Birding at Wheatley Provincial Park

Use Wheatley As A Base From Which To Explore Other Local Birding Hotspots

At 241 hectares, Wheatley Provincial Park, located just 10 kilometres east of Point Pelee National Park in southwestern Ontario is an ideal location for birders, naturalists and adventurous campers. Attracting upwards of 275 species of migrating and breeding birds, visitors to Wheatley and the immediate area can enjoy the challenge of identifying and listing a variety of wildlife. The selection includes bluebirds, thrushes, flycatchers, swallows, sparrows, warblers, waterfowl, woodpeckers, eagles, hawks, monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds. Rarities in the Wheatley area include Townsend’s Solitaire, Mountain Bluebird, Chuck-will’s-widow, Mississippi Kite and Least Tern.

Spring migration is well underway by March and April with the arrival of Horned Larks, Red-winged Blackbirds, waterfowl and some of the hardier sparrows. May is the peak month for the spring migration, and Wheatley opens for camping and day use by mid-April to accommodate camping and birding hobbyists. Birds are in full nesting mode by June, and the fall migration for some species may begin as early as July. However the fall migration is much more extended than the spring migration is, although the greatest diversity of migrants occurs in August.

Wheatley Provincial Park is considered the, ‘Bedroom for Point Pelee National Park,’ a term coined by Park Superintendent, Chuck Fawdry. He promotes Wheatley as an overnight camping source for visitors, since Point Pelee offers only group camping facilities.

While staying at Wheatley Provincial Park, campers will be able to make use of the numerous facilities and services offered on-site. From the convenience of electrically serviced campsites, flush toilets and showers, to canoeing, wildlife viewing, playgrounds, day use areas and a park store, Wheatley is fully equipped to meet all your camping needs.

In addition to on-site activities and wildlife viewing, nearby are numerous birding hotspots within a scenic driving distance of Wheatley Provincial Park. Superintendent Fawdry notes that some of these destinations include Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary, Ojibway Park, and Holiday Beach, home of the Festival of Hawks. Below is a brief description of these nearby and natural sites worth visiting, while staying at Wheatley Provincial Park.

For more information on Wheatley Provincial Park call 519-825-4659. To reserve a campsite call 1-888-ONT-PARK (1-888-668-7275) or visit www.OntarioParks.com

Point Pelee National Park
Located southeast of Windsor, Point Pelee is one of Canada’s smallest national parks. More than 370 birds have been sighted at the park and surrounding areas. Point Pelee’s web-site provides an interactive database of bird observations as well as a detailed a list complete with description of the birds that have visited the park.

Link to the Bird Sightings Live web-site, where birdwatchers at Point Pelee can in-put details of a bird sightings at the kiosk in the park. The information provided will be sent live to the web-site. Everyone has access to daily listings and can even choose to review a certain passed date. Curious birders can find out recorded listings between 2000 to today.

At the park observe the birds live for yourself at the 30-foot tower at the Marsh Boardwalk facility or the viewing platform located on the tip area.

For more information about the park facilities call 519-322-2365 or visit www.pc.gc.ca

Holiday Beach Conservation Area
Holiday Beach Conservation Area southeast of Amherstburg, in Essex County, is celebrating its annual fall migration spectacle this year, Festival of Hawks, on weekends in September. Hawk workshops and bird banding demonstrations run throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can watch banding demonstrations, featuring the release of wild-banded hawks. Show time is at 11:00 a.m. every Saturday during the Festival weekends. Also come close to live hawks that can be viewed near the Festival tent. Climb the 10.7 metre Hawk Tower, overlooking the 809 ha Big Creek Marsh. It provides an excellent view of raptors and other migrants as they move along the lakeshore. The best conditions for hawks to be moving, and therefore for people to view them, is when winds are brisk from the northwest, north or northeast.

Throughout the year, Holiday Beach is also a favoured spot to observe Bald Eagles, Double-crested Cormorants and Great Egrets, all of which nest in southern Essex County. Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons may be periodically seen during migration. More common species include the Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier and Broad-winged Hawk, the latter species which usually number in the tens of thousands. Migration of non-raptors can be impressive from this vantage point also, with large numbers of swallows, Blue Jays and American Crows often being seen.

For more information about Holiday Beach call (519) 736-3772 or visit www.hbmo.org
Or visit The Essex Region Conservation Authority’s website http://www.erca.org/intro.htm

Directions: To get there take County Road 20 to Malden Center then go south on County Road 50 to Holiday Beach.

Ojibway Park
A total of 239 species have been recorded in the Ojibway Prairie Complex in the southwest corner of Windsor. The rare prairie, savanna and oak woodland habitats attract numerous species of birds, including the Tufted Titmouse, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker and Indigo Bunting. Some outstanding rarities of past years include Lewis’ Woodpecker, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron and the Dickcissel. A bird feeding station adjacent to the Nature Centre is kept active all year, and during open hours can be viewed from inside the centre.

