LOCATION
MAP

The Parc du Moulin is a curiosity in that it is probably the smallest provincially administered park in the country and not even a nature park but rather a "Historical Park", managed by the Quebec Ministry of Culture It is beautifully situated, with some great birding and quite stunning views down the river to Montreal, at the extreme eastern tip of Ile Perrot. To reach it take the autoroute 20 from Montreal, cross the Gallipeau Bridge at St-Anne-de-Bellevue and then turn left at the second set of traffic lights after the bridge - you will see a road lined with car dealerships, hard to miss. This road takes you the full length of the island and runs out of steam at the park entrance. For some strange reason known only to the bureaucrats, the park gates and the parking lot are only open for three or four months in high summer but the park is so small that for the rest of the year (the best time for birding) you can just park in the road outside and walk in …….. you can circumnavigate the whole park on foot in 20 minutes, so this is not a great imposition. Regrettably, in mid-summer there is a charge for entry and costumed historical re-enactors will not understand that you only want to see birds, but don't let that put you off going.

The main feature of the park is, of course, the stone windmill out in full view on a point of landbetween two shallow bays. The northern bay to the left of the windmill is perhaps the most interesting, being quite sheltered and lined by extensive reed beds. In the spring at ice break-up and in the fall just before the ice reforms this bay is a fine place to view almost any species of duck that you care to name. Along with a few small bays (Valois Bay for example) on the southern shore of Montreal island visible across the river this spit of land provides a great R&R spot for migrating wildfowl at either end of the year. Loons can be seen most seasons.

Amongst the reeds you can almost always find several Great Blue Herons while out in the river are a few rocky outcroppings covered in Cormorants and Gulls.

The park is a mixture of open fields set out as demonstration plots for the growing of historic varieties of wheat (much loved by Snow Buntings in winter) and mixed woodland which attracts some of the first Red-winged Blackbirds to return in the spring while Warblers, shorebirds, Shrike, Waxwings etc are commonly seen.

If you are lucky cruising hawks are not infrequent visitors if you look up. Ile Perrot allows migrating hawks to cross the St. Lawrance river with the minimum exposure to open water and hawk migration routes are thus funnelled across the island, albeit not necessarily over the windmill point itself. Look out in the fields alongside the road as you drive to and from the park.

To the left of the park is a dirt road leading to some smart riverside houses and an area of scrub land (probably destined to be someone's garden in years to come) which is worth a visit as it allows you to get very close to the water in a part of the bay favoured by some of the more interesting birds. To one side of this road there used to be a dense, thickety area much frequented by smaller songbirds but sadly now cleared to provide an extension to the adjacent golf course …… not a good thing.

Other than the birds this is a favourite spot for al fresco picnics and on summer weekends students are paid to dress up like 17th century rustics and play at being millers and farmers for the general education of the public. This is a really nice spot to visit even on bad bird days. At midnight on New Year's Eve 1999/2000, up to our waists in fresh snow, the view downriver to the fireworks 20km away on Mont Royal was stunning - though birding was a little limited !.

Away from the windmill there are a number of interesting spots around the shoreline of the island and some open areas and woodland in the centre that are worth checking out - especially the small bay on the south shore by the church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile-Perrot. Returning to the main 'strip" near the autoroute the road (Blvd. Don Quichotte) drops down a steep escarpment with scenic views of car dealerships laid out before you. Just before this slope on the left look for signs to a company by name of Sani-Vac. This august enterprise empties the septic tanks of Montreal and pumps much of the "stuff" it collects into lagoons behind their depot - needless to say this attracts some most interesting birds. Worth a look.