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Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle May 2, 2006 |
In his book Birding in Metro Halifax (Nimbus, 1996), Clarence Stevens identifies the factors that produce a great location to watch birds, and consequently, the factors that make my location, Nova Scotia, "one of the best birding locations on the continent." Stevens' big four are:
Coastline - many birds only occur along the coast, and rare birds that are blown off course and/or lost over the ocean may come ashore.
Mixed woodland at the junction of hardwood forest and boreal forest - the birds of both of these forests intermingle here.
Location along a bird migratory flyway. Take a look at a map of North American flyways. (See my upcoming article on International Migratory Bird Day).
Large sheltered arms of the sea, such as Halifax Harbour, which keep the air temperature warmer in winter.
Stevens also points out that those rare lost birds will be attracted to plants that they recognize as sources of food, so if you grow exotic plants in your garden, you may become the unexpected host of an exotic bird (and if word gets out, a steady stream of bird enthusiasts).