For more information on Ojibway Park call The Windsor Department of Parks and Recreation, (519) 966-5852 or visit www.citywindsor.on.ca/ojibway

Hillman Marsh Conservation Area
The 344 ha Hillman Marsh is located on County Road #20 just northeast of Point Pelee National Park. Bald Eagles are residents, and rarities such as the Yellow-headed Blackbird, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Eurasian Wigeon, Glossy Ibis and Western Kingbird have been reported here. Many species of herons, ducks, gulls, shorebirds, swallows, egrets, terns, rails and songbirds are found along the roads and hedgerows bordering the marsh.

A new feature at Hillman Marsh is the recently constructed shorebird habitat project. The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) is coordinating the project, which includes the construction of a new wetland, the planting of grassland, and a 12 ha reforestation project that will create a resting and feeding habitat for migrating shorebirds. Control of water levels to accommodate shorebirds will be primarily during spring.

Directions: From Windsor take Highway #3 to Leamington. Take Oak Street approximately 7 km east of Leamington. The main entrance to Hillman Marsh is located on County Road 37 at the 2nd Concession Road.

Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary
This world-famous refuge for Canada Geese is located 4.8 km north of Kingsville on Division Road (County Road #29). The 121-hectare sanctuary contains a museum and nature centre, which is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Here one can view the spring and fall migratory flights of Canada Geese. During the spring and summer months, the adjoining fields and Kennedy Woods provide opportunities to view Savannah Sparrows, Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks and other songbirds.

For more information call (519) 733-4034, Toll-Free 1-877-289-8328 or visit www.jackminer.com

Directions: From Windsor/Detroit (Bridge) follow Highway 3, exit Division Road (#29) Kingsville. From Toronto/London follow Highway 77 Leamington. Turn right at Wilkinson Road across from the old Leamington Arena.

Ruscom Shores Conservation Area. A small marsh situated on the south shore of Lake St. Clair between Belle River and Stoney Point that attracts shore/marsh birds and waterfowl during migration and breeding season.

Directions: Follow County Road 2 at the northeast end of the county to Surf Club Drive, east of the town of Deerbrook. Take Surf Club north to the Ruscom Shores parking lot.

Tremblay Beach Conservation Area. This area is located on Lake St. Clair, east of Stoney Point. Typical nesting and migrant species to be found include the Common Moorhen, Virginia Rail, Black and Forster’s Tern, Least Bittern, Marsh Wren, Yellow-headed Blackbird and most pond ducks. Past rarities include: Swainson’s Hawk, the Tricoloured Heron, Glossy Ibis and Purple Gallinule.

Directions: Take County Road 35 (in the northeast corner of the county) north through Stoney Point. Turn east at the shoreline road and follow it to Tremblay Beach.

Lighthouse Cove Area. Lighthouse Cove is situated at the extreme northeast corner of Essex County where the Thames River empties into Lake St. Clair. During mid-March, thousands of Tundra Swans stop to feed in the area on their northern migratory flight. In late spring, Lighthouse Cove is host to numerous marsh birds, and occasionally Brewer’s Blackbirds are found on the nearby sod farms.

Directions: From Chatham, follow Riverview Drive to Tecumseh Drive, north into Lighthouse Cove

St. Clair National Wildlife Area, a 242 ha wetland, is located in the municipality of Chatham-Kent east of Lighthouse Cove on the shores of Lake St. Clair at County Road #37. Herons, egrets, birds of prey, shorebirds and songbirds all pass through the area. Immense flocks of Tundra Swans can observed in mid-March and to a lesser extent in mid-November. More than 25 species of waterfowl can be seen in this vicinity on a regular basis, sometimes in extremely large numbers. This is an excellent location to find Least Bitterns, Black Terns, Forster’s Terns, Common Moorhen, American Coot, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds in the nesting season.

For more information: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada (519) 354-1418

Big “O” Conservation Area This area, adjacent to the sewage lagoons in the Village of Comber, is an excellent location for viewing shorebirds. Birders have also recorded migrants such as the Summer Tanager, Henslow’s Sparrow, and Paurula, Prothonatory, Cerulean, and Hooded Warblers in the woodland edges adjacent to the lagoons.

Directions: In Comber, from Crossroads Restaurant, take County Rd. 46 East. Turn right onto Windsor, turn right onto Elizabeth. Entrance is on the South side of the road

With files from A Birding Guide to Point Pelee, Windsor and Essex County http://www.ojibway.ca/birding.htm Special thanks to Allen Woodliffe.
Compiled by Reena Besa, Public Relations Assistant, Ontario Parks.