RFI: Point Pelee Status?

[Andy]

I'm heading out to Pelee next week and am wondering if any of you have recent reports. Given the odd spring and current weather, I don't know what to expect . Comments?

[Greg Schneider]

Ron Ridout of BSC posted this last Friday:

I know several members plan trips to Pt. Pelee each spring in early to mid-May hoping for a rush of warblers in essentially leafless trees. Spring is at least two weeks ahead of schedule this year. Trees all along the north shore of Lake Erie in southern Ontario are flowering and many are now breaking into leaf.

The region has been experiencing early May temperatures since mid- to late March. The long-range forecast for the rest of April calls for continuing above average temperatures for the most part. I spoke with one of the park's naturalists today and she said that everything with the exception of the hackberrys was breaking out.

By May I would expect that all of the shrubs will be in full leaf and even the hackberrys will be well along. This is definitely going to make photography much more difficult.

I won't go out on a limb and predict the state of migration by then. So far most migrants are about on time but we're still only dealing with temperate migrants. Once the neo-tropicals get above Florida, they may well rush north but that will depend upon night time temperatures (they like it above 10C) as well as precipitation. Whenever they arrive, they will be difficult to see.

[Andy]

Thanks, Greg, for posting Ron's comments. It appears I chose well the date for the trip leaf-wise, but not so great bird-wise. I think it will be rather leisurely strolling without many pesky birds to stop for...