Afternoon: ARRIVALS: From Windsor we work our way north along the shores of Lake Erie to the Long Point Area. If time permits, before checking into our hotel, we'll visit Big Creek National Wildlife area, near Long Point. Here we'll observe a number of wetland species on both sides of the causeway. With good conditions in the cattail marshes, we should see Sandhill Crane, Black Tern, Marsh Wren and Swamp Sparrow. With luck we might see Least Bittern, Virginia Rail or Sora. On the Long Point Inner Bay, we should see Osprey, Caspian Tern and Mute Swan. After arrival and check-in there will be a welcome dinner, introductions and an orientation to the program.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Comfort Inn

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Long Point Provincial Park. The Long Point area is named for the huge sand spit that juts out into the middle of Lake Erie. It is also one of the finest birding spots on the Great Lakes. The Long Point area hosts more than 25 species of nesting warblers, including some of the less common species. En-route to Long Point, we'll drive through the St. Williams Conservation Reserve. We'll check the pine plantations and open scrub habitats for both resident and migratory species. Hopefully, we'll see Blue-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Field sparrow and Blue-headed Vireo. Later, we'll stop in at the Old Cut Field Station to observe bird-banding in process. The thick vegetation around this corner of the peninsula can be excellent for a variety of migratory species including several wood-warblers, various thrushes and Scarlet Tanager. This is also a good area for rare species like Worm-eating Warbler. We will also visit the Bird Sanctuary.

Lunch: Lunch at Long Point.

Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: Bird watching continues back on mainland, in particular the Backus Woods and Wilson's Tract. These mature woodlots attract Carolinian species and a variety of migrants. Here we hope to see Hooded Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Vireo and a number of migrant songbirds.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Comfort Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out.

Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Rondeau Provincial Park. This morning we leave Long Point and head west along the Lake Erie shore to Rondeau Provincial Park, a lesser-known but very birdy peninsula. Rondeau is one of Canada’s finest remaining examples of Carolinian forest and is the stronghold for the country’s few remaining nesting Prothonotary Warblers. Upon arrival to the park, we'll check out the visitor center, and then hike the Tulip Tree trail, with a chance to see rare Prothonotary Warbler. Other species present include Red-headed Woodpecker, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and a variety of migrant warblers.

Lunch: Bag lunch in the Park.

Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: After lunch, we'll continue birding around Rondeau, including areas around the picnic ground, the Spice Bush Trail and/or the Pony Barns.

Dinner: Dinner in a local restaurant.

Lodging: Travelodge Chatham

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Early breakfast at hotel.

Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Point Pelee National Park. We begin with an early breakfast and then head into the park, birding various sites throughout the morning. Point Pelee is one of the continent's most famous migration hotspots, and justly so. Jutting out far into Lake Erie, the point is a magnet for tired northbound birds, and on a good day it can be teeming with birds, including up to 30 species of warblers, all in beautiful breeding plumage. We'll spend the full morning exploring the various birding trails around the tip of Point Pelee. Spring migration will be in full force, so we'll see a number of migrating warblers and other songbirds. If conditions are good, we'll get excellent looks at many different species like Blackburnian Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and with luck, perhaps a few rare species like Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler or Kirtland's Warbler.

Lunch: Lunch in the park.

Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: The Pelee area offers the potential for some of the most exciting migration birding anywhere in North America, and it has a great reputation for turning up rarities such as Kirtland’s Warbler. Bird watching continues, first in the park at the Marsh Boardwalk, and later outside the park at Hillman's Marsh and/or the Onion Fields.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Pelee Days Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Early breakfast at the hotel (5:00 a.m.)

Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Point Pelee National Park. The chance to see so many different birds alongside each other, all in their rich breeding colors, is what has made Pelee a birding legend. Daily totals typically exceed 100 species. We'll start again at the tip of the park. Besides looking for migratory songbirds, we'll also check the tip for shorebirds, waterfowl, terns and gulls. No doubt, the woods will be alive with bird song. And, we'll spend time to get good views of as many as possible. We should see resident species such as Orchard Oriole, Carolina Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker. Mixed in with the warblers, we might see uncommon birds like Whip-poor-will, Clay-coloured Sparrow, or something rare like Henslow's Sparrow.

Lunch: Lunch in the park.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: Pelee Island Winery is Canada's warmest and southernmost appellation - Pelee is on the same latitude as the prestigious wine regions of the world (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and France). www.peleeisland.com/index.php

Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINTUES: Point Pelee is one of the world's best-known migration hotspots, attracting birders from all over the world and the annual mass migration is a striking spectacle. Depending on bird activity in the park, we might venture away to other birding locations north, including the Comber Conservation Area or St. Clair National Wildlife Area. However, if the park is proving highly productive, we'll stay to do a few more trails within its boundaries.

Dinner: Farewell dinner and program wrap-up.

Lodging: Pelee Days Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out. Coach transfer to Windsor for departures home.

Meals Included: Breakfast