May 15 - Oh, Canada! Birding Point Pelee

We decided to skip the country today . . . and go birding in Canada!  Our destination was Point Pelee in the Province of Ontario.

The National Park here is relatively small, but is quite the draw - for birders as well as ‘normal’ Canadians.

Point Pelee is the southernmost point of land in Canada’s mainland (Out in Lake Erie, Pelee Island is visible to the south).  At just south of 42º north latitude, the point is in the Carolinian zone which because of its location, is a warmer climate than that in other parts of Canada, and the plants and animals that live there are similar to those found further south.

Due to the throng of visitors, we’d parked at one of the lots on the way in and took a shuttle to the Visitors’ Centre, then another shuttle out to the Tip.

The Shuttle is Free . . .

The trail out to the Tip passes through dry forest and out onto the beach.

Here, we saw a number of gulls and Common Terns.

Common Tern - Sterna hirundo

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

At the south end of the "Tip", you're as far south as you can get in mainland Canada.

Photo taken with my heels in Lake Erie

Near the comfort station, the Barn Swallows had built several nests.

We walked back toward the Visitors’ Centre, taking the Woodland Nature Trail.

Laurel explains just where the bird is in the forest cover . . .

Jamie ticks off another species for his Ontario list . . .

Shep Thorp - our fearless leader

We noticed that the birds were not as concentrated as they were at Magee, but many we saw appeared just as tired as those on the other side of the lake.  These birds likely just flew a couple of hundred kilometers the night before, and need to replenish the body fat they burned off last night.

Yellow Warblers are among the most common migrants, now

I'm not used to seeing them forage on the ground . . . must be really tired

Blackburnian Warbler; This species was named for Anna Blackburne, an English botanist.

Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheucticus ludovicianus

This Black-billed Cuckoo was so tired that it could hardly hop up on a branch, and spent considerable time foraging on the ground.

He just looks tired . . .

I had never seen this species foraging on the ground . . .

A Prothonotary Warbler nested in a wet area of habitat along the return trail.  At the base of this tree is a little hole, which the bird (sorry, no photo) snuck into.

I really enjoyed seeing the flowers blooming in the area, and the Park had a poster board of the common ones.

I could identify a few of the flowers along the way,

Woolly Blue Violet - Viola sororia

May Apple - Anapodophyllum peltatum

Jack In The Pulpit - Arisaema triphyllum

I don’t know what tree this is, but its bark and trunk are very distinctive.

If you know what this is, let me know.  Thanks.

I don't remember what tree this was, either, but a raccoon had it all figured out.

After spending the day at this splendid park and birding area, we stopped at Paula’s Fish Place, which is a local eatery that does a wonderful preparation of the local perch and walleye.  I had mine grilled, as is my wont, and tipped well for good food and good service.

We made it home fairly late, but sated, and ready for another adventure tomorrow.  New birds for the year included Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Hooded Warbler, Veery, and Black-billed Cuckoo.  The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was a “Life Bird” for me - ABA No. 605!

Tip of Point Pelee eBird Checklist is Here

Point Pelee National Park eBird Checklist is Here