Posted at 11:30 a.m.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The Cap-Tourmente national reserve was created in 1978 to protect an American bulrush marsh. The greater snow goose particularly appreciates the root of this plant and therefore frequents the region during its great migration in spring and fall. The reserve’s interpretation center allows you to familiarize yourself with this great journey between the Arctic and New Jersey.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The richness of Cap-Tourmente is not limited to its ecosystem. History is also in the spotlight. This is how the Maison de la Petite-Ferme was built around 1664, on the remains of a building erected by Samuel de Champlain in 1626. Previously, the site had been frequented by generations of Aboriginal people.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Several entertainment activities await visitors. In the morning, in particular, biologists proceed with the ringing of birds captured using large nets, as part of a research project on the migration of passerines. Laurent Bédard attaches a ring to the leg of each bird and writes a unique code in North America.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Vincent Moreau introduces visitors to the newly ringed birds and explains how to identify them or determine their age. Thus, the younger a bird, the more pointed its tail feathers. Not all birds like to be handled, even within the same species, some individuals are more susceptible than others, says Moreau.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The Cap-Tourmente reserve is home to more than 180 species of birds, 30 species of mammals and 700 species of plants. Not bad for a small territory of 23 km2. Since the start of their project in August, the biologists have already ringed 4,618 birds of 74 different species.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Michel Juteau, passionate about birds, observes a bald eagle perched on a cape at the edge of the wildlife reserve.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
It is not easy to identify a raptor. Fortunately, a large table next to the raptor observatory gives an idea of the details to observe to make an identification. Powerful wings? A flared tail? It could be an eagle. Slightly shorter wings? A buzzard.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The greater snow geese stop over at Cap Tourmente in spring and fall. This last season has a huge advantage over spring: sumptuous colors. If the geese are shy, you can turn to the side of the escarpment and its colorful forests.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Large cliffs welcome peregrine falcons in spring and early summer to nest there. The peregrine falcon is one of the species at risk that frequent the reserve, like the bobolink and the short-eared owl. In autumn, the peregrine falcon has finished its nesting, but it can still be observed occasionally.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The Cap-Tourmente reserve has no less than 20 km of hiking trails. Some run along marshes where you can observe ducks, others go deep into the forests. You can meet the black bear there. Better to make a little noise to avoid surprising him. The bear doesn’t really like surprises.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The trails give access to beautiful lookouts in height. The more adventurous can take the famous Caps trail. But it is not necessary to go so far: the belvedere on the cliff allows Nathalie Dallaire and Julie Mercier to admire the river and the eastern tip of Île d’Orléans.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
In the marshes, the trails follow large boardwalks. One of them, the Bois-sent-bon trail, leads to the shore of the St. Lawrence River. We begin to hear the great snow geese scolding each other. They are not always very visible, but they are certainly very audible.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
At the observation post, telescopes allow you to look closely at the birds that frequent this section of the shore of the St. Lawrence. Today you can see gulls, a large number of black ducks and, finally, greater snow geese. These rest between two long stages of their migration.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
The number of geese varies from day to day: 49,300 two days ago, 31,500 yesterday, 17,000 today. Tomorrow ? Who knows ? Leaving the Cap-Tourmente reserve, loud cries can be heard above the shore: a huge flock of snow geese is making its entrance, with hundreds and hundreds of individuals. Good. Definitely will have to come back.