Hi Tweeters,

We just returned from a wonderful trip to Ontario to visit some of the
Neotropical passerine migration rest stops.?On May 8th we took the
Pelee Islander ferry from Sandusky, Ohio to Pelee Island just across
the border in southern Ontario.?Luckily for us the peak date of the
wood warbler migration on Pelee Island is May 10th.?We were not
disappointed!? Large numbers of about twenty species of warblers were
found at both Fish Point Nature Reserve on the southern tip of the
island and Lighthouse Point Nature Reserve on the northern tip.?The
spring foliage was perfect for observing the birds since the leaves on
most trees and bushes were just starting to emerge.?It seems southern
Ontario is at least a month behind Seattle in terms of the climate.

?The Pelee Island Heritage Centre maintains a current species list and
is a good place to check in and meet local birders as well as other
visitors to the island. We stayed at a great B&B near Sheridan Point on
the north end of the island, where there is also excellent birding,
although we had better luck at the ?points? Had we know how good the
birding would be and the quiet island atmosphere, we would have stayed
much longer on the island, lots of birds and not many humans.

?Next we took the late afternoon ferry Jiimann to Leamington, Ontario
and then to another very good B&B in the town Tilbury north of Point
Pelee National Park.

?Once again the warblers were fabulous at Point Pelee with good looks
at rarities such as Kirtland?s and Worm-eating Warblers at the
Sanctuary area at the north end of the point.?The Kirtland?s was
actually hoping around our feet foraging for insects.?About fifty other
birders were having good looks at the bird and if long lenses are
criteria for serious birders, they were abundant, but not really
needed. Both Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes were observed for a
good comparison of the differences between the two species.

?On the weekend we decided to avoid the crowds at Point Pelee and
traveled about an hour east to Rondeau Provincial Park. A 24-hour
birdathon was underway and we asked what the record was for last year
and it was 155 species in the park on the 14th of May. Luckily we were
able to have good looks at a bright male Prothonotary Warbler.?The
birds apparently use two nest boxes that were set up in a swampy area
between two boardwalks on the Tulip Tree Trail near the visitors
center.?

Sunday we visited Wheatley Provincial Park, Hillman Marsh Conservation
Area and Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area.?Hillman Marsh had numerous
Dunlin, both Black-bellied and American Golden Plovers, Black, Common
and Caspian Terns, Wilson?s Phalarope, along with White Pelicans that
are uncommon for that area.?Kopegaron had a fall-out of several species
of warblers (Nashville, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia,
Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian,
Black-and-white, American Redstart) while we were there.?In addition,
Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, and Indigo Buntings, made their
appearances. They were like falling leaves fluttering down a few meters
in front of us as they foraged for insects.

?Monday we returned to the tip of Point Pelee to see flocks of
Bonaparte?s Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Caspian and Common Terns, Dunlin,
Black-Bellied plovers, Sanderling, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Common
Loons. A pair of Eastern Blue Birds preceded us as we made our way to
the north. ?Not as many birds or birders on this our last day.?That
afternoon we drove back to Detroit Metro airport and our return to
Seattle on the 17ht of May.

Needless to say it was a very satisfying birding experience.

Don and Sandi McVay
Seattle
dmcvay at cmc.net