Birds, Bug Nets, and a Lot of Coffee
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- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
Birds are especially good indicators of habitat change because many species rely on very specific environmental features to survive. When land use shifts—whether through pressures like deforestation, urbanization, wetland loss, or climate change, or through positive actions like habitat restoration, invasive species removal, or land protection—bird populations often respond quickly. Some species move in, others disappear, and the mix of birds on the landscape begins to change.
Because birds are relatively easy to observe by sight and sound, and have been monitored consistently for decades, scientists can track these changes to identify broader trends in ecosystem health. In this way, birds act as an early-warning system: when habitats change, birds respond, offering valuable clues about how a landscape is evolving.
Every spring, the birds tell us how our landscape is changing—if we’re listening.
Abbey Gardens sits on a 380-acre property in Haliburton, Ontario, and includes a remarkable diversity of habitats—from upland and lowland forests to wetlands, ponds, cultural meadows, thickets, former aggregate pits, and more urban lawn areas. As an environmental charity welcoming roughly 50,000 visitors each year, the land is used in many different ways. Hiking trails, a disc golf course, public events, summer camps, expanding infrastructure, and ongoing restoration work have all shaped the landscape since 2009. By paying close attention to how birds use these varied habitats over time, we can better understand how the land is responding to both human use and active restoration efforts.
Bird Monitoring at Abbey Gardens
On (very) early mornings in May and June, our ecology team gears up with bug nets (iykyk), binoculars, and data sheets to listen for birds calling at defined locations throughout the property. Our goal is to collect long-term monitoring data. Each year, our team records about 70 species, though we’re certain there are more waiting to be discovered!
An Open Invitation
Birds can be found all throughout Abbey Gardens, which is home to 5 km of trails spanning meadows, marshes, wetlands, and forests.
In late spring and summer, open fields around our pony paddock and event tent come alive with aerial acrobatics. Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, and Eastern Bluebirds swoop and dive for insects, often at eye level. Many take advantage of nest boxes along the paddock fenceline, while others have even cozied up inside the paddock shelter—much to the amusement of our resident ponies. During shedding season, Crows and Ravens are regular visitors too, gathering clumps of horsehair to use as nest material.
Killdeer are frequent visitors to gravelly areas, including our parking lots and the sparsely vegetated remnants of former gravel pits. Their famous “fake injury” display, performed to lure predators (or curious visitors) away from nests—never fails to entertain.
Morning hikers along forest trails experience a very different soundtrack. The melodic, almost haunting songs of Hermit Thrushes, Wood Thrushes, and Veeries echo through the woods, joined by the unmistakable, piercing call of the Ovenbird. An abundance of warbler species is present too, rewarding visitors with a discerning ear who can pick out their quick, high-pitched songs from the surrounding chorus.
As late fall gives way to winter, drifts of Snow Buntings and migratory waterfowl sweep overhead, taking advantage of the openness of our windswept landscape—a seasonal reminder that birds continue to use and respond to this land year-round.
If you spot any of these birds during your visit, consider uploading your observations to iNaturalist. Even a single sighting helps support our long-term monitoring efforts and track how restoration work is shaping bird communities over time.
Whether through casual sightings or formal surveys, every bird we record helps reveal how restoration and human activity shape the Abbey Gardens landscape year after year.
Cara Steele, Ecologist
Abbey Gardens
