Enjoy!
With 37 species of warbler occurring every year at the park there's no wonder why it is considered one of the top birding hot spots during spring migration.
Although endangered provincially and nationally, the Prothonotary Warbler is fairly easy to find at Pelee with at least 4 setting up territories this spring. However, many of them will likely fail due to competition with other bird species among other factors.
female Prothonotary Warbler:
male Blackburnian Warbler
male Canada Warbler:
male Tennessee Warbler:
male Black-throated Green Warbler:
Warblers aren't the only exciting birds though. Several species of Vireos and Flycatchers can be found without much difficulty.
male Blue-headed Vireo:
Bell's Vireo (a very rare migrant in Ontario):
One of the most common Boreal forest birds, the Red-eyed Vireo:
An endangered species provincially and nationally, it was nice to see several Acadian Flycatchers over the course of a few days. Unfortunately many of them died during a cold spell:
One of my favourite families of birds is shorebirds. The majority of the species seen throughout the spring and fall migration breed in Canada's arctic habitats.
Although, Willets breed in Southern Canada (but not in Ontario):
One of few species where the female is more colourful, this female Red-necked Phalarope was found with a male in a puddle of water near 'downtown' Leamington. They will continue further north and breed somewhere between James Bay in Ontario or as far North as Baffin Island:
The stunning Red-headed Woodpeckers were uncommon in the park:
This female Scarlet Tanager was fluffed up trying to keep warm:
Clay-coloured Sparrow:
Lincoln's Sparrow:
Point Pelee is mostly marsh but there is a considerable tract of Carolinian forest remaining offering many of the birds a place to rest and feed as they continue their journey further north.
