Every spring for many years now, LWI holds a group camping outing on Pelee Island. 2016 was the first year for myself and Roberta attending. Pelee Island is an easy 1 hour and 30 minute ferry ride from Leamington. The campground is located only a few kilometers from the ferry dock and is well situated for making forays to the various corners of the island.
By late Thursday the LWI group camping site was well populated with tents, dining shelters, pop-up camper vans and one truck camper. Some members come as early as Tuesday, with most departing back to the mainland on the Sunday. A total of 21 campers attended, with ages ranging from elementary school up to ?? Most campers in the group brought bicycles, as the island is relatively small and quite flat. For some outings we did choose to drive, in order to facilitate moving to other locations depending on bird concentrations or lack thereof. We enjoyed group hikes, campfires, late night owling (successfully calling in screech owls!) and great camaraderie. The atmosphere at the campsite was very relaxed and driving on the island is slow and easy; everyone waves at other vehicles.
The island is a mix of agricultural land, vineyards, and protected conservation lands, each with its own unique habitat. I thought the best way to describe the nature aspects of the trip was to show some photos. 2016 was a record turnout for this popular LWI outing and we hope 2017 will be even better. I have split my photos into two posts; the first will be general nature photos, and the second post will focus on bird photos. Enjoy!
