A visit to Pelee Island

DRAMATIC CHANGES: The last of the marshes

By Mary Margaret

THE wind and wave battered canoe was tossed upon the sandy beaches of Pelee Island, a safe haven for the hunters and gatherers after the perils of crossing the lake.

The early visitors left behind bits of pottery, arrowheads for the current inhabitants to piece together the history of Pelee Island, one of the islands in the Lake Eerie Archipelago on the southern most point in Canada.

Unlike the early visitors, including the first European settlers who braved the waters in small boats or crossed in winter when the lake froze, we now make the trip in relative comfort on the ferry MV Jimaan (the Ojibway word for big canoe).

We visit for different reasons; the ecological diversity and the relatively mild climate led the early peoples to come for hunting and gathering; the European settlers also hunted and fished but saw opportunities for agriculture; now visitors mostly come to get away from the stresses of the 21st century.

Fish Point Provincial Nature Reserve

The flatness of this small island makes it ideal to explore on bicycle and my first stop was Fish Point Provincial Nature Reserve located on the southwestern tip of Pelee Island. The trails that lead to clean sandy beaches cut through Carolinian Forests and walkers can imagine that they are south of the 41st parallel.

Sugar Maple, White Ash, Chinquapin Oak and Hackberry shaded the paths as we took in the wonders of the forest.

Hackberry has extremely limited range, but can reach 13 metres in height and half a metre in diameter. Its leaves are the only food for the larvae of the Hackberry Butterfly and Tawny Emperor. Birds also feast on the dark red or purple berries.

The trail, before hitting the beach, skirts Fish Pond, a favourite spot for birds such as herons, ducks and egrets to hang out. Pelee Island is a bird paradise, and a total of 276 species have been recorded here.

Birders come from afar to observe the spring migrations when the birds are heading north to their breeding grounds.

Ten of the estimated 50 breeding pairs in Eastern Canada of the Yellow- breasted Chat are believed to be found on Pelee Island.

These insect-eating, easily recognised birds have bright yellow breasts and olive-green backs and can be seen in several places on the island.

Loss of marshes

The marshes in Fish Point and Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserves are all that remain of the large wetlands that welcomed early visitors.

Most of Pelee until the mid-1880s was a biological diverse fertile marsh. This was changed when ambitious and future looking entrepreneurs drained the marsh doubling the available agricultural land.

The system of canals and roads that were built then are used still. Fortunately wildlife has reclaimed the river habitats created by the canals.

Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve

My next stop was the Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve in the northern tip of the island.

Here, in one of the two remaining marshes, we got our first glimpse of turtles. Turtles are the easiest reptiles to see and the Midlands Painted Turtles are often seen sunning in the swamp at Lighthouse Point and we saw three taking in the rays.

The relatively common Snapping Turtle with its razor-sharp teeth and claws is also common here and best avoided.

A great number of snakes used to inhabit the islands, but the populations have been reduced. None of the remaining snake inhabitants are poisonous; this includes the endangered Lake Eerie Watersnake a subspecies of the Northern Watersnake.

Its greyish blotchy brown colouration is believed to be a response to the grey limestone of the area. It is not venomous, but will bite if harassed. It is endangered by our fear of snakes and shoreline development, but this ecologically important species eats weakened and dead fish including the invasive ones.

Black Double-crested Cormorants 
Black Double-crested Cormorants can be observed in the lake and duck-like water birds are believed to have started breeding in the area in the 1930s. We stopped to watch as they spread their large black wings to dry in the sun.The birds ignored the humans on the beach, perhaps sensing that we were in awe of them.

Pelee Island has undergone some dramatic changes, but there is a sense of balance on the island as man steps back and lets Mother Nature take her rightful place.

LUSH: A meandering forest trail.

Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve
My next stop was the Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve in the northern tip of the island.Here, in one of the two remaining marshes, we got our first glimpse of turtles. Turtles are the easiest reptiles to see and the Midlands Painted Turtles are often seen sunning in the swamp at Lighthouse Point and we saw three taking in the rays.

The relatively common Snapping Turtle with its razor-sharp teeth and claws is also common here and best avoided.

A great number of snakes used to inhabit the islands, but the populations have been reduced. None of the remaining snake inhabitants are poisonous; this includes the endangered Lake Eerie Watersnake a subspecies of the Northern Watersnake.

Its greyish blotchy brown colouration is believed to be a response to the grey limestone of the area. It is not venomous, but will bite if harassed. It is endangered by our fear of snakes and shoreline development, but this ecologically important species eats weakened and dead fish including the invasive ones.


Black Double-crested Cormorants 

Black Double-crested Cormorants can be observed in the lake and duck-like water birds are believed to have started breeding in the area in the 1930s. We stopped to watch as they spread their large black wings to dry in the sun.The birds ignored the humans on the beach, perhaps sensing that we were in awe of them.

Pelee Island has undergone some dramatic changes, but there is a sense of balance on the island as man steps back and lets Mother Nature take her rightful place.