Point Of Interest

We woke up at about 9 a.m.  It was a beautiful morning and the birds were singing everywhere. 
A female Red Winged Blackbird was perched in a tree watching us pack up.  

The Mourning Dove was still in her nest above the bathroom. 

But this morning she had a little Barn Swallow friend beside her. 

As I got into my car, I noticed a Red Admiral butterfly flying around the parking lot. 

Since the next park that we were heading to was only 20 minutes away, and we didn't have to be there until 2 pm, we took the opportunity to explore Point Pelee. 

We headed to the Visitor Center to see if we could catch a shuttle (which is free to ride) up to the point. As we pulled into the parking lot for the Visitor Center we saw a large group of school kids boarding the shuttle. Not only did we not want to rush, but we also didn't want to be immersed in the noise that many children can create, so we decided to wait for the next shuttle inside the Visitor Center.

We walked towards the entrance and past the miniature marsh where we saw a Green Frog basking in the sunshine on top of some lily pads. 

As soon as you open the inner doors of the Visitor Center you are greeted by the cute face of a critter. The sign at its feet asks "Do you think this is a Red Fox or a young Coyote?" My bet is that it is a coyote. 

In front of the entrance is a large map of Canada. 

And beside it is a Legend to help the viewer locate where all the National Parks in Canada are located.

Rounding the corner, my eye was caught by the sight of a beautiful, colourful tapestry. It was created by the artist Teresa Altiman.

Along another wall, was an informational placard describing the history and restoration process of Point Pelee Park. 

First, about 300 private cottages, homes and businesses were bought up and removed from the park. 
Then, the shuttle was implemented in order to reduce the impact of vehicle parking.
Then, in 1971, individual campsites were closed down in order to protect the birds, animals and environment from the destructiveness of campers. Instead, a supervised group camp was established. Today, the only camping available in the park is the Henry campground which is the location of the Otentiks we had stayed in the night before. 

Inside the Visitor Center is a little shop filled with T-shirts and souvenirs. Penny and I looked for the hoodie that we had seen in Port Burwell, hoping that if we did find it here, that it might be less expensive. However, we did not find it here.

​ Instead, we bought a couple of other T-shirts and some trinkets. 

We figured enough time had passed that the shuttle should be coming any minute. So we decided to go back outside to wait for it. As we passed by the entrance I noticed a photo booth that I had been too busy to notice on the way in. It might have been fun to get our pictures done here, but I didn't want to be late for the shuttle. 

We waited on the benches under the canopy. We could hear a number of birds singing all around us. I figured that this would be the perfect time to play with an app on my phone called Merlin Bird ID. It's a free app and we have found it to be pretty useful. In particular, Penny and I like using the Sound ID. You record the birds that are singing all around you and it will list each bird, complete with a photo of it. And as each one sings, the photo will light up to let you know which bird you are hearing.  It keeps your recordings so that you can go back and look at it later. 

Some of the birds that I heard were a Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow Warbler, American Robin, and American Redstart. 

But the only bird that wanted to be seen was a Brown-Headed Cowbird who was strutting their stuff all over the grassy area. 

We had been waiting for quite some time and we started to wonder if something had happened to the shuttle. I went inside to ask if they knew when the next shuttle would arrive. The shuttle should arrive every 15 to 20 minutes but it had been almost an hour by this point.  When I mentioned this to the people at the desk they became a bit concerned too. So, they got on the walkie talkie and asked the driver where they were. The reply was that they were almost at the Visitor Center. So, I guess we had unknowingly just missed one when we had come out to wait under the canopy. I had to hurry out the door or I would miss it again. 

I got out to the waiting area just as the shuttle was pulling in. We hopped into the very back seat of the last shuttle car and sat back and relaxed as the shuttle took us to our destination. We passed by the occasional cyclist as well as a few people who were going to the point on foot. 

As the shuttle pulled up to the last stop on its route before heading back to pick up another load of people, we could see the big metal lookout tower looming in the distance. 

We stepped off the shuttle bus just as the group of school kids we had seen earlier, boarded it to go back to the Visitor Center.  Once off the shuttle, we didn't really know where to go first. So, we took a moment to look around the bus shelter.  On the walls were various large informational posters. The one that intersted me most was the one that showed the migration patterns of various birds, butterflies, and insects. 

