The first thing I do when I come to a body of water in the winter is ask: “Who’s here today?” Common Goldeneye? Long-Tailed Duck? Bufflehead? The anticipation of not knowing which species I’ll see is what gets me to dust off my binoculars and brave the cold.
Winter has become one of my favourite seasons for birdwatching. But it wasn’t always this way. Below-freezing temperatures made me dream about the return of colourful spring warblers and of hearing whippoorwills while falling asleep in my tent on a warm July night. I wrote off birding as an “after the snow melts” activity. However, the first time I heard the low “trumpet” of a Trumpeter Swan or saw the bright black-and-white “hood” on a Hooded Merganser, my perspective completely changed.
Journeying from Northern Ontario and as far as the Arctic, waterfowl like Long-Tailed Duck, Cinnamon Teal, and even the strikingly royal King Eider, are spotted each year in Ontario’s Great Lakes as they overwinter in our milder climate. Learning about this annual spectacle led me to discover countless species and their fascinating patterns of movement across our province – something I wouldn’t have done if I waited for spring.
There’s something special about knowing I’m getting a glimpse into the lives of species I won’t see any other time of the year. Greeting them like honored guests, I wonder about what they saw on their travel south and what their lives are like up north. So, “Who’s here today?” Head to a body of water near you with a field guide, binoculars, and warm clothes to find out. Here are three of my suggestions if you live in Southern Ontario.
3 Places to See Overwintering Waterfowl in Southern Ontario
Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto
Renowned for the amount of bird species that can be seen here, this is my all-time favourite winter birding location. Look for tagged Trumpeter Swans and learn about their conservation success story in Ontario.
Cootes Paradise, Hamilton
One of my favourite places to visit in the spring, Coote’s Paradise within the Royal Botanical Gardens is equally exciting in the winter. Can you spot Gadwall mixing with the Mallards? The drawn-to-life Harlequin Duck?
High Park, Toronto
Every year, I go to High Park for one reason: to see Northern Shoveler. This is one of Ontario’s most unique species due to the shape of its beak. You just have to see it for yourself.
