Nature’s finest spectacle now playing at a New Brunswick wetland near you!

A sure sign of autumn is the sound of birds overhead making their way south. Along their migration routes, ducks and geese have staging areas where they rest and fuel up in preparation for the flight. In New Brunswick, many of these staging areas have been worked on by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and its conservation partners to improve habitat for waterfowl and increase viewing opportunities for people.

“Habitat conditions were very good for breeding waterfowl in Atlantic Canada,” said DUC biologist Andrew MacInnis in Fredericton. “Right now people will be seeing a lot of local breeding birds such as black ducks, wood ducks and mallards moving through. Depending on the weather, migration will typically peak in late October to mid-November.”

While most waterfowl will leave New Brunswick in late fall, large numbers of sea ducks, common eider in particular, over winter in the Bay of Fundy. Across Canada, waterfowl populations are up over last year due to better water conditions in primary breeding areas.

The following are DUC recommended hot spots for migration viewing. They are located within a one to two hour drive from New Brunswick’s larger urban centres. These areas are among the 294 wetland habitat conservation projects DUC has completed in New Brunswick:

Sackville area:

Upper Bay of Fundy - NS / NB border Sackville Waterfowl Park
Fort Beausejour Marsh Tantramar Marsh
Traditional waterfowl staging areas and migration stops.

Fredericton area:

Mount Ararat Wildlife Management Area, Gagetown Island
DUC has a long history in this area with two projects that is a major migration stop for waterfowl.

Acadian Peninsula:

Tabusintac River/Lagoon
A coastal area used by waterfowl for centuries.

Northumberland Strait:

Baie Verte
A major fall staging area for Canada Geese and black ducks. Large flocks of blue-winged teal might be seen staging on the DUC wetland right in the village of Baie Verte.

Fundy National Park:

Shepody Bay
DUC manages large freshwater marshes in this area that support migrating and staging waterfowl. Germantown Marsh, Calhoun Marsh, New Horton Marsh and the many acres of salt marsh close by are the best places to view the ducks.

Visit DUC’s Migration Station for quick facts.

For 65 Years, DUC has been conserving, restoring and managing wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. In addition to providing critical habitat to waterfowl and other wildlife, wetlands act as natural water filters that remove pollutants from drinking water.

About DUC

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