At times when no migration is under way, it is easy for those who go birding frequently at Presqu'ile Provincial Park to become complacent, since many of the same birds remain in the same places for weeks at a time. The reality, however, is that some of those birds are far from commonplace in Ontario in mid-winter.
For example, is there any other place where 200 or more Mute Swans can be seen at one time? Nor are there many places on Lake Ontario where Tundra Swans can be seen almost every day. Yet both of these species, including up to 14 of the latter on January 24, are "regulars" among the waterfowl that can be seen from Salt Point. Usually there are one or two White-winged Scoters there also, and five were close to shore at the lighthouse on January 26. Bald Eagles have been spotted over the outer part of Presqu'ile Bay or sitting on the edge of the ice on each of the last three days, and two were seen on January 25. Pileated Woodpeckers are always an exciting sight, and in Newcastle Woods, which are exceptionally quiet these days, one can often find one of these birds by listening for their tapping. Hand-feeding of Black-capped Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches has become ridiculously easy. One flock that seems to expect such treatment can be found about 100 metres off Paxton Drive on a ski trail; follow the road about one kilometre from the lighthouse until three large boulders block the entrance to a roadway on the left; continue for another 200 metres past a semi-open area beyond which the road curves to the left and then the right; at that point there is a stand of pines and spruces, where the aforesaid ski trail, marked in orange, heads off into the woods at an angle of about 30 degrees. On January 27, a flock of 19 American Robins and 17 Cedar Waxwings was seen where Atkins Lane joins Paxton Drive. Even more robins have been seen on each of the past two days near the bird sightings board and along the main entrance road near Beach 2. On January 29, one of the robins was singing a "whisper song", a portent of louder things to come. The feeders along Bayshore Road (at least eight different properties have them) continue to offer the best opportunities on the peninsula for finding land birds at this time of year, including White-throated Sparrows and Common Grackles as well as several more common species. To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. The channel separating Gull Island from the mainland has almost disappeared, making the island almost a peninsula. The channel is only a few metres wide and about 10-15 centimetres deep. However, when the channel between the island and Owen Point is frozen, as it has been recently, the ice may be unsafe to walk on without breaking through. Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Fred Helleiner 186 Bayshore Road, R.R. #4, Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0 VOICE: (613) 475 5309 If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park. Fred Helleiner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