On the roof and all over the place were large numbers of Barn Swallows. I was amused by the thought that  where I live you would be lucky to see even one. These birds are considered a Threatened Species in Canada. But here, they were so plentiful. There were dozens on the roof tops and multiple nests in the rafters. 

We saw a trail with some directional signs on it. We figured maybe we could figure out what direction to take from there. However, every sign on the post pointed in the direction of where a National Park in Canada or some other interesting place was located. For example, Canada's most Northern Point was 4600 km from this sign post. 

A large red and white sign in the shape of a 42  marked where the 42nd parallel is. It stated that we were as far south as Rome and Barcelona. 

The most important sign we saw though was the one warning us of the Dangerous Currents at the tip of the point. Even just wading into the water could be deadly. It is so dangerous, that you can actually be fined $10,000 just for wading in the water. 

We could go any one of three ways to get to the tip. We could go towards the tower and follow a trail in that direction. Or we could follow a trail through the woods.

Or we could follow the shoreline. We decided to take the shoreline and search for sea glass as we walked. 
Penny was excited to find a few pieces of both white as well as green sea glass to add to her collection. 

As we walked, I noticed that the beach had a layer of red sand up near the tree line. 

Looking down at our feet, I could see where the waves had come up and dragged some of that red sand back towards the lake, making pretty designs in the sand. It looked almost like the pebbles had been crawling forward and the red sand was the trail they left behind. 

As we looked into the distance, the tip of the point gradually came into view, its gentle curve to the left created a picturesque landscape. A flock of white birds were sitting in the sand at the end of it. They appeared to be taking a rest from the waves on the lake.

The various boulders and large pieces of driftwood embedded into the ground created an interesting and serene scene.

Nestled among the rugged terrain, a prominently displayed sign serves as a crucial reminder of the area's designation as a Migratory Bird Resting Area. The sign explicitly instructs visitors not to proceed beyond that point before 10 a.m.  I suppose that is why the shuttle to the point does not run until 10 am each day. 

Much like Pinery Provincial Park, this park has a place to take a photo of the environment and then send it in to help with research studies. 

This is the photo I took and submitted to the Coastie website. 

A Ring Billed Gull strutted boldly down the beach, oblivious to the waves crashing around him. 

The closer we got to the point, the smaller the mainland looked behind us. 

As we continued down the shore, we observed a flock of cormorants soaring gracefully past us, heading towards the tip of the point where an assemblage of sea birds congregated. Among them were various gulls and what appeared to be Terns, a species I had never had the opportunity to encounter. My anticipation peaked as we approached.

However, a profound sense of disappointment came over me when a man approached the gathered flock  and startled the birds, sending them into the air in a flurry of wings and squawks. Needless to say, I was quite upset with this guy for ruining my chance to get close enough to get some good pictures of the birds.

Frustration welled up within me, yet we chose to maintain our distance, allowing him his moment on the point.  Eventually he began to leave and we were able to take our turn on the point. 

​Then, he unexpectedly turned back around and offered to take our picture for us. This  prompted a shift in my perspective. My anger slowly started to ebb. It's hard to stay mad at someone who has offered to do you a kindness.  

And here we were, standing on the most southernly point of the mainland of Canada! 

As we stood at the tip of the point looking out towards the lake, with the rhythmic crashing of the waves on either side of us, we couldn't see any land. It was all water as far as the eye could see.  Being surrounded by water on all sides created an illusion of standing on water. This evoked a surreal feeling, as if we were suspended in the heart of Lake Erie itself.

When we turned back around we were greeted by a group of sea birds. The very same birds that had been scared away from the point. They were now behind us and I had a second opportunity to get photos of them. 

I recognized a couple of Ring Billed Gulls in the group. But many of them were a smaller bird. Their colouring was similar to the Ring Billed Gulls but the markings were different. Not knowing any better, I still believed that these might be Terns. 

However, once I got home and did a bit of research, I found out that these were not Terns at all but were, in fact, Bonaparte's Gulls. 

