A Waterloo County Big Year (Summary Post)

It's 2020 now and I haven't summarized my attempts of a County Big Year. Time isn't exactly of the essence right now so let's roll right on in with the 2019 highlights...

Final Total:  215 

Code 5s: American Avocet, Summer Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Cerulean Warbler, Forster’s Tern

Code 4s: Golden-winged Warbler, Sanderling

Code 3s: Snow Goose, Least Bittern, Tufted Titmouse, Red-necked Grebe, American Golden Plover, Bonaparte's Gull, Baird's Sandpiper and other fun stuff...

Boy, did this year speed by. Although concentrating one's efforts in an artificial boundary may seem somewhat absurd as I've begun to understand, each chance to get out was always a breath of fresh air, a unique opportunity to experience the nature that could be found directly past your doorstep. A misty summer morning at the edge of the roadside as Least Bitterns float across the Grass Lake marsh filling a recently lit sky, a chilly evening of watching Goldeneyes and Mergansers loaf along a mostly ice covered Grand or a rich mix of southbound shorebirds scurrying about along Floradale mudflats. These will be the memories I will take with me of this year.

I hope I can shed some light at some of the best birding of the year. To spicen things up a little, I’ll make this my take on the top 5 hotspots in the county. So if you happen to get lost and find yourself here, you'll have some birds to keep you busy. All photos were taken from this year in the county.

Columbia Lake

Columbia Lake has been the bread and butter of birding for the first two thirds of the year. With the first third consisting of a co-op based in Waterloo and the second third based on a study term situated at the University. Simply put, Columbia Lake is my favourite spot in the county. No other location suggests such a diverse range of birds present in an urban setting.

Grounded Red-necked Grebe (later returned to water)

 

Orchard Oriole

No other location suggests such a diverse range of birds present in an urban setting. A quick background check on the location can quickly reveal this truth with birds like American Avocet, Brant, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Worm-eating Warbler and Sedge Wrens! A Forster's Tern was a neat surprise in April. No matter what the conditions, Columbia Lake produces. Passerines, gulls, ducks, shorebirds…this place has it all!

A very tame Lesser Yellowlegs

Great Blue Heron

Floradale Reservoir

Floradale Reservoir gives a very minuscule taste of James Bay. Come fall this location’s shorelines become exposed, revealing life-giving mudflats attracting many shorebird wanderer’s from afar. Floradale is one of those locations that screams potential, something often challenging to come by for a landlocked county like Waterloo. For a location nestled in the county’s farthest northern reaches and one of the largest bodies of water in the county, it receives far less attention than it deserves. This year alone a Sanderling and Buff-breasted Sandpiper brought in the
    highlights.

Semipalmated Plover

Some other birds of note were American Golden Plover, Baird’s Sandpiper and Snow Goose. I imagine if this location received as much attention as the more famed Laurel Creek, it would surely deliver more goodies.

Les Snow Geese

Riverside Park

In the beginning of the year I’d never consider this location as my go to hotspot for passerines. But as this year has played out, it holds potential, big time potential. Just this year, the park has attracted a Summer Tanager and Prairie Warbler found by local birders, not to mention a number of more uncommon passerines including Gray-cheeked Thrush and Golden-winged Warbler.

Golden-winged Warbler

Another rarity of the season, a female Summer Tanager

Another angle, bussed from Waterloo to Cambridge for this one!

Even on slow days, close views of most birds makes this spot a must see!

A dapper Canada Warbler

Linwood Area

The Linwood area hosts some Waterloo specialties and is one of my favourite getways from the more urban themes of the county. Here, life is run by horse and buggies and dirt roads (and a Bobwhite farm??!!). This location provides some of the more specialty birds of the county. Winter brings Rough-legged Hawks, Snowy Owls, Horned Larks and Harriers that can be a dime a dozen. Lapland Longspurs and Short-eared Owls at the right times can be almost guaranteed. A Gyrfalcon last fall/winter proves this region holds goodies. I spent a good chunk of winter on Linwood’s country roads, but I’d be interested to see what birds linger throughout the rest of the year.

Snowy Owl

Hespeler Mill Pond

If you’re looking for a location with minimal walking, a peaceful and picturesque environment and ducks, ducks, shorebirds and ducks, Hespeler Mill Pond produces. I managed to pick up a Stilt Sandpiper, Canvasback, Cackling Goose and both scaup here. An American Avocet was an exciting kickoff twitch to the shorebird season in early July. As more of an aside, I thoroughly enjoyed kayaking through this location throughout late summer and early fall. 

Double-crested Cormorants, October evening

Sandhill Crane, April morning

The truth is, every stretch of Waterloo County holds something special for someone and some bird. Numbers aside, I’ve enjoyed every moment exploring the county.  I can’t possibly include all the spots here so I’ll finish with a few more pictures below from locations spread across the region. 

Black-crowned Night-Heron coming to evening roost, Mill Race Park (Galt)

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Sudden Tract (Cambridge)

Scarlet Tanager, Steckle Woods (Kitchener)