fall migration. This area makes for a great day trip so plan it accordingly. On Brier Island visit Pond Cove and Northern Point. In Freeport, on Long Island, seek out Northeast Cove which features five different ecosystems. Pelagic birds, including shearwaters, are often seen on whale watching trips.

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special thanks to Fawne Atkinson Tina Connors Jill Cruikshank Jonathan Foster Marianne Gates Gary Hartlen

Jeanette Joudrey Roger Outhouse Lynne Perry Jonathan Sheppard Julie Walters

The Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park is a fantastic facility featuring birds found throughout Nova Scotia including eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, ducks, geese, swans, pheasants etc. The park is home to a wetland interpretive centre and trail; staff are on hand to suggest other local birding destinations. http://wildlifepark.gov.ns.ca

Wolfville — Chimney Swifts — Robie Tufts Centre

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Original concept by Darcy Rhyno of Shelburne County. Bird species update by Shirley Cohrs. Photo submission by Dr. Richard Stern, Tom Johnson, Grant Milroy, Linda Ross and Logan Atkinson. Graphic Design by www.mygireh.com

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A Ducks Unlimited area with a lake, marsh and wooded trail. Open year round. Good area for ducks, warblers and Brown Creepers. Visitors may meet local birders who will update them on daily sightings at the Goose Creek Marsh. Ticks are common in late spring and early summer. Dress appropriately.

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Canada’s largest Roseate Tern colony lies on The Brothers islands, off of Lower West Pubnico. Local birder, Ted D’Eon, has been recognized internationally for his work on the recovery program for a nesting colony of terns. Interpretive panels, on site, tell the story of the endangered Roseate Terns.

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This town has a long history of use by large numbers of Chimney Swifts in the late spring and summer. Look for them at dusk at the Robie Tufts Nature Centre on Front Street, tours are available. Be there by sunset and be prepared to wait. These birds are endangered in Nova Scotia.

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In winter there is an annual count of Bald Eagles in this area with numbers averaging around 400 and ranging from 300 to 600 in different years. In January and February there is a festival celebrating these birds. Many people attend, eager to see trees and skies full of these majestic creatures.

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Grand Pré — Evangeline Beach The best place to observe spectacular aerial manoeuvres of huge flocks of migrating shorebirds is Evangeline Beach. Check out the viewing platform. Best times for viewing are 2-3 hours before high tide and 1-3 hours after high tide. Species include: Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers and White-rumped Sandpipers.