The Bonaparte's Gull is one of the smallest gulls in North America, which is why it is not surprising that I mistook them for Terns. They differ from large gulls in a number of ways. They seldom scavenge for garbage, and they nest in trees, not on the ground.

There is no difference in plumage or bare part colour between the sexes, though males tend to be heavier than females. Notably, during the breeding season, the head of the Bonaparte's Gull undergoes a striking transformation, turning completely black, a characteristic feature that enhances its attractiveness to potential mates. Conversely, outside of the mating period, this coloration fades to a lighter hue, transitioning to a grey tone.  

As we retraced our steps toward the mainland and the tower, a moment of introspection seized me, prompting a thorough reevaluation of our encounter with the individual who had graciously taken our photograph at the tip of the point. In the midst of my eagerness to capture a memorable experience for myself, I had neglected to extend the same courtesy to him, failing to offer to take his photograph in return. This realization struck a dissonant chord within me. It was a distinct lapse in my consideration for others and it weighed heavy on my mind for many hours.  I decided that if I saw him again I would apologize for not offering to take his photo too. 

During this time, there were still a number of things that caught my attention though.  This sign was one of those things. It acted as both a warning and a memorial to those who lost their lives on the point. 

Another interesting sign was the one with information about Middle Island. The tip of the point of Point Pelee is the most southernly spot  of the mainland of Canada, However, the absolute most southern piece of land in Canada is actually Middle Island. It is a tiny 22 hectare island that is situated only a few metres from the Canada - US border. 

Point Pelee National Park is not only renowned for its diverse bird population but also for its impressive array of flora. I noticed a  Sulphur Cinquefoil growing along the path, adding a splash of colour to the landscape.

Penny and I admired the striking brown and orange blossoms of the False Indigo Bush. Our attention was momentarily captivated by the plant and we nearly overlooked the Eight Spotted Forester Moth, which was delicately perched on one of the blossoms. 

A sign with his photo had been errected as a memorial to Alan Wormington (June 20, 1954 – September 3, 2016). He was a preeminent Canadian ornithologist and naturalist, widely regarded as the most skilled birder of his generation in Canada. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he was largely self-taught, leaving high school after Grade 10 to pursue his passion for nature full-time. 

Wormington, affectionately known as "The Worm," was renowned for his extraordinary ability to identify birds by sound, silhouette, or movement. He held the record for spotting 447 of Ontario's 494 known bird species during his lifetime. 

In 1980, Wormington moved to Leamington, Ontario, to be near Point Pelee National Park, a critical migration corridor. He became synonymous with the park, recording 349 to 368 species within its boundaries—a record experts believe may never be broken due to declining bird populations and the sheer volume of his observations. 

Standing at the bottom of the tower, looking up, I felt quite small. The tower stretches impressively towards the sky.  I could hear more school children disembarking from the latest shuttle and I wanted to reach the top so that I could have a moment in peace up there before the inevitable surge of youthful exuberance arrived. I began to climb and Carsten followed my lead. However, Penny, feeling apprehensive about the height, decided to remain on solid ground.

Upon reaching the top we were impressed at how the tower offered breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes, including the lush greenery of the park and the waters of Lake Erie.​

Far below we could see Penny looking up at us, with camera in hand. We waved to her and she waved back. 

In behind Penny, at the base of a bench over looking the lake, someone had drawn a large cross in the sand with a stick. 

Spread across the top of the tower were various informational signs telling us a bit about the local birds, as well as highlighting some information about Point Pelee and Middle Island. 

I took my time going back down the stairs of the tower at Pont Pelee. As I descended the staircase of the imposing tower, I allowed myself to fully absorb the breathtaking surroundings that stretched out before me. I was up above the tree tops and now some of the birds were at eye level. 

A vibrant yellow bird played hide and seek among the branches of the trees. I could not make out what type of bird it was. 

Once we reached the ground, we had some time to wait before the next shuttle would arrive. I spent that time watching a Barn Swallow forage for ants and other insects on the ground. 

The Barn Swallow seemed to be the mascot bird of the day here at the point.  

