The Tip, the very point of the spit, is the classic morning spot. Birds arriving off the lake come ashore here first, and on a good morning the low scrub holds dozens of warbler species within a few metres of the path.

The Woodland Nature Trail and Tilden Woods in the middle of the park are the reliable feeding areas once birds have moved inland, with boardwalks through wet woodland that concentrate both birds and birders.

The marsh boardwalk on the eastern side is a different habitat entirely — a cattail marsh with rails, bitterns, marsh wrens and swamp sparrows, and far fewer people than the woods.

The park in autumn reverses the show: raptors and monarch butterflies stage here before crossing the lake southward, with September concentrations of monarchs in the trees that can be extraordinary.

The first three weeks of May are the peak, timed with the annual Festival of Birds; early May favours the first waves, mid-May the warbler peak. Conditions matter enormously — a south wind brings birds through without stopping, while a front that grounds them produces a fallout worth travelling for.

Practicalities

Pelee is around an hour from Windsor and four from Toronto, and the nearby town of Leamington fills up in migration season — book well ahead.

A shuttle runs to the Tip during the busy season since parking there is limited; walk or ride it early. The park is small, flat and easy, which makes it one of the most accessible serious birding destinations in North America.