Canada - Point Pelee & Algonquin
Saturday 9th to Friday 22nd May 2009
AA9028
An
exciting tour to Ontario in early May, when Spring migrants suddenly
bring the woods and fields alive with colour. Beginning with the
mesmerising spectacle of Niagara Falls, we move on to some of Ontario’s
best birdwatching sites, looking for anything from hawks to
hummingbirds. Our quest will take us to Long Point Bird Observatory and
Point Pelee, which is the most southerly point in mainland Canada. This
is the hot spot on Lake Erie for north-bound migrants, and birdwatching
here can be quite superb - with such a wide range of warblers, vireos,
tanagers, buntings and orioles, we should be kept busy for some time! A
short distance away is Rondeau Provincial Park, home to Pileated &
Red-headed Woodpeckers and Prothonotary Warbler. After this excitement
we drive northwards and explore the tranquil depths of Algonquin
National Park, in search of northern specialities such as breeding
Common Loons, Spruce Grouse, Boreal Chickadee and Evening Grosbeak.Day 1: Depart London by scheduled flight to Toronto and then transfer to Niagara Falls for an overnight stay.
Day 2: A morning at leisure to
enjoy the Falls and experience some of the more common bird species,
e.g. Red-winged Blackbird, Ring-billed Gull, Blue Jay, Northern
Mockingbird and House Finch. Later we will drive to Simcoe.
Overnight – Simcoe
Day 3: Today we travel to Long
Point, which is an excellent location for migrants, and we could see
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Kingbird, American
Redstart, Nashville Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Dark-eyed Junco.
Overnight – Simcoe
Days 4 - 9: After breakfast we
drive to Leamington, our base for the next six nights. From here we
shall make several visits to the famous Point Pelee National Park, to
cover the extensive network of trails and habitats: marshes, lakes,
lagoons, mixed woodland and farmland, which will enable us to observe a
great diversity of birdlife. Broad-winged Hawk, Chimney Swift, Purple
Martin, Cliff Swallow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Least
Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo
Bunting and Orchard Oriole - these could all feature among the vast
numbers of migrant birds, and a dazzling array
of North American wood warblers could include Cape May, Black-throated
Blue, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided & Mourning Warblers;
Northern Parula and Northern Waterthrush are also likely. A wealth of
wetland bird species will add to the excitement! Other sites will be
visited including Rondeau Provincial Park, Hillman Marsh and Stoney
Point Conservation Area.
Overnights – Leamington
Days 10 - 12: After breakfast on
Day 10 we shall drive to the rolling highlands of Algonquin Provincial
Park. Here the birdlife has a distinct northern flavour, and we shall be
searching for such specialities as Common Loon, Three-toed Woodpecker,
Northern Saw-whet Owl, Bald Eagle, Spruce Grouse, Olive-sided
Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeak
and a number of breeding wood warblers, around the lakes and in the
dense forests of conifer and hardwood. Native wildlife includes Moose,
Beaver, Eastern Chipmunk and White-tailed Deer. In Spring, Black Bears
may be seen, and a sizeable Wolf population also
exists in Algonquin. We shall also attempt to see Barred & Great Horned
Owls.
Overnights – Algonquin
Days 13 & 14: We drive to Toronto to catch our return flight to London, arriving on Day 14.