The diversity of habitat which makes Presqu'ile Provincial Park such an ideal birding site also creates some frustration for birders, who have to decide whether to sample the marsh birds, the beach birds, or the forest birds. At this time of year, when lots of land birds drop down after their overnight migration, the area within a kilometre of the lighthouse is a good place to start the day.
Whenever the waters of Popham Bay are calm enough, a careful search can usually produce Red-throated Loons. On four days of the past week, this species could be found there in numbers ranging from two to nine. Common Loons and Horned Grebes have also been seen there this week, but the easiest place to see the latter species is at the calf pasture, where one is being seen almost every day. Great Egrets have been fewer this week than last, but can often be found in the marsh or at the calf pasture. Black-crowned Night-Herons (up to 15 at a time) have become a fixture at Sebastopol Point. To view them, go to Owen Point and aim a scope at the lone bush off the north-west corner of Gull Island. The only Snow Goose of the season was a lone bird out in Popham Bay on April 26. On and just off the shore of Popham Bay from Beach 1 to Owen Point has been the best place this week to find dabbling ducks. The majority (about 100) are Green-winged Teals, but there are also small numbers of Gadwalls and American Wigeons. On April 27, there were two Northern Shovelers there, and Northern Pintails were there on April 25 (9) and 30 (2). Five Northern Pintails flew by the lighthouse on May 1. There are still hundreds of diving ducks in Presqu'ile Bay, but the number of Canvasbacks and Redheads among them has dropped to single digits. The most recent Canvasback sighting was on April 26. There was a Surf Scoter near the lighthouse on May 1. An Osprey flew towards the lighthouse on April 27. Both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks have been present during the week, and a Merlin flew past the beach on April 27.. A Wild Turkey, only the third ever seen at Presqu'ile, was discovered on High Bluff Island on April 29. The first Common Moorhen of the spring was found in the marsh on April 26 and was still there on the following day. Although one or two American Coots can usually be found in Presqu'ile Bay with a lot of patient searching with a scope, the bird seen on May 1 out in the waves of Popham Bay was in an unusual location. A highlight of the spring was the sighting, on April 26, of five Sandhill Cranes in the marsh, but unfortunately they took off and flew north shortly after they were discovered. A Semipalmated Plover, fully ten days earlier than the previous early date reported in Birds of Presqu'ile Provincial Park, appeared on the beach on April 27. Four other shorebirds, identified only as to genus (Calidris), were seen on Gull Island on April 26. Now that May has arrived, other shorebirds should be expected to arrive soon. The 19th anniversary of a Mongolian Plover sighting at Presqu'ile is this coming Sunday, and die-hard optimists will likely be on the beach hoping for a repeat occurrence. Adult Little Gulls accompanied a group of Bonaparte's Gulls that congregated off the lighthouse on April 26 and 27. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull put in a brief appearance at Owen Point on April 27, and a sub-adult Glaucous Gull was in that vicinity on April 28 and May 1, a rather late date for that species. Common Terns (2) first appeared on April 30 at Owen Point, and ten or more were there on May 1. A Red-headed Woodpecker, apparently the earliest ever in the Park, was located on May 1, just north-west of the Park store. Another early date, tying the previous record cited in Birds of Presqu'ile Park, was established for Least Flycatcher, one of which was seen not far from the lighthouse on April 29. Several Blue-headed Vireos and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and seven species of warblers were found in the Park before the end of April, but the major influx of these insectivorous birds is just beginning. There were plenty of them around on May 1, and more can be expected soon. Just outside the Park, a Northern Mockingbird was discovered on April 29. White-crowned Sparrows have just begun to arrive, while the last of the Dark-eyed Juncoes have not yet left. 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. Access to the offshore islands is restricted at this time of year to prevent disturbance to the colonial nesting birds there. 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]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
