Pelee Birding Tours.
Guided birding tours at Point Pelee and across Essex County, led by Ontario's 2017 Big Year record holder
The brief.
Pelee Birding Tours is a guided birding and wildlife outfit based in Leamington, Ontario, working the Point Pelee National Park area and surrounding Essex County sites including Hillman Marsh Conservation Area and Wheatley. All tours are led by Jeremy Bensette, who set Ontario's Big Year birding record in 2017 with 346 species over more than 100,000 km of travel and held the record until late 2022. Bensette represents Swarovski Optik North America as a Field Tech, and is in his tenth season of breeding bird and amphibian survey work for Birds Canada. Private outings run from 4-hour half-days to 14-hour Big Days, with shared group outings capped at six. High-quality birding equipment is included with every tour, and bookings cover spring migration through winter waterfowl seasons.
5. ways in.
- 01
Private Half-Day Birding/Wildlife Outing
For: All ages and skill levels; base rate covers 1–3 people, surcharge over 3When: Year-round per published calendar — April–May 2026 (peak migration), June–July (breeding season), August–November, December 2026–March 2027 (waterfowl)A four-hour customized birding day at Point Pelee and surrounding Essex County hotspots, tailored to client interests and target species. High-quality birding equipment is included free with the tour, making this an entry-friendly option for visitors who don't travel with optics. Maximum rate for groups over 10 equals the rate for 10 participants.
$300 total for 1-3 people; $30 per additional person over 3; 50% deposit required to reserve
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Private Full Day Birding/Wildlife Outing
For: All ages and skill levels; base rate covers 1–3 people, surcharge over 3When: Year-round per published calendar (April 2026 through March 2027 open windows)A nine-hour outing with a planned meal break, giving enough on-the-ground time to cover multiple Point Pelee and Essex County sites in a single day. Birding equipment is included free. Suited to visitors making the trip down from elsewhere in Ontario who want to maximise one day in the region.
$450 total for 1-3 people; $50 per additional person over 3; 50% deposit required to reserve
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Private Big Day Birding/Wildlife Outing
For: Keen birders chasing species count or extended coverage; base rate covers 1–3 people, surcharge over 3When: Year-round per published calendarA dawn-to-dusk birding day of up to 14 hours, structured around two or three meal breaks, designed for high species counts or sweeping coverage across Point Pelee, Hillman Marsh, and other Essex County sites. Equipment included. The format mirrors the Big Day approach Bensette used to set the 2017 Ontario record.
$600 total for 1-3 people; $70 per additional person over 3; 50% deposit required to reserve
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Group Birds & Wildlife Half-Day Outing
For: Individuals or small parties joining a shared group; capped at 6 participants; minimum 2 to runWhen: Availability noted as very limited for shared group outingsA four-hour shared birding outing in the Point Pelee area for visitors who'd rather pay per-person than book a private day. Groups are capped at six and require a minimum of two to run. High-quality birding equipment is included free.
$90 per person
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Group Birds & Wildlife Full-Day Outing
For: Individuals or small parties joining a shared group; capped at 6 participants; minimum 2 to runWhen: Availability noted as very limited for shared group outingsA nine-hour shared birding outing with a meal break, covering Point Pelee and surrounding Essex County sites. Same six-person cap and two-person minimum as the half-day group format. Equipment is included free, and the per-person pricing structure suits solo travellers and pairs.
$140 per person
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Worth knowing.
- 01Guided by Jeremy Bensette, a resident expert birder and naturalist in the Point Pelee Birding Area in Southwestern OntarioSource ↗
- 02Guide set Ontario's Big Year birding record in 2017 with 346 species recorded over more than 100,000 km of travel; record held until late 2022Source ↗
- 03Guide represents Swarovski Optik North America as a Field Tech and previously spent seven years on the Vortex Optics Pro StaffSource ↗
- 04Guide is in his tenth year of breeding bird and amphibian survey work for Birds Canada (Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring)Source ↗
- 05Guide works part-time as an ecologist with SLR ConsultingSource ↗
- 06FREE use of high quality birding equipment included with every tourSource ↗
- 07Tours run across migration, breeding, and waterfowl seasons — open windows from April 2026 through March 2027 on the published calendarSource ↗
- 08Shared group outings capped at 6 participants per group, with a 2-person minimum to runSource ↗
- 09Private outings priced for 1–3 people at $300 (half-day) / $450 (full day) / $600 (big day, up to 14 hours); 50% deposit required to reserveSource ↗
- 10Coverage area includes Point Pelee National Park, Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, and surrounding Essex County sitesSource ↗
Outside the door.
AQHI 7 — sensitive groups stay indoors.
Get in
touch.
- Website
- peleebirding.com
- Address
- Leamington, Ontario, Canada