I think one of the main reasons that I started a Blog was to document my Birding and Kayaking travails in and around Windsor Ontario!
Finally, I have created a map of the hotspots that are just absolute Gems in our area. Below I provide a map with 16 or so locations (click the image to see a larger image). Lets list them out!
www.ojibway.ca
2- River Canard in Lasalle - Awesome Kayaking opportunity and as with most waterways, birding as well.
Click Here for Google Map
3- Lasalle Park on Malden Road - Has an awesome kayak launch and great waterways with islands in the Detroit River. This was one of my funnest kayaking outings last summer. Great water birds to see.
Click here for google Map
4-Amherstburg Kayakers Cove- A newly created kayak lauch near Texas Road. It was really cool to go, but the currents are suprisingly strong. I would recommend going against the current fir teh first half of your trip, then *go with the flow* on the way back.
Google Map
5- Big Creek Amherstburg - An incredibly huge and wild wetland. I tried to kayak this, you have to really love kayaking. There was *too much* vegitation by the time I tried to kayak this in 2009. I think it was *buggy* as well. Birding was incredible though. (Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Eagles, Waxwings).
Google Map
6- Cedar Creek - Hands down the most gorgeous waterway Ive kayaked. Incredible! Drop your kayak near the ERCA kayak drop near the bridge on Arner Town Line.(Herons, Egrets, Kingfishers, Eagles, Waxwings, ducks, swans, sandpipers, turtles, butterflies, incredible!). Google Map
7- Sturgeon Creek- On the way to Point Pelee, you cross a bridge. That is Sturgeon Creek. I have not yet birded or kayaked this ... YET.
8- Point Pelee - A yearly summer mecca for me. You can rent a canoe here and it is just heavenly. Birding is world class. Google Map for 7, 8,9,10
9- Hilmann Marsh - The *other half* of Point Pelee. Very nice to bird and kayak. I saw wood ducks, terns, herons, frogs, snakes, hawks and even Yellow Warbler easily here.
10- Wheatly Park - Never been there, but I will in the summer of 2010.
11- Rondeau Park - Birded this park in Sept 2009. Just beautiful. As good as Point Pelee and maybe better in some ways. I did not kayak this park.
12- Pinery Park - Did not go yet. Google Map
13- St Clair Nature Wetland Reserve - Just birding here. Least terns and yellow headed blackbirds in breeding season. I went once and found it in utter disrepair. Someone cut the Phragmites!
14- Belle River - Never Kayaked it but heard it was really nice.
15- Peche Island - Next to Lilly Kazillies, there is a Kayakers Cove Launch. This is the closest and best kayaking you can do in Windsor. Kayaking is breathtaking once you go *into* Peche Island. Absolutely incredible. (Note: There is a new Ganatcho Trail Park with a waterway that had impressive birding... I only stumbled on this in the fall but saw Green Herons, GBH, and Great Egrets easily. Pretty impressive!)
16- Magee Marsh in Ohio is not shown here, but I would love to go in late March in 2010... I will go! Birding only as far as I know. I have read this is almost as good, if not better then Point Pelee in May. Google Map
Thank you very much for this list. I am new to the area and want to get into kayaking, so this has given me some great ideas.
ReplyDeleteAny updates, we just bought kayaks and looking for advice
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I kayak every summer in the Pelee Marsh, but I've been renting them as I sold my kayak a while back. I would suggest Cedar Creek off Arner Town Line as the single best place to take a kayak out. If you are confident, and winds are low, try Peche Island from Kayakers Cove. You will be amazed. Hope this helps.
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