Wetlands:- The Humber we see today is wide and shallow, but 300 years ago, it had deeper channels and many bends.  Settlers wanted to power lumber mills and later grist mills, so dams and excavations created mill ponds and floodways.  Flooding often washed away the ponds, and as the settlers removed limestone, shale, sand and gravel to be used in construction, the river became wider and shallower.  The most famously extraction site was operated by Conn Smythe at Jane and Black Creek, where Tim Horton would work at the future site of Tim Hortons. 

Erosion, partially controlled by dumping garbage adjacent to the river to restore the banks, remains an issue.  But today we can see a natural progression as the edges of the river trap silt, and shrubs and swamp grasses return.  We now see willows, jerusalem artichoke, cattails, as well as the invasive phrag, which are creating a wetland environment beside the main channel, attracting birds and invertebrates.

If you are interested in migratory birds, rather than a trip to a trip to Pelee, you can see many migratory species,  sometimes making it feel one is in a bird cage filled with giant blue budgies!  MDCA members have seen a wide range of birds including a summer tanager, a bald eagle, and numerous warblers and finches.  Winter visitors include a range of water birds. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Summer_Tanager/id