ZOOTHERA BIRDING BLOG: The Big Fall at Point Pelee

Thursday, 19 May 2016

The Big Fall at Point Pelee

Well, we can say that we were there on the day of The Big Fall. It really did happen and looking back I still can’t quite believe it. An epic day of 25 species of warbler on the tip of Point Pelee and it was literally raining birds that dropped into every conceivable sheltered spot to rest and feed, most of them within arm’s length. Even on the tram ride to the tip I could see that the treetops were alive with birds and one can only imagine how many thousands of individual birds were involved today. It was non-stop action from dawn to dusk and I can’t ever remember my arms aching so much from the constant raising of binocular and camera. It was absolutely awesome and we were truly lucky to witness one of nature’s most amazing spectacles - it was indeed the miracle of migration happening right in front of us. To be honest you can use every superlative imaginable and it still wouldn’t relate the excitement, fervour and sheer good fun to be here on a day like this. I must admit I was bit stunned really as everywhere you looked there was another brightly coloured sprite to look at and you never knew what was coming next. We spent the whole day here and you always felt like there was something new just around the corner. I think the collection of photos I took today sum the event up better than any prose that my still fuzzy brain can cobble together…