Point Pelee Info (1 Viewer)

I'm currently looking at visiting the Point Pelee area next year and would appreciate any info regarding when to visit, places to stay and any wildlife excursions that can be recommended.
I am more interested in getting some decent bird/wildlife photographs than simply seeing lots of species so places that are good for photography are of particular interest.
Bird photography is my main interest but I am looking to photograph other wildlife too.
I am not sure if Dolphins, Whales, and other interesting subjects are easily seen in the area so any feedback on this greatly appreciated.
At the moment I am looking at the possibly of visiting in May to coincide with Bird migration, is this the best time to visit ?

Any feedback or links to useful sites much appreciated.

I assume you have already done a simple internet search like the one that took me to http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/on/pelee/index.aspx -- under natural wonders there is a section on both spring migration and fall migration. Especially in spring, because you would be on a location where birds arrive after an over water flight, early morning inside the park probably would allow you some close encounters with birds in relatively low trees and bushes. Disclaimer, I have only been there in the fall and not with photo as main interest. But, at least this is a little to get you going

Niels

I have been there many times. Definately May is the best time to go. That is when the most species of birds will be there.

Eos9 said:

I am not sure if Dolphins, Whales, and other interesting subjects are easily seen in the area so any feedback on this greatly appreciated.

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It's about two days' drive from Pelee to the nearest salt water, so no, you will not find cetaceans "in the area." Not much aside from birds, actually.

Fact is, that Point Pelee (along with a few other conservation areas, like Hillman Marsh, Kopegaron Woods, etc.) is a small "island" of good habitat in a "desert" of corn fields. There's very little in the way of resident wildlife (aside from a very few mammal species, and Fox or Milk nake if you're lucky), almost everything you will see is a migrant bird.

At the moment I am looking at the possibly of visiting in May to coincide with Bird migration, is this the best time to visit ?

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May is certainly the best time to go, and early in the month ideally - there will be a good number of birds, but the leaves won't be fully out yet. You'll be able to see a lot better, and probably photograph a lot better too.

If you're interested in just seeing and photographing birds on migration, and not pick up a whole long list of birds - why go to Pelee? It's very, VERY crowded in spring (worse than Minsmere) and because of demand, accomodation is expensive. The migration that hits Pelee hits the entire Lake Erie north shore about the same - just pick any site along there (Rock Point, Long Point, Rondeau), go, and stand by. For that matter, nothing wrong with the Lake Ontario shore, which has its own wealth of hotspots....

Good luck...
:flyaway:

Point Pelee - Alternatives ?

Pete - Thanks for the information regarding Point Pelee, which now has me thinking a little about alternatives.
Having heard and read about Point Pelee on a number of occasions I had thought it would be an ideal venue for some Wildlife photography in Canada.
Having not been bebefore I am not sure if this is the best choice or wether somewhere else in Canada might be more suitable.
I shall be travelling with my partner and although I'd like to do as much photography as possible I obviously have to take into account other general things to do and see.
I'm not sure I really enjoy the prospect of somewhere thats quite crowded with other birdwatchers and photographers despite the reputation it has as a brilliant site for migration.
Instead I'd prefer somewhere maybe less crowded and ideally I/we would like to experience other wildlife and sights Canada has to offer.
As we are not planning to go until next year I still have time to explore other possibilties so will start looking at these.
Should you have any suggestions yourself I would of course be interested to hear these as at the moment nothing is booked and choice of location is entirely open.

Many Thanks

Peter C. said:

It's about two days' drive from Pelee to the nearest salt water, so no, you will not find cetaceans "in the area." Not much aside from birds, actually.

Fact is, that Point Pelee (along with a few other conservation areas, like Hillman Marsh, Kopegaron Woods, etc.) is a small "island" of good habitat in a "desert" of corn fields. There's very little in the way of resident wildlife (aside from a very few mammal species, and Fox or Milk nake if you're lucky), almost everything you will see is a migrant bird.

May is certainly the best time to go, and early in the month ideally - there will be a good number of birds, but the leaves won't be fully out yet. You'll be able to see a lot better, and probably photograph a lot better too.

If you're interested in just seeing and photographing birds on migration, and not pick up a whole long list of birds - why go to Pelee? It's very, VERY crowded in spring (worse than Minsmere) and because of demand, accomodation is expensive. The migration that hits Pelee hits the entire Lake Erie north shore about the same - just pick any site along there (Rock Point, Long Point, Rondeau), go, and stand by. For that matter, nothing wrong with the Lake Ontario shore, which has its own wealth of hotspots....

Good luck...
:flyaway:

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If you want a variety of Canadian wildlife and not just birds, consider going to the Rocky Mountain National Parks along the Alberta, British Columbia border. Here you will see less warblers but much more of other wildlife inlcuding Mountain Goat, bears, Elk, and some birds that live at high elevations such as ptarmigan and Rosy Finch and perhaps eagles.

