Open Water

Grand River and Pioneer Tower at Doon, Ontario

It is snowing tonight and the ground is bright and clean again after the messy thaw. The waterways are still running ice free and it will take an extended cold snap to freeze over the fast flowing currents. My daughter and I walked a high trail today and watched the ducks and geese hurtling down the river in the high water. Protected areas near small islands were crowded with waterfowl of all descriptions.

There are a number of municipal water treatment plants along the Grand River. In the winter the water near them generally stays open because of the treated water that is discharged in the area. These sections of the river are great for birding and our winter visitors like Buffleheads, Mergansers, and Goldeneyes as well as the usual Mallards, Canada Geese, Black Ducks, Gulls and Kingfishers feed in the warmer water. Muskrats and other water animals are frequently seen as well. In several nearby towns, sewage lagoons are good birding locations during spring and fall migration. The above photo shows geese feeding from the edge of the ice at our closest water treatment facility.

Chickadees love peanuts too

Birds continuously adapt to environmental changes caused by humans. Most of the time, we focus on change that impacts nature in a negative way. Our river is far cleaner that it was twenty or thirty years ago. When I moved to this city in 1970, it was commonly said that downstream communities drank our sewage. While the water quality of sections of the Grand River close to Lake Erie still need to be improved, pollution controls seem to be working in the right direction.

In the winter, many birds rely on our help to survive. From the water treatment plants to backyard feeding stations, woodlots and green spaces our cities can help support a healthy wildlife population.

Mourning Dove waiting for a turn at the feeder