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Binocular Birds
Scanning the Hillsborough horizon can be
a rewarding pastime for birdwatching enthusiasts.
The rich estuarine environment supports
a wide variety of resident species, and
the river's strategic location on Atlantic
migration routes ensures a steady stream
of visiting waterfowl:
• Sure-bet sightings of the Common
Tern can be made at the abandoned Hillsborough
River bridge piers between Charlottetown
and Stratford. Great Blue Herons can be
seen foraging all along the river's banks.
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Partridge
and Goose: Hunting on the Hillsborough
Smack dab in the middle of the
Atlantic flyway, the tidal flats
and marshy banks of the Hillsborough
River are a natural magnet to
migrating waterfowl. Flock upon
flock of Canada Geese begins
arriving in late September,
just in time for hunters to
head to their blinds for the
early October - mid-December
hunting season. (Check Canadian
federal hunting regulations
for species-specific restrictions
and bag limits on ducks and
geese.) Small game hunting is
also popular throughout the
watershed. Set your sights on
ruffed grouse, woodcock, Hungarian
partridge, snowshoe hare, fox,
coyote and raccoon.
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• Waterfowl are abundant in the river's
sheltered wetlands and bays. Species include
Black Duck, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Pintail,
Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Green-winged
Teal, Gadwall, Wood Duck, and Red-breasted,
Hooded and Common Merganser.
• Canada Geese thrive on the eelgrass,
mudflats, grain and potato fields, marshland
and estuary of the river.
• Occasional sightings can be made
of Bufflehead, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Snow
Goose, Common Eider and Eurasian Wigeon.
• Raptor species include Great Horned
Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Barred Owl,
Northern Goshawk, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Merlin
and more rarely, American Kestrel.
Ice Fishing
Adventure
With its combination of freshwater and saltwater,
the Hillsborough offers multiple blessings
to the recreational angler. In summer, cold
springwater from the streams, tributaries
and ponds of the upper river provide an
ideal habitat for brook and rainbow trout.
In the estuary, finfish such as American
shad, gaspereau, mackerel, stickleback and
striped bass, as well as shellfish such
as oysters, mussels and soft-shelled clams,
can all be found.
But for a truly northern angling adventure,
consider joining the colourful ice fishing
community that converges on the frozen,
mid-winter Hillsborough. Simple, snug wooden
shacks are towed out to shelter fishing
holes drilled down through thick ice to
the open water below. Shielded from the
winter winds in their cosy cabins, patient
ice fishers are rewarded with catches of
smelts, winter flounder, tomcod and silversides.
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