Eos9-

I like Maroon Jay's suggestion, but I have others - I will get back to you.

Peter

Peter C. said:

It's about two days' drive from Pelee to the nearest salt water, so no, you will not find cetaceans "in the area."

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Agree, but it´s possible that you see whales in the Saint Lawrence river or at Percé, just to mention where we saw them.

Peter C. said:

[...]There's very little in the way of resident wildlife (aside from a very few mammal species, and Fox or Milk nake if you're lucky),

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It´s not that bad On my list are also Opposums, Racoons, different turtle species, White- tailed Deer, Eastern Garter Snake,..

Many years ago walking around the Pelee board walk I was told rattlers are also present. So I kept my eyes fixed firmly on the ground for the rest of the walk!

stonechat1 said:

It´s not that bad On my list are also Opposums, Racoons, different turtle species, White- tailed Deer, Eastern Garter Snake,..

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I'm sure they have Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus too, but I doubt O.P. really feels like going to a lot of trouble to find them 8-P.

Okay, I partly take back what I said, White-tails are pretty cool.

RE: Point Pelee Alternatives

* It just struck me that it matters a lot what time of year you will be here - if you are flexible about the dates or not. One of my suggested locations wouldn't be an ideal place in May, but would be great for August; on the other hand, some other places are quite humdrum in August...

1) Vancouver Island: Top choice for incredible forest and seashores. You can go in early May or even April (my s/o and I did, many years ago), when there are very few people around, but the weather is quite balmy; lower BC is much warmer than the rest of the country, at that time of year. Especially important to see is Pacific Rim National Park, which hosts the most astonishing density of littoral sea life I've seen anywhere. Also worth a visit is Strathcona Provincial Park, where (in spring, anyway) Rufous Hummingbirds do spectacular display flights that end about two inches in front of your nose! Cathedral Grove (in MacMillan P.P.), near Port Alberni, is another 'must-see' attraction.

2) Much closer to (your) home, Newfoundland: Much birdier than the West coast, with lots of easy to find boreal birds, like Boreal Chickadee, Grey Jay, and Willow Ptarmigan. A very rugged and picturesque part of the country, also fabulous for photography. I particularly recommend the west side of the island, north of Corner Brook – great fjords and lots of Moose, (watch out for those!) I've not been on a whale-watching trip there, but I know they do have them. We felt we didn't need to go, as we'd seen quite a few whales on the car ferry over from Nova Scotia!
Newfoundland, however, is much better to visit in August or early September – spring has serious blackflies, and (I’ve heard) is very rainy. August is also the time for big movements of southbound warblers, especially Blackpolls (although I admit they’re less of a charm in “fall” plumage).

3) If you’re keen on more migrant bird variety, may I suggest Long Point again, as the “like Pelee, but without the hordes” birding location. There are still some crowded weekends, but it’s not so hyped – and, in May, you get essentially the same mix of birds.
Plus, it’s really easy, if you go to LP, to find out “what’s about” – just walk into the LPBO ringing station on Old Cut Blvd, and read the sightings board. Lots of keen people around there. (LP is relatively close to Toronto, too, which is a place I highly recommend in its own right; but that’s a whole other subject.)


Peter C.

Geoff Brown said:

Many years ago walking around the Pelee board walk I was told rattlers are also present. So I kept my eyes fixed firmly on the ground for the rest of the walk!

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Can´t confirm them ´cause I never met one or heard about their occurence in Pelee, but I observed a Mink on the Marsh Boardwalk.

Lots of places have rattlers but most places they are rarely seen. If you are nervous, get good solid shoes or even better solid boots and you will be protected in the off chance that you do come across one.

Niels

njlarsen said:

Lots of places have rattlers but most places they are rarely seen. If you are nervous, get good solid shoes or even better solid boots and you will be protected in the off chance that you do come across one.

Niels

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... and I've lived here for decades, spent lots of time on the Bruce Peninsula (where they are relatively common), and hiked a lot in the habitat they prefer ... and I've still never been able to find one!

Think they were probably all chased out of Pelee years ago. You'll still come across Fox Snakes in S-W Ontario fairly regularly, though, and that species does an awesome rattler "act" - made me jump a fair height, I'll tell you... |8.|

Off topic, but the only live rattler I can remember having seen in the wild was in Florida. We had backed the car into shade,, taken stuff and the dog out the back end, and sat down to eat lunch. I heard a bird on the other side of the car, got up and walked behind the car when a rattler started rattling a few meters behind me. I was chicken enough to walk the other way around the car, sat down again, and enjoyed the sight for 1/2 hour until it got tired and slowly made its way away from us. I have walked a good many times in Wisconsin in areas where they are supposed to be without encountering any.

Niels

Although Massassaugas and probably Timbers were formerly in the area, neither are found anywhere nearby now.