Gardeners often like to attract birds to their back yards.
But there are other places to view their feathered friends, and the Grand River watershed has an amazing variety of hiking and cycling trails that are used by thousands of residents and visitors in all four seasons.
And, officials at the GRCA have noted, avid birders know the trails are places to discover the more than 290 species of birds that either nest along the Grand River or pass through during spring and fall migration.
From the Luther Marsh Bootlegger Trail in the north, to Ruthven Park national historic site’s Riverside Trail in the south, the Grand’s trails and birding opportunities are second to none in Ontario.
To help novice hikers and birders discover the trails this summer, the Grand River Country tourism alliance has just completed its Trails Take Flight brochure and accompanying website.
They will introduce you to 20 of the best birding trails in the Grand River Watershed.
Information on the trails and bird species to be seen were scouted by the Guelph Field Naturalists, and the website was developed with a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. The website features interactive trail maps, and includes descriptive text and photos about each trail and the birds you may there.
To discover birding trails this summer, check them online at www.grandrivercountry.com/trails.
