Long Point Biosphere Reserve

Long Point is a long, curved sand spit extending far into Lake Erie from the north shore, one of the most remarkable geographic features in Ontario. UNESCO designated it a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 in recognition of its ecological importance — the combination of sand dunes, marshes, forests, and open water supports an exceptional diversity of plant and animal life.

For birdwatchers, Long Point in migration season (particularly October for hawks and passerines, and May for warblers) is as good as it gets in inland Canada. The Long Point Provincial Park at the tip of the spit offers camping and beach access; the inner bay is a productive area for waterfowl and shorebirds. Even in summer, the beaches are quieter than most Ontario lakeside destinations and the scenery — sand dunes backed by marsh — is genuinely beautiful. The drive from Aylmer takes about 30 minutes.

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Long Point is one of the most important migratory stopovers in North America. The peninsula juts 40 km into Lake Erie — the shallowest and southernmost of the Great Lakes — and its position on the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways means that during spring and fall migration, an extraordinary number of birds concentrate here: hawks, warblers, shorebirds, waterfowl. The Long Point Bird Observatory, established in 1960, is one of the oldest bird banding stations on the continent.

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