With Prince Edward County to the west and Wolfe Island to the east, Amherst Island is a birding gem on the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. Home to a nature reserve called owl woods, several owl species reside and breed on the island. Recently, the island has come under threat by the proposed development of wind turbines, which would disrupt the migratory path of many bird species that come through the island. However, the project has been on hold until the full health and environmental effects can be studied.
Birds to see
September: Black-bellied plover, sanderling, hudsonian godwit, greater yellowlegs, American golden-plover.
October: Bonaparte’s gull, little gull, golden-crowned kinglet, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, dark-eyed junco, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, vesper sparrow, swamp sparrow, purple finch, American pipit, brown-headed cowbird, American robin, song sparrow, common grackle, eastern meadowlark, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, horned lark, black-capped chickadee, fox sparrow, lapland longspur, northern saw-whet owl, long-eared owl, American wigeon, northern pintail, lesser scaup, American coot.
November: Redhead, canvasback, bufflehead, common goldeneye, greater scaup, American black duck, ring-necked duck, ruddy duck, common merganser, hooded merganser, northern saw-whet owl, long-eared owl.
How to get there: From Toronto, travel East on Highway 401. Take exit 593 for County Road 4 toward Millhaven/Camden East Road. Turn right onto County Road 4 (signs for Camden East Road S). Continue straight on County Road 4 at the roundabout. Turn right onto Bath Rd/ON-33 W (signs for Amherst Island Ferry). After 8.1 km turn left, then take the ferry to Amherst Island.
