Why Sauble Beach is a Bird Watcher’s Paradise

Why Sauble Beach is a Bird Watcher’s Paradise

Sauble Beach is located on the Bruce Peninsula, which is an extension of the Niagara Escarpment. The peninsula reaches into Lake Huron for approximately 100kilometres, dividing the lake from Georgian Bay.

While most vacationers visit the townships nearby for their sandy beaches, beautiful forests, and crystal-clear, azure-coloured waters, a growing population is heading to the area to satiate a once-unique pastime — bird watching.

Birdwatching is becoming an increasingly popular hobby. In fact, in Canada, people spend more time birdwatching than they do gardening, and in a report titled National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, it was found that 20% of the U.S. population list birdwatching as being an interest. In the United Kingdom, 32% of men aged 16 to 25 have been birding — thwarting the conception that birdwatching is exclusively enjoyed by older generations.

A stay on the Bruce Peninsula should be on the bucket list for all birdwatching enthusiasts. There are accommodations scattered plentifully across the peninsula that cater to vacation goers year-round. Sauble Beach is a great home base, and it’s easy to find Sauble Beach cottages for rent from RentCottage.com. On this site, there is a vast selection of accommodations for various party sizes. They also offer location-specific information so visitors can maximize their stay when not out birding.

Here are just a few reasons that Sauble Beach and the Bruce Peninsula is sure to captivate bird watching aficionados.

It’s a Corridor for Several Species

The peninsula is a corridor for many northern migratory birds. This is due to the lesser-known fact that some birds (like eagles) prefer to avoid vast bodies of water, so they follow the land of the peninsula from its southern towns to the tip of the mainland and beyond. Furthermore, many birds travel at night and rest on the peninsula during daylight hours.

Year-Round Opportunities Abound

Those visiting the area are more than likely to glimpse a wide variety of birds regardless of the month or season for several reasons: different species have different migratory patterns, some species winter on the peninsula and others choose to nest there during their mating season in the spring.

Another boon to the area is its array of terrain. In addition to cliffs and beaches, the Bruce Peninsula boasts vast forests and open prairie-like fields.

Species You May Spot

  • Winter — During the winter months, the majestic bald eagle resides on the peninsula.
  • Spring — red-necked grebes descend in their masses on Dyer’s Bay, and migratory hawks can be seen swooping through the skies on the peninsula’s tip.
  • Early Summer — black-throated northern parula, yellow-rumped warblers and black-throated green warblers’ nest in the wooded areas of the land.
  • Spring through Summer —piping plovers (an endangered species) spend their breeding season on the Sauble Beach shoreline. Local conservationists have gone to great lengths to protect these tiny shorebirds from predators and humans by covering nests with protective cage-like structures and blocking beach areas from beachgoers.

Other species that have been spotted during the winter months include golden eagle on the cliffs of the peninsula, wild turkey, a variety of herons, long-tailed ducks, snowy owls, and bohemian waxwings.

Birdwatching Activities

The area is very supportive of visitors who enjoy birdwatching. There are numerous look-out points by the water’s edge (ideal for spotting hawks and eagles). The area even hosts an annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in a local Provincial Park every spring.

If you’ve been deciding on your next birdwatching adventure, the Bruce Peninsula is sure to delight. In addition to ample birdwatching opportunities in breathtaking locations, the area has a wonderful selection of hiking trails, beaches (with watersports!) and numerous dining options.

Author: SARA