Presqu'ile has a world-wide reputation as a must-stop destination for birders building up a list. Nigel Packett and Jaime Hall, a young couple from Perth, Australia, are on a six-month birding/bicycling tour from St. John's, Newfoundland to British Columbia. They are aiming to see 400 species of Canadian birds before they finish. The purpose of their ultimate "birdathon" of over 10,000 kilometres is to raise funds for the Victoria-based Ancient Forest Alliance (http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/) by asking supporters to pledge funds on a per-species basis.

By the end of July, the intrepid cyclists had found 200 species when they stopped to camp at Presqu'ile and search for three target birds that are known to occur in the Park and at few other places. They had done their homework and knew exactly where to look for the birds that they needed to find. Their efforts were rewarded by the sighting of a Least Bittern from the marsh boardwalk. Their comment that "Presqu'ile is a really beautiful park" will no doubt strike a chord (Jaime is a musician by profession) among members of The Friends of Presqu'ile. To read their blog about their adventures and see their photos, go to: http://www.tilthelasttree.com/.

Fred Helleiner