Water Access Only!
Bald Eagles
It has been decades since Bald Eagles nested on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario. In fact, by the early 1980s, mostly as a result of widespread use of the pesticide DDT, there were only four active nests in all of the Great Lakes. That equals approximately 15 surviving birds. The species was all but locally extinct.
Nowadays, with the effects of DDT behind us — it was phased out beginning in the early 1970s — and with serious conservation efforts, the Bald Eagle has made a comeback. There are now 31 active nests on the Great Lakes, and another 30 on lakes north of 49th parallel. But there has not been a single successful nest on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario. Until now!
Bald Eagles have overwintered in Cootes Paradise at Royal Botanical Gardens for the last few years. In 2008 a pair stayed for the entire summer — which lead our conservation staff to believe that the time was right for a pair to settle in and call Cootes their own. This means building a nest, laying eggs, raising young and becoming a highly visible and inspirational symbol of why we need to think green and save the environment for generations to come.
Royal Botanical Gardens has the perfect environment to convince Bald Eagles to settle in. These large predators need at least 100 hectares of undisturbed forest to nest and roost, plus an adjacent 50 hectares of wetlands to allow them to catch fish. We have it all right here, and on March 22 and 23, 2013, the first eaglets to hatch on the Canadian shoreline of Lake Ontario in over 50 years, broke free of their eggs: a testament to the environmental restoration work that has taken place at RBG and Burlington Bay.
Burlington Bay Paddling Turtle (Geo-Art)
This Geocache is not at the Posted Coordinates. Read the description below, in order to obtain the final coordinates for this Geocache.
Did you know, with the addition of the Midland Painted Turtle earlier in the year, all of Ontario’s Turtles are now on the Canadian “Species at Risk” list. If you’re lucky, you may even see one as you paddle around to these caches.
This series of caches was placed by a kayak. The put in and take out coordinates have been provided at each end of this water trail. Caches range in size, from a nasty silver nano, to a small twist top container. Please read the hints, if you require assistance. I have tried to keep them specific, as I would prefer that all these caches are found. (I bet you wold prefer the same) All micro containers, have “Rite in the Rain” paper, so they should withstand the wet environment well, but you are welcome to replace (or add) a logbook if necessary.
Please be cautious of the wind speed and changing weather, as a storm can blow up quickly here creating waves that may easily swamp a small watercraft. Also be aware of large watercraft on the bay, although most operate further away from shore. You will also likely cross the training path of the Hamilton Rowing Club, these crafts move quickly.
In many cases, the geocaches are hidden overhanging a very shallow beach area, and depending on the water level, you may have to exit your watercraft to reach the cache, although most caches were hidden from the comfort of a kayak.
I hope you enjoy this series of caches, I placed them on three separate evenings, and saw an abundance of wildlife, including many large water birds.
On another note, since the area is so steep, I did my best to average the coordinates, however if you find the coordinates off, please feel free to post the coordinates where you found the geocache. This will not offend me.
Most importantly, enjoy your paddle, the thriving bird population, and all the sights and sounds of the Burlington Bay.
Bring a Camera, you will get lots of opportunities to see Water Birds, that are both rare and common to the area. During my paddle, I was lucky enough to see: Bald Eagles, Osprey, Great Egrets, Egrets, Green Backed Herons, Black Crown Night Herons, Great Blue herons, American Bitterns, Cormorants, Caspian Terns, a number of shore birds, and a wide variety of both puddle and diving ducks. I’m sure your experience will by just as good, if not better than mine.
Coordinates for the final location, can be found on this page.
BTW, there is a difference between Burlington Bay, and Hamilton Harbour. Hamilton Harbour, refers to the (Man made) shipping port in the city of Hamilton, where the large lakers carry materials in and out of Hamilton. Burlington Bay, refers to the natural waterbody, that includes the Hamilton Harbour.
Enjoy your Paddle!