Point Pelee NP

Point Pelee National Park is a year-round birding destination but most commonly visited in the Spring for the annual mass migration of passerines, especially. In Spring, about 200 species migrate through the area including about 30 species of Wood Warbler, so that is the best time for a visit. Mid-May is often the peak period, but if you can spare more time, the most species will be found with a visit lasting throughout May. Some species migrate through various parts of the month so do some research to find out when your target species are coming through. The website for eBird.org can help with bar charts showing monthly abundance. There are usually more of the rarer species in the Spring, due to accidental overshooting of regular nesting sites in the south by some birds. The Summer season has about 60 nesting species, some of which are special to southern Ontario. The Fall is the next best time and in some ways can be more exciting than even the Spring. Birds are funneling through from the north and become trapped in the Park at the south end of Ontario, whilst they wait for a northerly flow to help them fly across the imposing Lake Erie to the south. Larger numbers of birds seem to pile up, but fewer species are usually reported. Many are in basic plumage which hampers easy identification. Winter can also be a good season, but is dependent on the movements of winter birds from the north and weather conditions. In years of plentiful food, it can be attractive for some species to overwinter.

It is best to get to the Park asap after it is daily opening in the Spring to ensure entry and to get a parking space in the main lot to facilitate movements for birding. Plan for a full day of birding. The peak times are just after sunrise through to mid-day and then later in the day, but birds are foraging all day in this staging area before continued northward flights. Most also forage northward in the Park and may take advantage of a southerly flow of wind to move north out of the Park. Many people bird in the Park in the morning and then branch out into nearby birding hotspots.

One plan many people undertake is to arrive early and take the free regular-running tram bus down the 2 km paved roadway to the Point. Once at the Tip area, they walk out about 400 m to the end and watch for nocturnally migrating passerines which have come over the lake and want to land as the morning dawns. Since the 15 km spit sticks out into the lake it makes a good point to steer towards when the birds are over water. They can land anywhere in the Park but some land near the Tip. The numbers of birds arriving depend on the weather conditions. For instance strong westerly winds shift the landing to the east of the Point lowering the number of birds found. The other interesting aspect is the phenomenon of “reverse movement/migration”. Some describe it as an orientation by birds which have recently landed and use the prevailing winds of the day to rise up and look around at their location. As they fly up, they are visible from below at the Tip and can be identified. Some do end up flying south off the Tip, and others swing around to land again farther north in the Park. Interestingly, local nesting birds as well as migrants that have been in the Park for a while also take part in this phenomenon.

By 9 am the “reverse” is finished and the birders head northward into the Park to continue to bird. They use the West Beach Trail, running through Oak-Savanna habitat along the beach. Or they go on through second-growth woods on a seasonal trail called the Post Woods Trail. Others walk the paved road back to the Visitor Centre. Still others take the tram back to the Centre and venture out onto the main trails from there. The Woodland Nature Trail runs through a mainly mature woodland with sections of “sloughs”, troughs of water in depressions between ancient low sand dunes. And the Tilden Woods Trail, which goes through a mature forest, also traversed by "sloughs" and comes back through an overgrown field. The former trail can and is accessed from the south off of the Post Woods Trail, or at the halfway tram stop on the main road, or from along the West Beach Trail, so there are many options to be explored.

To bird in the picnic areas and other trails to the north of the Visitor Centre, it is best to use a vehicle to travel the main paved road back up towards the main gate. There are seasonal trails connecting the picnic areas on the west side of the paved road and all have small parking areas. On the east side, the trail most people use is the DeLaurier Trail, which is a loop running from an old field habitat past a portion of the biggest marsh. There is a trail connecting that area to south and to the north. Also, access to the marsh can be gained using the Marsh Boardwalk Trail. There is a large parking area at each of those two locations. A number of other trails exist, but especially the Centennial Bike Trail runs from the front gate all the way to the Visitor Centre so is a great place to walk, and you can join it at various places.

For a guiding experience, to gain knowledge of birds and their songs, there are several options. The Friends of Point Pelee have 2-hour walks, morning, afternoon and evening. Bookings can be done through their website. Walks go to various areas of the Park. There are also a number of local individual bird guides as well as a few commercial guides including a few tour companies that send scheduled trips to Point Pelee. This range from shorter morning hikes to all day adventures, often visiting the Park in the morning and then nearby hotspots in the afternoon. Point Pelee National Park is a link to check out more details

From the major highway, the 401, the major corridor road running through southern Ontario, take Highway 77, at Exit 48, south through Comber to Leamington and continue following the signs to the Park out of the southeast end of the town.The Park is at the end of Pelee Drive, a main road running south from Leamington. In town, from where it meets Road 20, Seacliffe Drive E, take Bevel Drive, Road 23, south to the lakeside and it turns into Pelee Drive, just over the bridge on the Sturgeon Creek. Alternately, you can get to the bridge going south on Robson Road and the short connecting road Monarch Lane. Robson follows the lakeside from Erie Street which is the extension of Highway 77 as it goes through town. Once on Pelee Drive, continue for about 3 km to the Park gates. There are a number of rural roads feeding into this paved roadway which can be used when birding nearby the Park. No public transport goes out to the Park, so a vehicle is necessary or you can book a cab, or uber.  

