Flights to Windsor

A natural beauty

In 1957, the Ojibway Prairie Complex began with a humble 100 acres. Since then, this nature reserve has expanded to over 600 untamed acres, which hold some of Windsor’s most fascinating wildlife.

This group of ecosystems is composed of five distinct parts, including the ever-popular Ojibway Prairies Provincial Nature Reserve. Each of these segments sustains a unique variety of plants and animals, some of which you won’t find anywhere else in Ontario.

As you pass through the park, keep your eyes peeled for the animals known to frequent the area. From green herons, to white-tailed deer, and the rare Blanding’s Turtle, creatures of every kind call Ojibway home.

Even if Ojibway’s animals evade your gaze, the area’s plant life is always ready to be photographed. Look for the incredibly rare Ontario tallgrass prairie and oak savanna, remnants of a once expansive ecosystem in the province. 533 species of flowering plants live in the park, including 60 species that are specific to prairies. Occasionally, all this greenery goes up in smoke, as part of prescribed burns designed to preserve the prairie ecosystems.

To best explore the Ojibway Prairie Complex, take any one of the numerous trails that trace through the area. Ojibway Park is the perfect start, featuring well-kept walking trails and a Nature Centre for educational exploration. In the Nature Centre, birding, photography, wildflower, and wildlife programs enhance the park’s already amazing outdoors.

From this part of Ojibway, you can also take the Windsor Trail. With Porter’s flights to Windsor, you’ll start off on the right foot to walk this trail to even more of Windsor’s naturally beautiful features.

A slice of southern Ontario

Look for this little bit of paradise on the shores of Lake Erie. This lakeside location, combined with a lower latitude, creates a climate more typical of the southern United States than Canada. In this Carolinian climate region, plants and animals usually only found south of the border thrive.

The birds of Point Pelee are one of the area’s biggest points of interest. Wildlife spotting reaches whole new heights in this national park, with birds ranging from red-winged blackbirds and white ibises, to more exotic avians. Keep a pair of binoculars on hand to catch a glimpse of the colourful plumage of migrating and local birds. There is no shortage of plumage in Point Pelee, more than 370 species have been identified.

After watching Point Pelee’s skies, set your sights on its waters. You can canoe through the waterfront ecosystems on a guided boat tour to get acquainted with the park’s aquatic life. Take a walk through a swamp on the Marsh Boardwalk. Along this elevated 1.5 km trail, your feet will stay dry as you tour the wetland. From the path, you can climb into one of the viewing towers for a sweeping view of the swampland below.

Make your way to the Tip Trail, a1 km path that follows Point Pelee’s shoreline, right to mainland Canada’s most southern point. At the very tip, you may be tempted to go even further south by wading into Lake Erie. But it’s best to stay on dry land, as strong currents form at the tip, which could carry you away.

While you can’t go in the water, you’ll still have a spectacular view from the tip. Looking south, you might just spot Pelee Island, where vineyards produce grapes for the Pelee Island Winery. Enjoy the fruits of Southern Ontario on the island, or in nearby Kingsville, where you can sip a glass of the winery’s award-winning wines and unwind after your flight to Windsor.