What to Expect
Overview
Our Point Pelee & Algonquin Park tour is a fast-paced birding tour, where we focus on observing Spring bird migration. The daily travel schedule will vary to account for weather, bird species, habitat and of course the unpredictable nature of migration. We spent long days in the field; most days start quite early in the morning, and in the afternoon, we will either drive to our next location or have a break prior to more birding later in the day.
While this tour offers an incredible bird-watching experience, it’s important to note that the long days may be physically demanding for some.
Food
Breakfast is usually at the hotel (early) or in the field, and might include a simple muffin or cookie and coffee. We will have a larger lunch, either picnic or sit-down lunch at a restaurant. Dinner is usually at restaurant hotels or a nearby restaurant. During dinner we usually discuss the day’s activities and review the list of birds seen and heard.
Accommodation
Accommodations during the tour vary from basic to standard hotels.
Walking
This tour involves moderate walking on mostly level terrain. However, we could have some slippery or uneven terrain. The longest continuous walk on this tour takes place in Backus Woods, where we search for local breeding birds along a 4 km (2.5-mile) trail through deciduous forest. The most walking in a single day occurs at Point Pelee, where we may cover up to 6 km (3.8 miles) in the park. While the walking is generally flat, the main challenge is the potential fatigue from consecutively long days. That said, the walks are done at a slow pace and this can also be discussed with the guides, and alternatives can be offered where possible.
Driving
This tour covers large parts of Ontario, so inevitably there will be some longer afternoon drives. The longest drive will be roughly 3-4 hours, when headed north into Ontario’s boreal lowlands.
Climate
The tour will take place at the peak of spring migration, which means the full onset of spring/summer in Ontario. Although nice weather is likely, we can also expect some rain. Mornings may be cool, while days are generally warm. We recommend packing layers, including sweaters, gloves, a warm hat, sunhat and sunglasses, and a lightweight rain jacket. This is the onset of summer, so bugs may be present. Long-sleeved shirts and trousers are advisable to protect against biting insects.
