MY FAVORITE PLACES IN MONTREAL |
Birds in Eastern Canada are very tame, in comparison with Europe, especially at places where
they meet humans frequently. There are several places like this in Montreal, Quebec.
The best place, in my opinion, are the Botanical Gardens. You can get there by metro, bus or car
via Sherbrook street and you can't miss it. Botanical Garden is known as one of the best places
to watch migrating warblers in spring, but it can be productive there in all seasons. At several
ponds you can find Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), American Widgeon (Anas americana), American Black
Ducks (Anas rubripes), Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis), as well as Great Blue Heron
(Ardea heroidas), and Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon). In bushes and trees several pairs
of Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and other songbirds nest. Nuthatchers, Chickadees,
Finches, Wrens are common residents too. Also a few pairs of raptors live and raise young in
this garden. And best of all, before 9 AM entrance is for free.
Another one of my favorite place in Montreal area is Nun's Island, which is only 15 minutes
far from downtown. You can go there by car or you can take a bus. This small island is
located on left shore of St. Lawrence River, thus many migrants do rest and feed here,
especially at the west side, which is unsettled. I like many types of habitats, which lay
side by side, so variety of species are present here. There is old forest, a pond and several
smaller water surfaces, several reed beds, shrubs, unforested plains, gravel, grass, and so on.
Here, spring and autumn are the best, but you can find many nesting species here, f.i. Solitary
Sandpiper on grass fields (Tringa solitaria), Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) at big pond,
Baltimore Oriole (Icteris galbula) in old forest, tens of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoenicerus)
mainly in reed, and many others. Nun's Island is also known as very good place for watching owls
in winter. Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) and Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus Asio) are quite common
here, but if you are lucky enough, you can find also Long-eared Owl (Asio otus), Boreal Owl
(Aegolius funnereus) or Barred Owl (Strix varia) here.
Yes, you are right if you think, that Algonquin, Point Pelee, Forillon, Percé Rock,
Kouchibouguac, or Fundy are much better places for bird photography, but I wouldn't
underestimate places, which are 15 minutes from your residence, because free sunny mornings
are, mainly for us, which have to work, only a few in a month, especially here in Canada
where weather is often unpredictable.
Photographs:
1. Typically tame Great Blue Heron at Botanical Garden, Montreal (Photo courtesy Monica Bubenik)
2. Male Mallard approaching me and my lens, Botanical Garden, Montreal
3. Posing male of Northern Cardinal, Botanical Garden, Montreal
4. Black-capped Chickadee waiting for sunflower seed, Nun's Island, Montreal
Bratislava; March 15, 2001
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