Montée Biggar
Montée Biggar - Godmanchester, Quebec
Located in south-western Quebec, the property is Bird Protection Quebec’s latest acquisition, having been purchased on August 13, 2018. It is made up of approximately 87 acres of mixed habitat along the north-east side of Montée Biggar.
This newly protected property is located north-west of the city of Huntingdon, Quebec in the municipality of Godmanchester. Montée Biggar runs north-west between Ridge Road and 4e Rang and is approximately 2.25 kilometers in length. The property has a rich and diverse habitat consisting of a mixed closed canopy forest, scrubland and open fields, with a small stream running through it.
Montée Biggar is one of the best known birding spot in south-western Quebec with hundreds of birding enthusiasts visiting the road each year. In 2018, 124 species of birds were recorded on this property. E-Bird reports for the last 10 years show no less than 174 species reported here. It is perhaps best known as having favourable habitat for both the Golden-winged Warbler and the hybrid Brewster’s Warbler. Many interesting species have been found breeding on the site, including Eastern Towhee, Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Field Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow and Black-billed Cuckoos, as well as numerous species of warblers
The sanctuary is an eBird hotspot. To see the complete list of species which have been reported, go to https://ebird.org/hotspot/L916036
Montée Biggar is a gravel road that is accessible to the public throughout the spring, summer and fall. The road is closed during the winter months. There are presently no marked trails on the property so it is recommended to remain on the road itself. Land management plans will be developed over the next few years that may result in the creation of a limited number of trails. However, there is a very high tick presence, as well as wild parsnip, prickly ash, poison ivy, and more – all good reasons to stay on the road.
A Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program, a continent-wide initiative of The Institute for Bird Populations, was run at the site for five years from June to July to monitor bird populations. This program monitors the populations of breeding birds using bird banding to determine the breeding status of individuals and, by recapturing birds previously banded, to track individuals over time. The MAPS project has been a crucial part of gathering data towards the creation of a conservation plan for the property.
The site is a known breeding location for Golden-winged Warblers in Quebec. With support from the Fondation de la faune du Québec, gates have been installed at the sanctuary to prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering the property and disturbing the warblers’ nesting habitat.
A conservation plan for the site, and in particular the shrubland that is essential habitat for the Golden-winged Warbler, has been created with the financial support of the Fondation de la faune du Québec, and input from QuébecOiseaux and Nature Conservancy of Canada. This plan guides our stewardship of the property.