Barn Swallows have faced significant population declines due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and changing agricultural practices. So, it was nice to see so many here. ​

Interestingly, in North America at least, Barn Swallows frequently engage in a mutualist relationship with ospreys. Barn swallows will build their nest below an osprey nest, receiving protection from other birds of prey that are repelled by the exclusively fish-eating ospreys. The ospreys are alerted to the presence of these predators by the alarm calls of the swallows

Another visitor that waited for the shuttle with us was an Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria which is a type of mimic Robber Fly that resembles a Bumble Bee.  

We caught the shuttle back to the Visitor Center and made a plan to drive to the White Pine beach to have lunch. 

The White Pine beach had a lovely little picnic shelter where we could have our lunch. 

Inside the picnic shelter was a large wood stove. 

And for $16 you could purchase an entire bin of firewood. 

While we were eating our lunch, the Barn Swallows were eating theirs. 

And momma Barn Swallow was making sure that her babies were eating their lunch too. 

The picnic shelter was conveniently close to a bathroom. It was running on solar power. 

There were two things we wanted to do before leaving the park. One was to visit the historic cemetery that is located in the park and the other was to walk the Cactus Field foot trail.  Both of these things were conveniently located just across the road from where we were eating lunch.  So, we left our cars in the parking lot and began to walk towards the road. 

In the back corner of the parking lot, we spotted a Baltimore Oriole. 

It had expertly captured a caterpillar and flew off with it to enjoy its meal in the treetops, or perhaps to bring to its young waiting in a nest somewhere. 

Another rare sighting we were lucky to encounter was a Striped Whitelip snail. Due to habitat loss and environmental changes, sightings of this species have become increasingly rare. The conservation status of the Striped Whitelip snail is listed as imperiled in Canada. 

The gravel trail leading to the cemetery was meticulously maintained, offering a broad and unobstructed pathway for visitors. Its surface was composed of finely crushed stones. 

Growing along the side of the trail were Scaly Inkcap mushrooms. 

The trees grew with contorted and twisted branches. These peculiar formations gave the trees some character. 

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak watched us from the gnarled branches of the twisted trees.

As we approached the stone pillars marking the entrance to the Point Pelee Cemetery, the solemnity of the surroundings became ever more noticeable. The pillars, composed of local stones, stood like sentinels over the hallowed ground, supporting a wrought-iron arch that bore the inscription "Point Pelee Cemetery."

An informational plaque was situated just inside and told of the former owners of the land, brothers Philip and Oliver DeLaurier.

This stone monument was placed in the cemetary in 2020 to commemorate the First Nations people who have walked these lands and are buried here and elsewhere in  Point Pelee. 

The engraved field stones mark human remains that were uncovered in the park in modern times and reinterred here, according to First Nation tradition, rather than the crosses of the European tradition. 

The cemetery itself, nestled within the natural beauty of Point Pelee National Park, offers a tranquil space for reflection and remembrance.

Ten known individuals were buried here between 1883 and 1948, along with more than 30 unknown individuals. 

The white crosses denote traditional Euro-Canadian buriels. 

A white picket fence surrounds a single white cross. 

It is unknown who's grave this is. There are no names. 

Some of the trees here are gnarled and twisted. I imagine they are probably creepy looking at night. 

As we leave the cemetery, we spot a Traveling Cherry Millipede making its way through the sand. 

Some Dame's Rocket flowers add a bit of colour to the cemetery.

Back out on the main trail I was surprised to find the guy who had taken our photo up at the point. I had thought for sure that I would never see him again and yet, there he was. He was going into the cemetery as we were going out. I did not waste the opportunity to apologize to him for not asking if we could take his picture for him at the point. He seemed to not be troubled by it at all and said that he had plenty of pictures and hadn't needed one. I was happy to hear this.  We said good bye to him and continued on our way. 

I said a quick prayer and thanked God for giving me the second chance to talk to the guy and the opportunity to apologize. The weight had been lifted from my mind. 

We walked a little further down the trail and found the sign showing us the direction to the Cactus Field foot trail. 

Before long we found the entrance and we were excited to look for some cactus. It is quite rare to find cacti growing naturally in Canada, as only two species of cacti are native to the country, primarily found in southern Ontario (although I have seen cacti growing in the badlands of Alberta as well). The Eastern Prickly Pear cactus is one of these species, and it is currently listed as endangered due to habitat loss and other threats.

