Festival of Flight brings bird watchers from around the world to Southwestern Ontario

Birds and bird watchers are migrating to the second oldest provincial park in Ontario as its annual spring migration festival takes flight.

According to staff, the Festival of Flight at Rondeau Provincial Park is attracting upwards of 1,000 visitors a day, as they prepare for an influx of dedicated birders to visit the park for the remainder of festivities.

“We're just reaching the peak of our birding season right now,” discovery program leader, Laura Penner, said

“Similar to Point Pelee and Long Point, Rondeau gets an influx of migratory birds during the month of May and brings in birders from all over the world.”

Officials with Ontario Parks said Rondeau in Chatham-Kent is a world-renowned bird watching destination and that 334 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

“Rondeau is made up of a bunch of really unique habitats that supports a lot of diversity,” Penner continued. “Not only in birds, but other wildlife as well. There's some really rare birds that nest only in Rondeau like the Prothonotary Warbler that always brings in people that need that bird on their list.”

Bird in Rondeau Park in Chatham-Kent, Ont. (Courtesy: Kevin Gevaert)

She noted loyal birders from places like the United States, Ireland and other European countries have been making annual trips to Rondeau for decades.

“Just today we had a gentleman in from Germany who's been coming for several years,” she said.

Many visitors believe the birding at Rondeau is better than anywhere else, only rivalled by Point Pelee National Park.

“Pelee is supposed to be number one but personally I prefer to be in Rondeau,” confessed Peter Booker of Burlington, Ont., “Because it's less crowded, the trails are open and there’s just as many birds and just as many bird species.”

Mary Booker continued, “You can get to all the trails. It’s not as if you’re blocked. In Pelee this week we couldn’t get to the tip a number of times in the morning because there are so many people there. But I know it’s a busy week there.”

According to the Friends of Rondeau, this year’s festival includes twice-daily guided bird hikes led by an experienced birder.

“It's really birdy!” exclaimed bird hike leader, Kevin Gevaert.

“Lots of birds to be seen. Lots of warblers right now. The last couple days have been excellent, although last week, we had a lot of north winds and a lot of cold weather which didn't make it very nice. It was very slow. But right now it's fantastic to be here and lots of things to be seen.”

Bird in Rondeau Park in Chatham-Kent, Ont. (Courtesy: Kevin Gevaert)

Gevaert said birding in Rondeau Park typically exceeds expectations thanks to its unique shape.

“Pelee is a very small point where Rondeau is a very large club, almost like a teardrop and it houses a lot more habitat that breeding birds such as pileated woodpecker, Redheaded woodpecker, and all those other birds that people love to come to see, breed right here but don't breed elsewhere,” he said.

Commercial photographer Wendy Webb suggests anyone hoping to capture an incredible image to be familiar with their camera and its settings.

“Birds move very, very quickly,” Webb told CTV News. “So you want to adjust your camera setting so you can capture the bird as it moves. Then you get some exciting pictures of its wings opening or perhaps preening its feathers.”

Webb added, “It doesn't last long. They're very fleeting moments. The birds come they go they're very active. The more treasured bird pictures are the ones that move more.”

The Festival of Flight runs from May 6-21.