Spring Migration At Point Pelee

Accessible Trail at Point Pelee
Photo by Charles Pannell

Spring is prime time for birders at southern Ontario's Point Pelee National Park. Billed as the Warbler Capital of North America, Point Pelee remains a top pick among birders, due to the annual influx of migrating warblers. But warblers are only part of the bird equation at Point Pelee; and birders come from near and far to witness the great diversity in the annual March-to-May spring migration.

The total number of bird species recorded at Point Pelee is 360, and most of those were recorded during the spring migration. March is when you'll see great flocks of blackbirds, robins, geese, swans, ducks and Mourning Doves arrive at the park. April brings herons, sparrows, loons, snipes and swallows; while May is peak warbler time. The height of the migration usually takes place from May 10 to May 20. During this time, as many as 39 warbler species have been sighted during a single migration. It's truly a birder's paradise.

Access is good at Point Pelee National Park. The Visitor Center has level access, barrier-free pathways and accessible restrooms. An access guide is available at the front counter, and an all-terrain wheelchair is available for loan.

Just outside the Visitor Center, you'll find the free tram to The Tip, the southernmost point in mainland Canada. The open-air trams are ramp-equipped and can carry up to six wheelchairs. Down at The Tip you'll find a half-mile hard packed dirt trail that leads out to a sandspit on Lake Erie. There is a wheelchair-height viewing scope on an accessible deck at the sandspit. The Tip is a great area to explore, as it allows visitors an up-close-and personal (yet accessible) nature experience.

Point Pelee National Park is located in Essex County, Ontario, just a short drive across the boarder from Detroit. For more information about Essex County, visit www.visitwindsor.ca. Check out the Spring 2003 issue of Emerging Horizons for access details on tourist attractions and for information about Pharm Trippin' in Essex County.