Birding at Point Pelee National Park
About the Park and Festival
The Festival of Birds at Point Pelee National Park is the first 3 weeks of May. It’s when the summer birds make their way north. Because of the distance of water the birds cross Lake Erie and land at the tip of the park. This also happens to be the most southern you can go in Canada!
When the birds land, then are often tired and spend some time in the park making there way through the dense forests eating bugs. The park isn’t very wide which gives you a better chance of seeing many different species and some rare ones in one spot.
This was my first time going for the Festival of Birds and although I’m not an avid birder, I always take photos of the birds I see, more to identify later. The majority of people there were older and I only saw a few younger people.
The tip of Point Pelee at 6am during the Festival of Birds
Trip Information
Although by the time I post this, the festival will be over, here are some tips for next year!
Accommodations: We stayed at Wheatley Provincial Park which is about 30 mins from Point Pelee
Getting Around: We drove to the visitors centre and took the tram to the tip. From there we slowly made our way back on the side trails.
Visitors Centre: They had a bbq on at lunch time with baked goods and snacks, washrooms, water bottle refill station and also a board to write what birds were seen.
Where to See the Birds
The following information was given to me by brother, who I went with. Full disclosure I’m not that great at birding and these are just general tips. Every time I go to a park I always go to the visitors centre and the staff can give recommendations for what you are looking for
Location - Although the birds will land at the tip most likely early in the morning, during the day they will slowly make their way north along the peninsula. There’s really no way of knowing when and where a bird will land. But the trails north of the visitors centre during the late afternoon and evening are great spots to see birds
Movement - Often times you’ll see movement in the trees and then hopefully if the bird is far away, it will fly closer. If you’re walking when you see it, pause for a moment and see where it flies next
Birds
Lake Erie