The only entry point is at the front gates where you will pay your Park fees, the cost being determined by age and category of entrance. Visit the website to find the current fees for each category. You can also get annual passes online and use the key card to enter in the access gate.

Entrance hours vary by season. As of now, winter timing is about 7 am to dusk, fall and early spring hours are from 6 am to 10 pm and there are special hours for spring season which are 5 am to 10 pm. Please also check the website for rules and restrictions for Canadian National Parks.

Wildlfe in the Park also includes a number of common mammals such as White-tailed Deer, Opossum, Racoon, and Southern Flying Squirrel. No dangerous animals are present but it must be remembered to not feed the wild animals. A number of interesting insects including butterflies, can be found in the Park. Many Carolinearn Forest species of animals and plants are found here and are in the northern part of their North American range. There are a number of aboriginal sites which have been excavated. There is a public golf course located to the north of the Park. Also not far out of the Park is a go-cart track. And of course the harbour is a good spot to spend some time. Beaches are located near there but also within the Park. The trails are great for just general nature walks. The town of Leamington has a few galleries and lots of other facilities, including many great restaurants. As there are many Mexican migrant workers in the area, many restaurants have a Mexican food menu. The Mersea Park, just north of the Park, has ball diamonds and a playground. Colisantes Gardens is a great spot for flowers and food, and is located just west of Leamington off Mersea Road 3A. For more info on what to do in Leamington and the area, check here.

This is a National Park and has many facilities. There is a Visitor Centre beside a large central parking area. Within you can get information on the Park and during the May a second desk with local expert bird watchers who can address questions about birds. There is a good display of natural and historical info about the Park, as well as an auditorium for talks, which take place during the Festival of Birds in the Spring. There is also a seating area with tables and chairs for shoolgroups and meetings. Also, within the building is a small store run by a support group, the Friends of Point Pelee, which raises money to assist the Park in various purchases. It sells souvenirs and literature about nature as well as a few food items. Along with the Park, the group sponsors the Festival of Birds during the month of May when Spring migration is at peak, providing for purchase, food items for breakfast and lunch and also 2 hour hikes with bird trip leaders in the morning, afternoon and early evening. Also located in the Park is a Marsh Store, at the boardwalk at the north end of the Park. Pelee Wings, which also has a store north of the Park on Pelee Drive, which sells optical equipment and nature type souvenirs among other things runs the Marsh Store, which sells similar items to help birders enjoy their time in the Park but also rents canoes and kayaks to paddle in the marsh, and bicycles to ride the many trails in the Park. The Park has 24 oTENTiks, at Camp Henry, a group campground, and which are small treated cloth-covered cabins which sleep 6, and have hydro, gas or wood fireplaces, kitchen utensils and cookwear, an outside gas grill for cooking and an outside metal box to store food but no running water. Ice, firewood and other camper needs are sold in a camp store on site. They are designed more for a form of camping in a campground and have group facilities which include washrooms, showers, and a sink for cleaning dishes and obtaining fresh water. There is an activity area on site as well with playground. The main facilities block has a dormatory with rooms and large kitchen and interior eating areas and seating areas among other amenities, designed for group bookings. These oTENTiks are available to book online by reservation and can get information here. There are some facilites at the Tip as well. At the end of the paved road, there are Tip washrooms and a covered building to get out of the rain, which has some static displays. Also, a 24 metre tall tower is located at the Tip, giving a great view from various levels of the forest and Tip area, and a good point to watch raptors at eye level. Unfortunately, as of 2023 it remains closed for repairs with no projected date for opening. As mentioned there is a free Tram system that shuttles people from the Visitor Centre down to the Tip facilities, running regularly. As the park is a popular place, and not just for bird watching, locals flood the area in the Spring and Summer so to accommodate, a number of picnic areas with washrooms and beach access are also located within the Park including 6 of various sizes along the west side of the spit. The largest is at the Northwest Beach where two large washroom/changerooms are located at a huge parking area next to an extensive beach, with a great playground area. Facilites there also include a pavilion which can be booked for groups. Included features are seating for up to 100, loads of parking, and a building which houses a full kitchen. Outside is a huge propane grill as well as a fire pit. For more information and to book this facility chek on the Park website. As previously mentioned there are also facilities at the Marsh, including a 1 km boardwalk out over the marsh and a washrooms block, a picnic area. and a tower giving good views over the marsh. And as also already mentioned in the trails section above, there is a bicycle trail running beside the paved road from the gate all the way to the Tip, which has access to many of the aforementioned facilites. While it is designated as a bike route, it is a multi-use area and can be a great way to investigate the Park for birds.