hillman marsh conservation area

We were travelling along the South Shore of Essex County on our own little tour of some of the local wineries during a week in the Leamnington area. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Hillman Marsh and then walked one of the trails. The entire conservation area is very well maintained by the Essex Region Conservation Authority. It's a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon.

The conservation area was a pleasant surprise! Compared to Point Pelee it is very quiet and peaceful, still we were able to spot many birds, which was great! The facilities are well maintained! Don't miss it, you won't be disappointed.

If you bird at Pelee and don't include Hillman you will have missed a great experience. The marsh is an attractor for thousands of water birds transiting north, and from April onward it is typically teeming with species after species. This year I dropped by for two hours and was rewarded with American Avocets, Dunlins, Black Bellied Plovers, and many many others. Flying over was a Yellow Headed Blackbird and right near the parking lot was a Pronothary Warbler. At Hillman, a spotting scope is invaluable.

This is a great place for water and shore birds. Good binoculars and Bird book are a must. Take a scope if you can or ask to see through someone else's .

Parking is limited - we had trouble getting our RV in but it is nice marsh with a viewing blind and wide trails. There are some interesting species here - black-bellied plovers and peregrine falcon - which make it a good stop if you are a nature lover looking to stretch your legs.