In the City of Timmins, Ontario the bird is the word! Our conservation areas plus the lush and abundant forests and lakes in and around the city make it the ideal place for all of your bird-watching needs!
From geese and eagles to ducks and herons, there is something for everyone to enjoy when going birdwatching at these 8 fantastic birding locations.
This stunning and accessible trail allows all birdwatchers to enjoy the birds during any season. It is accessible off of Legion Drive in South Porcupine and is an amazing location to see pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Boreal Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and the occasional White-winged Crossbills, Black-backed Woodpeckers and American Three-toed Woodpeckers.
When birdwatching at this amazing expanse of waterfront, it is important to do so during the month of April as it is the first one to begin thawing during the springtime. It’s because of the thawing waters that the waterfowls are attracted to this location. During times when the water level is low, you’ll be able to see some stunning shorebirds. Open water is normally seen at the Frederick House River bridge starting the last week of March. Although uncommon, it is possible to see sightings of Harlequin ducks.
The Connaught Marsh is a stunning location to view birds. During the spring and the beginning of the summer and fall, it’s a great spot to watch and listen to Sora, Virginia Rail, Pied-Billed Grebes, including many different species of ducks. It is also common to see flycatchers, sparrows, and warblers in the vegetation of this area.
Located in the heart of Timmins, surrounding this stunning lake is a trail and boardwalk which allows you to enjoy the 2.3 km walk around it. As you take your leisurely stroll, be sure to stop, enjoy and observe the numerous waterfowls, gulls, Buffleheads, Tundra Swans, Great Blue Herons, warblers, and sparrows that are located in this beautiful conservation area during their long journey of migration in the spring and fall. The dense and low vegetation situated on the northern side of the lake provides amazing opportunities to see and enjoy numerous species of songbirds. When getting the chance to visit Gillies Lake, be sure to stop by the MRCA office which is located on site in order to obtain your very own copy of the recently updated Timmins Checklist of Birds.
An amazing location to view birds throughout the year, this conservation area provides a perfect resting spot for migratory birds to enjoy while traveling on their long journey of migration including homes for non-migratory birds allowing them to stay year-round. In the springtime, you can expect to see birds such as Buffleheads, Tundra Swans, and Great Blue Herons. During the winter, the feeding stations located here also offer many boreal winter birds watching opportunities. At this location, you can find Blue Jays, Hairy, Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, common Redpolls, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-Breasted Nuthatches, and Pine Grosbeaks. It is also possible to see the Black-toed Woodpecker as well as the American Three-toed Woodpecker thanks to the numerous conifers located on site. So if you’re interested in the possibility of seeing all five woodpeckers in one day, be sure to stop by and explore the Hershey Lake Conservation area.
The Hollinger Tailings Pond is an accessible walking trail of 3-4km and is accessible during the spring, summer, and fall. This incredible location includes a big ancient mine tailing area that has stayed there since the renowned Hollinger Gold Mine. During the months of September and November, the water level goes down giving bird watchers an amazing opportunity to view migrating shorebirds from the mud flats. Birds that you can expect to see include the feast, semipalmated and pectoral sandpipers, Dunlins, semipalmated plovers, black-bellied plovers, and yellow legs. This also offers possibilities of viewing a long-billed dowitcher and binoculars are highly recommended when birdwatching in this area.
Not only an amazing location to go camping, pick berries and enjoy a refreshing swim, this stunning provincial park also includes 22 spring-fed lakes which attract numerous loons, 4 gorgeous hiking trails, and numerous bicycle trails. When visiting this beautiful park, you’ll get the chance to see the approximately 108 species that either live or stop to rest there. This includes numerous songbirds thanks to its combined forest habitats and the many Jack Pines may allow you to find Black-backed woodpeckers, Blue-headed Vireos, and Brown creepers.
Specifically, during the spring and fall, the Porcupine Lake is a fantastic place to view birds as over 190 different species were documented in the past decade. This location is significant for birds as it acts as an important stopover during their migration journey. There are more than 30 different species of waterfowl such as geese, ducks, scoters, swans, grebes and coots including 21 different species of shorebirds. Not only a great location to enjoy a hike, but it is also a fantastic way to view and enjoy the melodious sounds of many different types of thrushes, kinglets, woodpeckers, vireos, finches, cedar waxwings, flycatchers, sparrows and warblers.
Everywhere you go there is always amazing and stunning bird to look at. While it is impossible to mention and speak of all of the different types of birds and locations that are located in and around our beautiful city, if you are interested in discovering them for yourself, be sure to download the complete birding checklist and get ready to have the time of your life as you experience all that nature in the beautiful City of Timmins has to offer!
