Four birders, three days, one tiny Airbnb called the JellyBean, and an ambitious goal of finding 130 species.
That was the plan as my partner Stef, our friends Jeff and Quinn, and I headed to Point Pelee National Park for one of the busiest weekends of spring migration. For a few short weeks each spring, migrants pour through southern Ontario, making Point Pelee one of the best places on the continent to witness migration in action.
Stef and Jeff at the JellyBean. Photo by Ankur Khurana
Our Airbnb sat right beside the park, which made the whole operation feel slightly more efficient than it probably was. Even so, we spent most of the weekend covering miles of trails, checking eBird alerts, and convincing ourselves that the next rarity was “definitely” around the next corner.
We saw many Bonaparte's Gulls. Photo by Ankur Khurana
We started ridiculously strong, recording 85 species on the first day alone. Unfortunately, that also meant we spent the rest of the trip discovering that the remaining 45 species were going to be considerably harder to find than we'd anticipated.
Over three days, we birded Point Pelee National Park, Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, nearby backroads and fields, and wrapped things up with a stop at Rondeau Provincial Park on the drive home.
Among the highlights were Yellow-breasted Chat, Cerulean Warbler, and a Black-necked Stilt standing in a tiny pond (beside a factory, of all places!).
The very elusive Yellow-breasted Chat. Photo by Ankur Khurana
The Worm-eating Warbler became my personal nemesis. I chased it from location to location, relying heavily on its song and occasionally pretending that I knew exactly what I was doing. After several failed attempts and more than a little frustration, I finally caught up with it near the end of the weekend.
One of the major side quests of the trip was Stef's mission to earn the Point Pelee 100-species pin. This year's pin featured an Eastern Screech-Owl, which increased her motivation. Thankfully, she got there. Jeff and Quinn, both newer birders, picked up a long list of lifers over the weekend, making every stop that much more exciting. I added one lifer myself (a Long-billed Dowitcher) while Stef managed several more.
The super-rare Cerulean Warbler. Photo by Ankur Khurana
What always stands out about Point Pelee is how quickly things change. A trail that feels quiet in the morning can suddenly be alive with warblers an hour later. One day you are searching for a bird that seems impossible to find, and the next you're standing beneath a tree watching it feed overhead. Every eBird alert carries the possibility of something special having arrived overnight.
At the Point Pelee NP boardwalk, looking for marsh birds. Photo by Stef Hall.
The trip also produced what may be its most enduring contribution to our birding vocabulary. When Stef spotted a Prothonotary Warbler and excitedly called it out, Jeff somehow heard "Profanity Warbler." The name immediately stuck and remained in regular use for the rest of the weekend.
The Famous "Profanity" Warbler. Photo by Ankur Khurana
We finished the trip with 122 species, several lifers, a handful of excellent rarities, and more miles walked than any of us had originally planned.
More than anything, the weekend was a reminder of just how remarkable spring migration can be. Seeing Cerulean Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Prothonotary Warblers, and dozens of other migrants over the course of a few days is a privilege that never gets old.
And thanks to one misheard bird name, at least one of those species will forever be known in our group as the Profanity Warbler!
