Festival Of Birds - Point Pelee National Park Ontario - (Festival of Birdes) Jann Warbler Capital of Canada

Leanington, Ontario (76 degrees, clear blue skies)

Our group on  board the Jet Express  L-R me. John,  Barry, Jann, David, Susie and Fran (Randy is missing) Another couple Bob and Vickie were unable to come

We have now met up in Ohio with four other couples. Eeventually we will be traveling  into Canada and touring Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island.. It's been fun getting to met everyone. We come from different  parts of the U.S. and the long anticipated caravan is now officially begun! 

We are starting off with two cool birding events. Canadian locals say the Point Pelee National Park was built by birds.  We were here for the spring migration and this area is also known as the  Warbler Capital of Canada.  Currently we are staying in Ohio getting ready to attend the Biggest Week in American Birding and we went  to Ontario Canada for this "pre" event in an unusual way - by Jet Express. It's a high speed boat which leaves from Port Clinton Ohio and arrives in  Leanington Ontario.  A passport is required for this trip and you go through customs on both sides.  Canada's was rather informal - the American side took longer. 

This little point juts out into Lake Erie from the Canadian border and lures warblers each spring to come take a rest before continuing on their journey.  This map helped me understand why a bird would be intrigued into stopping.

We were off to an early start and  left the dock quickly gathered up speed on the Jet Express. It's a thrilling 40 mile ride and this excursion also included a breakfast snack, box lunch, transportation from Leanington to the National Park, entrance fee to the park and a shuttle back and forth from the visitor center to the marsh area.  Cost was $85.

Jan up on deck being blown away

Port Clinton in the distance

Our first stop was an island called Put in Bay where we picked up 30 Rhode Scholars who had been birding this island for a few days.  I've visited this island  many times years ago for quick getaways while living in Ohio.

Surrounding island

Put in Bay

After picking up our additional passengers we  then took off for Leanington Ontario. This port city was much busier than expected. There were pretty cottages doting along the lake leading to the National Park. A school bus took us to the Visitor Center. It's a bustling place where lots of information can be picked up.  Randy quickly scoured the recent sightings and off we went down a trail.Randy and Fran are fantastic birders and  we'd have missed so much without all their special attention. 

David and Susie

Jann & Barry

This special festival draws in a lot of visitors. The park also organized some nice birding tours.  We took one in the afternoon which was well done by a birder from Toronto who "migrates" here for two weeks each spring.

Sometimes the trails were very crowded when a special warbler was spotted.

Sometimes it was remote and beautiful.  The sounds of warblers singing was so delightful.

Red Admral

Woodpeckers have pecked out quite a grid on this tree

Jan was a happy girl when she found a new bird

Marsh Walk

We added ten new birds to our list which is fantastic.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Yellow Warbler 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Around 4 p.m. the bus took us back to our boat. It was a delightful day and the weather cooperated so nicely  I think our big adventure is off to a great start...don't you.

There Is No Place Like Home

Indianapolis, IN  (72 degrees, blues sky)

I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz racing around trying to see some of our family & friends. It's so nice to be back home in Indiana and the flowering trees and blooming daffodils are so lovely.

Some of the time we allotted has been taken up with unexpected visits to Cummins for a hydraulic  leak. Just as we approached Indiana the diesel engine started spitting oil out the back all over our bicycles and our jeep.. Good grief! Luckily our friend Allen helped us diagnose the problem and Cummins worked us into their busy schedule. It's been nerve racking worrying about whether the parts will arrive in time before we meet up with our friends in Ohio for the Biggest Week in American Birding and further travels into Canada for five months.,

Marcia, Jerry, John, & Linda

We arrived at one of our favorite county campgrounds - White River to find out three of our friends brought their rigs out there to surprise us. Linda, Jerry, and Marcia belong to a camping club with Good Sams we helped initially organize before full timing. It was so much fun to see them and we sat around a fire each evening catching up. Other members -  Norma and John also joined all of us for dinner one evening.

John, me, Jerry, Marcia, Linda, Norma and John

The next day Allen came over to the campground to help John trouble shoot the engine problems. He and his wife Joyce were camp hosts at this campground at one time and we became great friends. Allen drove semi trucks most of his life and recorded over 3 million miles. He knows his way around diesel engines. Unfortunately the next day he took a tumble at home off of a ladder and ended up in the hospital with a concussion.  We hope he'll be feeling better soon.

John also was able to meet up with some of his retired postal carrier friends (Dan and Gary). We all met with them and their wives at a Mexican restaurant. It was a nice evening. I don't think any of the carriers miss working for the post office.  

Me, Chris and John

One morning we drove to Lafayette and saw one of my best friends from my hometown (Monticello). She drove down from the Chicago area just to see us. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant and talked and talked. Chris attended our 40th high school reunion and showed me lots of pictures. Our waiter was very patient.

Afterwards we drove up to Rochester to stay with my brother and his wife for a couple of days. Their friend Rick cooked us a five star delicious dinner on an outdoor  grill and we sat outside long into the evening. S'mores were involved too. It was a beautiful evening along the lake.

Rick and his amazing grill

Harry and John

Corn on the cob and grilled chicken

The next morning we piled kayaks onto a pontoon boat and launched them later into a pristine wetland which feeds the lake. It was a beautiful day and the spring was in full tilt. We saw some Sand hill Cranes, a couple of beautiful Swans, deer, and for once no alligators.  

Kayaks being launched from the pontoon boat

Our happiness dulled, however, when we decided to portage around a couple of areas where the stream was blocked with fallen trees. It looked easy in theory. However, thick muck, slippery slopes, and one overturned kayak (mine) suddenly changed the atmosphere. My kayak ended up being punctured and it suddenly took on lots of water in the hull. Fortunately Penny was using a tandem kayak and  I paddled back with her towing mine behind by a rope. We all thought our decision to portage was not a good one but hindsight is 20/20. The tough reality will be finding someone to quickly repair it before we go to Canada.

We had one last dinner with Debbie and Dave (see previous post) and were also able to visit Debbie's Mom in a rehab center. She is recovering from a heart valve replacement and looked amazing for having been through such a serious surgery. We wish her a speedy recovery.

We were even able to see my friend and former boss Jackie's new house and have dinner with her daughter Kenzie and her sister Jill and her husband.  (oops, I forget to take pictures) Can you tell a lot of great food was also involved with seeing all of our friends and family.  Yum!

David and Debbie

After returning to Indy our unexpected focus has been communicating with Cummins and we also finished up last minute shopping. It's been much easier to accomplish all the shopping because for once we are in a city we know how to get around. However, we are so amazed by how much it has changed in just three years on the north side.

Unfortunately due to all the time spent with the unexpected engine problems we could not see everyone. We will just have to return again soon. Thanks to everyone for taking time to see us. You are all so special to us.