Birdwatching

Did you know New Brunswick is home to a multitude of beautiful birds? Birdwatching is a great activity to learn more about the species that we share the river with. It can bring you closer to nature, make your reflexes quicker, improve your patience skills and lets you become a part of your local birding community.

How to get started?

•         Pay attention to your surroundings

•         Pack a pair of binoculars (optional)

•         Download these free Apps that let you identify the birds: Merlin Bird ID or eBird 

•         Bring a camera and snap some photos!

A great place to visit is the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Interpretive Centre, which is a critical stopover for migrating shorebirds. Every summer massive flocks of shorebirds journey through the Bay of Fundy from the Canadian Arctic before heading to South America. The interpretive centre may be closed due to COVID in 2021, however, the surrounding reserve is still open to the public to view one of nature’s great migrations.

While enjoying your birding outing, you could reflect on the importance of maintaining the river’s ecological integrity and how that affects the livelihood of these birds. A healthy river system allows these birds to thrive, and when the river is in distress less species return. Birds can pollinate plants, disperse seeds, and control insect populations.

Share a photo on Facebook or Instagram of you participating in this activity and tag it #celebratingthepetitcodiac for a chance to win a prize! Feeling lucky? Complete a row in our Bingo Card for extra entries.