Blackwell Blitz, Autumn 2026

 I have been thinking lately about how much I enjoy birding on my way to work, from Wyoming to Sarnia.  There are a few destinations that create the foundation of my nature experience.  I realized that most of them centre around Blackwell Rd. and Blackwell Sideroad.  I have researched the history a bit and have come to learn that the road has been named after Thomas Blackwell, who arrived from England in 1857 and helped to manage the expanding Grand Trunk Railway system, and was the General Manager from 1858 to 1862.  The railway built a stop just west of Blackwell Sideroad , freight trains used this stop to load gravel from a local northern pit.  In 1877 a passing train sparked a fire that destroyed the original station building, workers later replaced it with a smaller structure.  The stop served as a flag stop for passengers until service ended in 1952.  Crews converted the old railway line into the Howard Watson Nature Trail.  Blackwell Rd and Blackwell sideroad intersect at the old Blackwell Train station., or where it used to be..  I will definitely have to include this trail in my nature adventures in the future!

Coming from home in Wyoming, I travel along Churchill Line west towards Telfer Rd. just past Golden Alexanders Native plant nursery turn right into Perch Creek Habitat Management Area.  It is a 200 acre property that includes floodplain and upland forest, hedge rows, open meadow and wetlands.  It has over 5 km of trails and has 3 wonderful Oak trees at an intersection that are known for inviting mixed flocks of songbirds during migration.  You can link to the Old Sarnia Landfill through a trail, but I usually drive right onto Blackwell sideroad to enter this former landfill.  This area was used by the City of Sarnia for waste disposal over 30 years ago.  It has been rehabilitated into areas for hiking, but the City still does maintenance work.  The elevation is very good for grassland species such as Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper, Vesper, Savannah and Clay coloured sparrow.  This area is also good for insects especially butterflies, also has ticks. It is a popular dog walking spot and people walk their dogs off leash.

Continuing on Blackwell Sideroad, north towards London Line, continue til you get to Wawanosh Wetlands.  This is a premier birding hotspot with 3.5 m of hiking trails that wind along a provincially  significant marsh and includes a large pond as well as smaller marsh areas.  This area connects to Suncor Nature Way which is a 1.5 km section of the Bluewater trails system.  It has wetlands as well as prairie ecosystem.  At times many birds can be observed on the bridge connecting the two areas.  

Blackwell Trails park is a 3 km long nature trail system which is also part of the Bluewater Trails system that meanders through treed zones, open grassy areas which is good for sparrows and other grassland species as well as a pond that at times has interesting visitors such as Common Loon and American Coot.  The location was previously used for waste disposal and a methane gas collection and burning system is operated as needed.  The south pond is heated in the winter which provides open water for overwintering waterfowl.   This area is also great for butterflies.  It is just off of  Blackwell Sideroad.

Last but definitely not least is Camp Saradeca.  This property is owned by the City and is used for a summer camp. It is a wonderful spot with a small woodlot that you can walk through to observe woodland species then enter into a large grassy field with woodland surrounding.  If you walk the perimeter you can be met with the calls of Blue Headed Vireo or Rose Breasted Grosbeak.  It is indeed one of my favourite spots as you can visit a variety of habitats in less than an hour.  Camp Saradeca is on Blackwell Rd just before Telfer (for me coming from Wyoming, I take Waterworks to Lakeshore S to Telfer and turn left than right onto Blackwell Rd.)  

This past week in my early morning trips as well as last weekend I did these trails.  Fall migration is underway and I did see some of the usual suspects, but we did have a rainy week so not so productive.  I will continue to bird here, throwing in some Canatara Park, Germain Park, Centennial Park and possibly some other locations depending on where my old CRV guides me.  Come on out with me sometime, I'm usually at my morning location by 7:30 am for an hour, longer on the weekends.  Can't wait to see and hear what we discover together!

Trip report