Massive flocks return to Danville’s Burbank Pond

Every fall, great chattering masses of geese gather and swirl like leaves on the fields before cutting a wake across our skies.

This past weekend, cars lined up at the entrance to Parc de l’étang Burbank in Danville for the 17th edition of the Festival des oiseaux migrateurs. The event celebrates the ecological richness of Burbank Pond and the spectacular annual return of the migrating flocks.

The three-day programme included sunrise walks for experienced birdwatchers and curious newcomers, daytime activities for children and families, in addition to talks, workshops, cultural events and concerts focused on the park and its wildlife.

L’union québécoise de réhabilitation des oiseaux de proies offered visitors an opportunity to observe a live owl and falcon from mere feet away. Denis Cloutier spoke on the pond’s dragonflies and damselflies, including one species which may be unique to the region.

Benjamin Laramée, president of Les amis de l’étang Burbank, was particularly pleased by the festival’s return this year after COVID-19 restrictions put the event on hiatus in 2020.

Laramée was proud to report 59 separate wildlife species were observed during this year’s festival, including daily counts of Canada Geese in the 1,500 range and upwards of 300 Snow Geese.

This is, of course, was just a drop in the bucket compared to the flood of Snow Geese expected over the coming weeks. Laramée says that each season opens with the return of Canada Geese, but their numbers are dwarfed when two to three weeks later, daily Snow Goose counts predictably climb into the 25,000 to 40,000 range.

Last year, the Snow Goose migration peaked on Nov. 10 with a top daily count of 70,000. On ebird.org, the highest Snow Goose count recorded at Burbank Pond was 100,000 on Nov. 19, 2016. The record Canada Goose count was logged at 50,000 on Oct. 11, 2014.

Laramée laughs as he answers, no, this does not mean someone is standing on a tower counting birds all day. Counts of this magnitude are calculated using photo analysis software.

While the teeming spectacle over the next few weeks is a yearly highlight and a great time to spend a day walking around Burbank Pond, the park remains a destination in every season.

More than 220 species of birds have been observed over the years, in addition to 19 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians, countless insects, and some 1,500 species of plants. All this within a dense 1km2 dotted with various micro-habitats.

Be sure to grab a free bag of sunflower seeds before heading off around the 8.6 km of pathways circling circle the pond with observation towers and wooded benches. Although feeding the migratory birds is not allowed, the resident chickadees, nuthatches and squirrels will be sure to let you know who those seeds are for. In winter, the paths are great for skiing or snowshoeing also. Please leave dogs and pets at home for the safety of resident wildlife.

Laramée is looking forward to a “bioblitz” scheduled for next June. In tandem with university and Cégep biologists and students, his organization will conduct a comprehensive census of the park’s biodiversity. Different teams will focus on counting mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, or plants over a 24-hour period. This will be the first bioblitz at Burbank Pond. Laramée has participated in similar citizen science studies in Quebec and Trois-riviéres and hopes to repeat the

exercise annually. Each one offers a definitive snapshot of the flora and fauna on a single day. But over time, they lay down a record that can anchor efforts to secure support for future conservation projects.

In the meantime, now is the time

to catch this year’s swelling flocks.

True lovers of this natural wonder may also look to the Réservoir-beaudet in Victoriaville or Baie-du-febvre on the south shore of Lac Saint-pierre where daily counts also reach into six figures annually.