Unlike the main trail, this foot path was narrow and made of  sand. The overgrowth was growing quite close to the trail. 

White blooms on the Hoary Alyssum flowers (a perennial belonging to the mustard family) were open and waiting in welcome for pollinators to come and land on them. 

The trees here, in this part of the woods, looked amazing with their trunks all dressed up in clinging ivy. 

By now we had been walking for about 10 minutes or so and we had yet to see a single cactus. The exact spot where these cactus grow was not marked on any map. We were beginning to think that we weren't going to see any and we had resigned ourselves to just enjoy the walk without them. 

Then, we came to an intersection. We could go right, or left, or take the center trail.  Carsten said "Let's go this way" and headed down the center trail. We were glad he chose that direction, because if he hadn't we never would have seen the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus. It was only growing along the side of the center trail and nowhere else on the trail. 

It's beautiful, bright yellow flowers are what drew our attention to them "There they are! " I shouted. We felt lucky not only to see them, but to get to see them while they were flowering. 

We progressed along the foot path until we eventually came to the end of the trail. As we stepped out onto the main trail we looked at each other and started laughing. All three of us were covered head to toe in shadflies!  There must have been 30 or 40 on each of us!  We looked behind us and realized that there were a huge number of them on the underside of the leaves on the trees we had just brushed past. So they had gone from the trees onto us. We took a couple of minutes and helped each other to gently remove them from ourselves, laughing the whole time. 

Back at the parking lot, a Brown-headed Cowbird was foraging for insects in the grass and dirt. 

We had read on the map that there was a sanctuary in the park. We were curious about this and wondered what sort of birds or animals were in this sanctury. So we drove over to the location where it was supposed to be. I had imagined a building of some sort  or perhaps a barn or fenced in area or something.  Instead when we arrived, we only found a sign indicating a beach and picnic area.  Then it dawned on me that Sanctuary was the name of the beach and not a building at all.  Upon closer look at the map I noted that it was probably called Sanctuary beach because it was close to the body of water called Sanctuary Pond. 

Well, since we were already here, we took a couple minutes to look around real quick. It had a typical picnic shelter situated by the parking lot. 

A short path led to a sandy beach. 

The beach was empty except for us. 

There wasn't much else to see at the beach so instead, we got back in our cars and headed to the look out on Sanctuary Pond which was just a little further down the road. 

The lookout was an elevated wooden platform that provided a panoramic view of the expansive marsh landscape that is Sanctuary Pond.  It was absolutely beautiful and it was teeming with life. 

The first to greet us was a Red-Winged Blackbird, perched on the rail of the platform. 

Shortly after that, a Barn Swallow landed on the stalk of a Cattail. 

It seemed to be as curious about us as we were of him. 

Further off in the shallow waters was a Blue Heron fishing for his dinner. 

Every once in awhile he would stretch his neck up and scan his surroundings. Perhaps he was keeping an eye out for predators, or perhaps he was looking for a good fishing spot.  

But the things we were most facinated by in this marsh were the carp that inhabited its shallow waters.  These fish, gracefully navigating through the dense vegetation of weeds and lily pads, exhibited a remarkable behavior that captivated our interest. 

Occasionally, they would emerge to the surface, allowing us a fleeting glimpse of their faces, which added a layer of intrigue to their presence.  

However, it was their unique feeding habits that truly held our fascination. The carp expertly maneuvered from flower bulb to flower bulb on the water lilies, and would suck ants and other insects off of them. We thought this was very clever. 

Perched on some reeds near the shore, a female Red Winged Blackbird had caught a shadfly. 

Despite the seemingly precarious positioning of her legs, she skillfully navigated the delicate structures of the reeds while still clutching the shadfly. I was somewhat impressed by this. 

After spending a considerable amount of time at the marsh,  we felt a sense of reluctance as we prepared to depart. We still had a 20 minute drive ahead of us in order to get to our next destination. We were headed to Wheatley Provincial Park where we were looking forward to further exploration and adventure.