Second Marsh Wetlands in Oshawa, Ontario

Second Marsh Wetlands

The Second Marsh Wildlife Area is a protected wetland that is located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a very popular bird watching area as there are 305 bird species found at the marsh (106 of which breed there), amongst other wildlife.

A wooden board walk winds through the wet area and is a great spot to hand feed black-capped chickadees, downy woodpeckers, and nuthatches. the best time to try hand feeding them is in the fall, winter, and spring, when there is less food for them. In the late spring and summer those particular birds are a lot harder to find let alone hand feed them. There's plenty of other food for them during that time that they are more interested in.

Hand feeding a downy woodpecker and chickadees.

Hand feeding a white-breasted nuthatch.

The dryer parts of the marsh has longer trails that you can also ride a bike on. There are various mammals that inhabit the marsh, such as white-tailed deer, coyote, possum, mink, otter, and more. They are easier to spot early in the morning or at dusk.

The trails also lead to a more private beach area of Lake Ontario. Also, Darlington Provincial Park is connected the the marsh lands, and there is a pathway that leads in to. 

Be sure to visit Second Marsh, it is 123 hectares of beautiful, coastal wetland to explore.

Map of Second Marsh

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