Pelee 2019 - The Point and the Island

I just returned from a glorious week in Canada's southern tip and island, down in Pelee.  This is a trip that I really look forward to every year and this year didn't disappoint!  I saw nearly 180 species in the Pelee area including some great rarities!  I spent Saturday to Wednesday morning at Point Pelee and then caught the 10am ferry over to Pelee Island.  Below are some of the highlights:

Point Pelee

Northern Parula

Black-and-white Warbler

Yellow-throated Vireo

Blue-winged Warbler

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (messy eater)

American Avocet

Pine Warbler

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Kentucky Warbler

Eastern Kingbird

Red morph Eastern Screech Owl

Sora

Hooded Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Kirtland's Warbler

Long-eared Owl

Prairie Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler on our deck!

White-eyed Vireo

The tip! The southern most tip of mainland Canada

The iconic Serengeti tree!

Prickly Pear Cactus

Pelee Island
I really like birding Point Pelee, but I LOVE birding Pelee Island.  You may end up seeing more at the point since there are hundreds (thousands?) of birders helping you in the scavenger hunt, but on the island there are very few birders, and it has a much more relaxed feeling...and the birding is awesome!  Our group had a fantastic time scouring our favourite spots for rarities and came up with some great sightings including Cattle Egret and the first island record of White-winged Dove!  The rest of the crew also had a Yellow-throated Warbler today after I left!

Red-headed Woodpecker

Scarlet Tanager

Black-billed Cuckoo

Eastern Bluebird

 I spotted this Cattle Egret across Lake Henry south of Lighthouse Point.  I saw something white and quickly realized it was a small white egret so I ran back to my car to retrieve my scope! Heather and Patrick were ahead on the trail but saw me running and came back and Charlotte and Bryan came back and also got good looks at it through my scope!

Cattle Egret

 We continued out walk through to Lighthouse Point which is extremely flooded this year due to high water.  On our way back Patrick spotted this White-winged Dove and we all got great looks! This is apparently the first record for the island! 

White-winged Dove

 The west side of Fish Point has been ravaged by storm and there are trees down everywhere!

Although I am a bit sad to leave Pelee for May, I know there is lots of great spring birding ahead! Next weekend I am down on Amherst Island for my annual big day!