WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA for Sunday, March 09, 2003 Winter continues its icy grip on Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This was certainly reflected in some of the reports that came in during the week including SNOW BUNTINGS (12) along Greer Road in Prince Edward County, and others during the week at 401 and Sidney Street in Belleville, and along Wooler Road. There was a second winter ICELAND GULL at the Glenora Ferry crossing last Sunday, and another - this time a first winter bird, at Point Petre the same day.
Bird feeders continue to enjoy brisk business as winter drags on with each feeder reporting their own individual successes with record large numbers of TREE SPARROWS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and MOURNING DOVES. A flock of 40 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES last week at a feeder east of Waupoos, and which subsequently disappeared this weekend, was particularly noteworthy as this species is all but absent at many feeders this winter. The male VARIED THRUSH at 383 Prinyer's Cove Crescent was last seen yesterday. This feeder which has seen close to 100 observers since the thrush arrived in early January, also has a male NORTHERN FLICKER, and both a male and female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. It has also been confirmed that a female VARIED THRUSH is also patronizing the same feeder although it is the male that seems to be observed more frequently. As spring draws nearer, we will be working on confirming a breeding record for this species for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas ! Open water around the county is still at a premium. However, West Lake at Wellington has been producing some interesting species including up to 22 MUTE SWANS this evening (15 on Monday). Prince Edward Point is still pretty much frozen in although fly bys of 60+ LONG-TAILED DUCKS were seen early in the week. A few open areas can be found at Point Petre where early in the week there were 750 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 350 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 80 BUFFLEHEAD, 18 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, 140 GREATER SCAUP, 22 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and 250 MALLARDS. Signs of spring do continue to tantalize us, however. The flock of AMERICAN ROBINS along South Big Island Road had grown to 300+ by Friday afternoon. A NORTHERN HARRIER also appeared over the Big Island Marsh at 1111 South Big Island Road, and HORNED LARKS regularly flush from roadsides. A flock of 37 along County Road 17, east of Lake-on-the-Mountain was noteworthy. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were found during the week on County Road 13 south of Black River (8), and another 8 at Point Petre. Other interesting sightings during the week were ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK near Prinyer's Cove, 2 SNOWY OWLS on Amherst Island on Tuesday, a RED-TAILED HAWK on Greer Road this afternoon, and another at Mountain View on Wednesday. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. Our thanks to Margaret Quinn, Laura Pierce, John Charlton, Thomas & John Rymes, Fred Chandler, Bruce DiLabio, Lloyd Paul, George Kratz, Owen Weir and Donald McClure for their contributions to this week's report. This report will be updated by 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 16th. Bird sightings must be in by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening to be included in the next report. Good "winter" birding! Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.naturestuff.net "Terry Sprague" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
