Hillman Marsh really brought a different perspective to bird watching for me. When we got to the Marsh we didn’t really know what we were in store for. It is a somewhat small area not to far from Point Pelee National Park and well worth the visit, there is an area here that is called the Shorebird Cell and it doesn’t disappoint. We seem to get pretty lucky sometimes as when we showed up there was a surprise waiting for us. It took a little while for us to realize what we were looking at, for a while they seemed like strange waterfowl. It wasn’t until we got to see their bills that we realized and with that these are some of my first pictures using our scope.
Niagara to Hillman Marsh Drive in Time-lapse
Timing matters when birding
When we pulled into the driveway at Hillman Marsh, I was a bit surprised to find we had to pay for parking, although I understood that it is for the upkeep of the area which is quite reasonable. We will gladly continue to attend this spectacular space. The other cool part of arriving was the woman, who was the parking attendant, advised us that “the other birders were inside waiting for us.” Although I had no idea what she meant it turned out to be a very exciting day we stumbled upon.
Hillman Marsh Shorebird Cell
I really enjoyed the blind at Hillman Marsh, it had large pictures of the waterfowl that are known to have frequented or that may, it outlines the probability and different aspects to aid in identification.
Discovering the American Avocet
This is where I realized that I like ducks, they sit still for a while and hang out. They give an opportunity to admire them while they live on the water. The avocet, my goodness was it ever a melon scratcher. I mean they are the size of a duck (through the scope anyway) but the colouring was so different from anything I had seen it was frustrating trying to figure them out. Guess that is rather funny, the thing I like most is that they stay still and it was not helping in any way to identify these avocets. Patience is a virtue and it finally paid off seeing that curved beak, probably would have figured it out sooner had we gone into the blind and noticed all those useful photos.
It was nice to take in this place and watch Quen just get lost in all of these ducks. It’s not the best but I’m really glad we got the scope, it makes a place like Hillman Marsh more accessible. You can sit on one side of the shore and easily see across to the birds and some of the photos we took with it turned out ok.
Exploring the life at Hillman Marsh
Just walking around this place you can find life everywhere. I saw several of these turtles but this one crossed my path so I took a photo of it. Can spot the occasional frog as well.
Ran into a lot of birds here but snapped a few photos of a downy woodpecker.
I think we’ve been back to Hillman at least three times since we found this beautiful gem. There is so much to offer and I cannot imagine a time, when in the area that we would not stop there. They have done such a spectacular job of creating a welcoming environment, without intruding on the wildlife.
Swallows are amazing birds
One of my favourite birds so far has been the swallows. I just love the way they fly and that they spend so much time on the wing. They even eat and drink while flying, absolutely incredible. Below are Barn Swallows and Tree Swallows.
Swallows on the Wing
eBird checklist
Excellent spring birding, unique shorebird habitat with viewing blind, visitor centre, 4.5 km marsh trail.
Conservation Areas – Essex Region Conservation