An ideal spot for bird viewing
American avocet (Photo by NCC)
The Chaplin-Old Wives-Reed Lake area in southwestern Saskatchewan has always been my ideal location for bird viewing, and especially for shorebirds — my favourite group of birds to watch! Abundant American avocets, sanderlings, sandpipers, godwits, killdeer, curlews and willets stage or stop here, and the endangered piping plover nests and may be easily viewed here.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada's Reed Lake area is also personally significant, as a few years back I helped with the official designation of the Chaplin-Old Wives-Reed Lake area as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network with hemispheric significance — the highest designation of this sort on the western hemisphere. Hemispheric significance means the area hosts at least 500,000 shorebirds annually!
It is also important to note is the area’s Important Bird Area designation, as well.
All in all, the Chaplin and Reed Lakes area is a wonderful place to visit and shorebird-watch.
About the Author
Sharon Rodenbush is the manager of communications for the Saskatchewan Region.
