“NATURE NOOKS”

Overnight in Leamington for an early start!

DAY 1
8:00 a.m. BREAKFAST

9:00 a.m. DEPART for Canada’s southernmost National Park …

9:30 a.m. ARRIVE at POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK, a 20 km sandspit with a fascinating blend of marsh, forest, fields and beach, where you can enjoy some of the best “birding” in North America. The marsh dominates the area, spreading across two thirds of the park and is a jigsaw of cattails and ponds. Many typical marsh species, such as the swamp rose-mallow with its large pink, rose like blossoms, as well as several plants & animals rarely found in Canada, reside here. The remaining third of the park was at one time a dense southern forest. Surrounding the marsh and forest is a 22 km necklace of sand and pebble beach. This mix of marsh, forest, field, and beach attracts thousands of migrating birds. The point’s shape also funnels the southward movement of monarch butterflies through the “Tip” from mid-September to mid-October.

12noon LUNCH at PAULA’S FISH PLACE or PICNIC LUNCH at HILLMAN MARSH.

1:00 p.m. DISCOVER the natural beauty and rich diversity of HILLMAN MARSH CONSERVATION AREA. Birders, hikers, beach goers, photographers, sportsmen and anyone who wants to experience a pleasant, natural setting will want to explore this 360 hectare (900 acre) expanse of land along the shores of Lake Erie. This is a naturalist’s paradise!

DAY 2
8:15 a.m. PROCEED to Leamington/Kingsville (depending on season schedule) to catch the ferry to PELEE ISLAND. Feel the stress evaporate en route!!!

10:30 a.m. DISCOVER the Island’s secrets. Start your day with an Island Tour. View the glacial grooves left by the “Ice Age” and explore the stately remains of “Vin Villa”. Walk the trail to the historic Lighthouse (c.1833) - a guiding light for ships passing through the treacherous Pelee Passage and learn of those who didn’t make it!  

(At the HERITAGE CENTRE you can view exhibits of Devonian Fossils, prehistoric artifacts from almost 10,000 years, exhibits of flora, fauna, birds, butterflies, snakes and turtles indigenous to the island.)

LUNCH & A TOUR at PELEE ISLAND WINERY PAVILLION.  (A theatre package is also available through the Pavillion.)  

RETURN to the mainland, freshen up at the hotel, then onto a County eatery for a welcome dinner after your day of fresh air!

DAY 3
8:00 a.m. BREAKFAST and CHECKOUT

9:00 a.m. PROCEED to HOLIDAY BEACH CONSERVATION AREA

9:45 a.m. HOLIDAY BEACH offers some of the best fall birding in North America. Bring your binoculars… and start counting the hawks, eagles, vultures, harriers, falcons and other birds of prey as they soar overhead.

12noon LUNCH at selected restaurant.

1:30 p.m. PROCEED to OJIBWAY PARK & NATURE CENTRE

2:00 p.m. Watch nature in action at OJIBWAY! Anything can happen at this “home” for wild animals. While one worker provides guidance to a caller on how to reintroduce a snapping turtle to the wilds, raccoons have been known to drop in for a visit - all this, while guests chat with one of the best known birders and naturalists in North America. The park (127 hectacres/315 acres) features a Pine Oak forest, savannah and tallgrass prairie habitats and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, plus cultivated prairie wildflower gardens near the centre. Tallgrass prairie once dominated a large part of mid-western North America. Today, only remnants of this vast landscape remain, surviving in isolated situations such as Ojibway Park. Regular controlled burns are an essential component in the maintenance of the tallgrass prairie. A spring burn removes the thick accumulation of dead plant matter from previous years’ growth and helps return valuable nutrients to the soil. Fire also retards the grown of shrubs and trees which are always trying to invade prairie sites. The finest show of wildflowers occurs after the prairie has been burned.

3:30 p.m. DEPART for home.