Spring in MacGregor Point Provincial Park 2022
For two years in a row, our spring trip to MacGregor Point Provincial Park was cancelled due to the park closures as a part of the restrictions imposed by the province during the pandemic. This year, finally, we could get back to one of our favourite springtime destinations. The time of our stay was the last week in May.
The park is on the eastern shoreline of Lake Huron in Ontario. It is a natural oasis, a little protected wilderness among the towns, farmlands, cottages and public beaches that fill up the Grey Bruce landscape. The Park’s seven kilometre shoreline is rugged and relatively untouched. Because of the location and its natural attraction, many birds pass through the park during spring migration. Wildflowers grow in the forest and along the shores including some beautiful and rare species.
Birds are one of the main reasons we visit the park and the surrounding area. Our checklist had 77 different species including some exciting sightings such as the Wilson’s Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Sandhill Crane and the Winter Wren (pictured in the top title image). One of our favourite places to visit in the park is the Tower Trail with it’s marsh. However, it was closed to protect nesting Ospreys.
Some rare wildflowers seen in the park and surrounding area includes Dwarf Iris, Striped Coralroot, Ram's Head Lady's Slipper, Round-leaved and Linear-leaved Sundew.
Our favourite campground was also closed, so we camped at the other side of the park. Our site was beautifully nestled between a pond and a marsh. We missed the Woodcock that frequented our previous site, but we, instead, enjoyed a chorus of frogs calling in the night. Tree Frogs, Spring Peepers and Green Frogs were extremely vocal to the point that some of our neighbours actually complained that they kept them up during the night.
Frogs Sound Clip :
A trip to MacGregor Point isn’t complete without a day tour to the Bruce Peninsula where we visited some great fens, beaches, alvars and forest trails.
MacGregor Point Provincial Park is naturally beautiful and full of flora and fauna. It will continue to be one of our favourite Ontario Parks in the spring and any time of year.
