Birding areas in & around Dalhousie:

Inch Arran Park.

The area just off the shores of Inch Arran Park, near the Bon Ami Rocks, features a summer colony for Heron, Great Black-backed gulls, Double-crested Cormorants and a good number of swallows. The waters also attract Common Eiders, Black ducks, Common goldeneyes and, in late fall and winter, the largest congregation of Barrow’s goldeneyes in the Maritime provinces. As well, the only colony of Black guillemots nest is found in the rocks just to the west of the Inch Arran lighthouse. This area marks the eastern extension of the Restigouche Estuary, an important Bird Area, a vitally important spring staging area for Black and Surf scoters, as well as many other sea ducks. It is also one of the better places locally to spot common Red-throated loons in migration, Horned grebes, both species of scaup, Buffleheads and, on occasion, Harlequin ducks.

Bon Ami Rocks:

The Bon Ami Rocks is a common site for spotting various species of birds. A summer colony of Heron, Great-backed gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants and a good number of swallows as well as sandpippers ans seagulls make the Rocks their home.

The Dalhousie Marina.

On reclaimed land between the Bowater Paper Mill and the Dalhousie Marina is a great place to bird watch. It is a landfill project area which has become a popular attraction in late summer and fall for Shore birds, Horned larks, American water pipits, Lapland longspurs as well as sparrows, finches and other more common birds. The adjacent waters are an attraction for fall sea ducks; including scaup, goldeneyes, the occasional Tufted duck, as well as grebes, mergansers and cormorants.

Dalhousie Mountain.

From either of the local high schools at the west end of Goderich Street, one can find several walking trails that lead up to Dalhousie Mountain, or to an active beaver pond at the foot of the mountain. These trails lead through a variety of habitats, affording a birder an opportunity to find a variety of warblers, Winter wrens, several species of woodpecker (including the rather rare Black-backed and Pileated), Barred and Great-horned owles and other woodland species. The beaver pond itself is an excellent habitat for many flycatchers.

Heron Island

Heron Island is a small island off the shores of New Mills, NB, about 8-km long. The 1851 Restigouche County census lists a dozen families living and farming the island. Today, no person lives on the island it has been declared an ecological sanctuary that is home to many species of birds. Numerous herons, cormorants, song birds and shore birds can be seen on the island.

Heron Island supports a large colony of Double-crested Cormorants. The most recent survey, which was completed in 1986, yielded a population estimate of about 3,000 pairs (as much as 3.3% of the Atlantic coast population). Based on the available data, it is reported to be the second largest colony in New Brunswick, and the third largest colony in the Maritimes. In addition to Double-crested Cormorants, it is also possible that Great Blue Herons and Black-crowned Night-Herons breed on Heron Island, although nesting has yet to be confirmed. Of additional ornithological interest is the presence of approximately 250 Common Eiders that nest on the small rocky islands adjacent to the mainland (along the south shore of the Heron channel). This group of nesting eiders is the only colony between the St. Lawrence estuary population, and the southwest New Brunswick / Maine population.

Eel River Bar and the Eel River Head Pond area.

Accessible either from Route 11 or Route 134, the Bar, the Salt Marsh and the adjacent habitats offer excellent gull, sea duck, shore bird (particularly in fall) and puddle duck viewing opportunities. This is also one of the best areas in the maritimes to watch Ospreys at work; there are a dozen active nests in the immediate area. It is also a prime area for Pied-billed grebes. Over thirty species of waterfowl have been identified at Eel River Bar in the past few years; it is also one of the best spots to view Great blue herons, Black-crowned night-herons, Belted kingfishers and several species of swallow.

Atholville Wetlands.

The marsh bordering the Restigouche River is an excellent location to spot many birds and ducks. In early August 2000, the Atholville mill, a few km west of Dalhousie, partnered with Ducks Unlimited to protect and manage the wetlands next to the mill. Many waterfowl including black ducks, over 140 different species of birds including osprey, and wildlife can be seen in this area.

Dalhousie Sewage Treatment Lagoon.

The Dalhousie Sewage Treatment Lagoon is just that, and perhaps not one of the more attractive places to viewbirds. But the birds don’t realize that and, as a result, it is an excellent place to view Wood ducks, particularly in late summer and fall, as well as numbers of over twenty other species of duck. It is, in fact, one of the better places locally to search for genuine rarities; in the past few years, American Coot, Red-head, Gadwall and Buffleheads have been found here.

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