Presqu'ile Provincial Park is a park in southeastern Northumberland County, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Ontario near the town of Brighton, Ontario. The park occupies an area of 9.37 km2 (3.62 sq mi). The name of the park is the French word for peninsula or literally, "almost island" and was believed to be named by Samuel De Champlain on his second famous expedition. The park area was formed
when a limestone island was connected to the mainland by a sand spit; this kind of formation is referred to as a tombolo. The park's location on Lake Ontario makes it a perfect stop over for migrating birds along the Michigan Flyway. For this reason is it also an important location for viewing migrating birds and Monarch butterflies. The park's long beaches make it particularly appealing to migrating shorebirds. Limestone islands near the park area support large nesting colonies of Double-crested Cormorants, Caspian and Common Terns, several gull species, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Black-crowned Night-herons. In early spring, Presqu'ile Bay is an important staging area for thousands of migrating waterfowl. The park also includes a large marsh which provides nesting habitat for rails, bitterns and other wetland birds. There are also forested areas and open fields: a wide variety of habitats in a relatively small park. There is also a fairly substantial population of White-tailed Deer. Presqu'ile has been identified as a Canadian Important Bird Area. In all this small park has seven distinct ecosystems. The park includes a number of campgrounds, the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre, and the Nature Centre. The park's level terrain and excellent roads make it a good location for cycling.
