Point Pelee Spring Songbird Migration

Join us for the Point Pelee Festival of Birds!

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/6/0/6/600_343942022.jpeg

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Spring is finally here, and with it, it brings to Ontario one of the finest spectacles of bird migration in the entire world.

Hundreds of multi-colored Wood-Warblers, Tanagers, Grosbeaks and other songbirds must cross Lake Erie on their journey North from the tropics. Point Pelee National Park is a peninsula that juts south out over the lake, and because of this unique geography, it is the first land that these birds see on their way north while flying over the lake.

Red-headed Woodpeckers are amongst the thousands of birds resting at Pelee during migration.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/0/2/e/600_343944622.jpeg

As a result, any given morning at Pelee, this small bit of land plays host to thousands of birds of hundreds of different species, sporting their finest crisp breeding colours. While many of these birds on their breeding grounds are hard to see, here the leaves are still not yet on the trees due to the micro-climate, and the birds are tired from making their flight over the lake. Here, it literally rains birds every morning.

All these factors combine to create an unparalleled birding experience that brings thousands of birders from all over the world every year, coinciding with the annual Point Pelee Festival of Birds, which runs the first 2 weeks of May - the peak of this spectacular migration.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/1/6/4/600_343944932.jpeg

Baltimore Oriole

Especially if you're new to birding or have never visited Pelee, it can be quite frustrating to go on your own! The sheer amount of birds can be overwhelming, and because depending on the weather conditions, birds show up or "fall out" in different places every morning, you might miss the best action!

We offer you a unique way to experience this amazing migration - we are renting a Beach house on the Lake Erie shoreline for ten days during the peak season, right near the famous hotspot. Lev Frid, an international birding guide, is going to be joining us for the entire duration. He will bring us right into the best birding, showing us the most difficult and most sought-after birds, providing birding tips and answering any questions about the ecology of these amazing travellers.

Choose your stay - come hang out for a couple of days, or stay for the whole thing! If you already have somewhere to stay, but want to join our birding party, you can do that too! It doesn't get much better than this!

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/4/7/8/600_343254392.jpeg

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/3/3/a/600_343945402.jpeg

Scarlet Tanagers

It's not uncommon to see over 100 species in one day. These may include over 20 species of Warblers. These pretty, tiny songbirds are among our most colorful birds. While famous for quantities of birds, Point Pelee has recorded some incredible rarities like Kirtland's Warbler, Painted Bunting, Swallow-tailed Kite, Magnificent Frigatebird and others. Because we are staying for ten days, we are very likely going to see one or more such rarities! Below are some of the more expected travellers:

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/2/8/c/600_341541132.jpeg

Blackburnian Warbler

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/7/9/4/600_343650612.jpeg

Black-throated Green Warbler

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/3/8/a/600_343945482.jpeg

Prairie Warbler

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/2/c/c/600_343945292.jpeg

Hooded Warbler

We will also visit some known hotspots around the National Park itself, including Hillman Marsh - an excellent area to view and study shorebirds, which are famous for being tricky to identify. Don't worry, Lev will be there to help you every step of the way, so you too will be calling those birds with confidence the next time you're with your friends!

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/f/4/e/600_344000302.jpeg

Swallow-tailed Kite

Included in this birding adventure to the the mecca of the spring migration:

Comfortable accommodations in a house on the beach a short drive from Point Pelee. There is a woodlot right beside the house for some close birding.

All day guiding by expert birder and naturalist, Lev Frid

All admission to Provincial and National Parks including Point Pelee National Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Hillman Marsh Wildlife Area.

The house will be stocked with drinks, lunch meat, bread, cereals, bacon and eggs and plenty of snacks.

You can pick up lunch during the day in Point Pelee or you can bring your own food and snacks.

For dinners we will either go out to one of the many excellent restaurants in the area or we can barbecue back at the house.

The trails that we will be walking are generally flat, but you have to be prepared to walk up to 5 kilometers per day, though we move at a slow pace, so that we may enjoy the birds.

Dates, Prices & Payments

May 2-11, 2014

IMPORTANT: PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT DATES YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE. IT'S ON A FIRST REQUEST BASIS.

200 dollars per day, per person, taxes included (single room)

175 dollars per day, per person, based on 2 to one room, taxes included. ( 1 queen bed or 2 doubles) The 2 doubles would be good for friends who would like to share a room.

If you have your own accommodation, but would like to join us for a guided tour. 100 dollars per person. That includes morning, afternoon and evening.

We will never be guiding more than 8 guests at one time in the park.

To reserve your spot, a non-refundable deposit of 200 dollars is required which can be paid through Paypal. The remainder can be paid in cash when you arrive.

TRANSPORTATION

You may bring your own vehicle, or we can arrange carpooling.

If you're carpooling, please share in the gas costs.

If you don't have your own transportation, please let me know. We will get you down there.

For payment details and any questions, please contact me by email at torontonaturelovers@hotmail.com

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/8/b/e/600_344019102.jpeg

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks" John Muir