Codroy Valley Estuary (NF041)
Doyles, Newfoundland and Labrador
Site Description
The Codroy Valley Estuary is found in the extreme southwestern corner of the province of Newfoundland it lies just north of the Codroy Valley IBA site. The estuary is located where the Grand Codroy River flows in the Atlantic Ocean. The river broadens into an estuary up to 3 kilometres wide and 12 kilometres long (east-west). It is bounded on all sides by roads. The site includes only the open waters of the estuary up to the high tide marks on the shoreline.
The surrounding lands are gently rolling and have a humid climate and rich soil that makes for relatively favourable plant growth. There are houses and some farm fields scattered along the roads, but generally the forest edge borders the road in most of the area.
Birds
This estuary is an important breeding and staging site for numerous waterfowl species in Newfoundland. One species of waterfowl, the Canada Goose (North Atlantic B.c.canadensis population) has been recorded in continentally significant numbers. Two surveys for these geese were conducted in each of September (1984), October (1991), and November (1995). The average for all three years was 1,385 birds, which is over 1% of the North Atlantic Canada Goose population.This estuary is an important breeding and staging site for numerous waterfowl species in Newfoundland. One species of waterfowl, the Canada Goose (North Atlantic B.c.canadensis population) has been recorded in continentally significant numbers. Two surveys for these geese were conducted in each of September (1984), October (1991), and November (1995). The average for all three years was 1,385 birds, which is over 1% of the North Atlantic Canada Goose population.
Over 19 species of additional waterfowl species have been spotted in the estuary, although in less significant numbers. These include Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Lesser and Greater scaup, and Common and Red-breasted merganser. Rare ducks, such as Eurasian Wigeon and Tufted Duck, have also been sighted on occasion. This site also has the first breeding record in Newfoundland for Northern Shoveler, and is the provincial stronghold for breeding American Wigeon and Blue-winged Teal.
Finally, a pair of Piping Plovers inhabited the beach at the mouth of this estuary from 1992 to 1998. They successfully fledged young during these years.
Conservation Issues
The diversity of the waterfowl present in migration, rather than the numbers, were part of the reason Grand Codroy Estuary was designated a Ramsar wetland site in 1987.
IBA Criteria Habitats Land Uses Potential or Ongoing Threats Conservation Status
