WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, January 05, 2003 Final Results from the Belleville Christmas Bird Count on December 28th revealed a total of 49 species seen. EUROPEAN STARLING led the list with a high of 2,527, followed by 1,224 MOURNING DOVES. Other noteworthy sightings and numbers were 691 CANADA GEESE, 347 COMMON MERGANSERS, and 293 MALLARDS. Also seen were 1 HORNED GREBE, 4 EASTERN SCREECH OWLS, 1 BELTED KINGFISHER, 11 NORTHERN FLICKERS, 65 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 2 HERMIT THRUSHES, 17 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, 467 AMERICAN ROBINS, 1 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, 27 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and 2 SWAMP SPARROWS.
With the arrival of snow late this week, bird activity has picked up considerably at most feeding stations across the county. The CAROLINA WREN was back at my feeder early this morning feasting on crushed Vegetable Thins. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is at a feeder east of Lake-on-the-Mountain, and another two were seen in Belleville during the week, on Benson Court. A female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER were present at a feeder at Wesley Acres, south of Bloomfield. Hawks seen at or near feeders during the week included a COOPER'S HAWK at Waupoos, Barry Heights at Trenton and in the Shannonville area; SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS at feeders at Big Island, Elmbrook and Bloomfield; a NORTHERN HARRIER near a feeder on Maitland Drive in Belleville; and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at a Ridge Road feeder south of Picton, and two others seen in the Cressy area. Other interesting birds of prey during the week were BALD EAGLES (2 adults, 2 immatures) at Long Reach off Highway 49, and a single adult on Adolphus Reach. RED-TAILED HAWKS were observed at Davis Road, Wesley Acres, Big Island, over the Millennium Trail near Picton, and another north of Bloomfield. There was an immature MERLIN on the east side of Waupoos on New Year's Day, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Highway 62 near Matthie Road. Two GREAT HORNED OWLS turned up during the week north of Belleville. At Big Island, a RAVEN called noisily as it passed overhead on Monday and disappeared south over the Big Island Marsh toward Demorestville. Other good sightings during the week included 8 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at Little Bluff Conservation Area, hundreds of AMERICAN ROBINS and 30 CEDAR WAXWINGS feeding on buckthorn berries along Old Milford Road, 30 GADWALL on Cressy Lakeside Road, 25 COMMON MERGANSERS at Adolphus Reach, a male PILEATED WOODPECKER and a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER at Barry Heights (Trenton), 200 MALLARDS at Athol Bay, and a rare sight this winter - 30 SNOW BUNTINGS on Wesley Acres Road. Quinte Conservation is still taking registrations for the 6-week Bird Identification Course, being held every Tuesday evening commencing February 11th at the Quinte Conservation Conference Room. Openings for the course are filling up fast and those interested are urged to contact the e-mail address below for further information. Cost is $60/person. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Barry Pinsky & Janette Loveys, Judy Bell, Laura Pierce, Lynn McMullen, Joanne Dewey, Lloyd Paul, Henry Pasila, Donn Legate, Shirley Preston, Joe Victor, David Bree, John Charlton and Don McClure for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 12th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening to be included in the next report. Good birding ! Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.naturestuff.net "Terry Sprague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
